Late last year, we installed 8 Solar PV panels on our house totaling 2.2kW of generation capacity. Since then, we have happily watched our house drop off the grid when the sun comes up – the entire house powered by Solar PV. At the same time, we also installed an iBoost hot water diversion unit […]
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What’s the cheapest way to heat...
I’m currently in research mode looking into the next step towards energy independence. For the next investment (actually reinvestment, of savings from previous investments, particularly the electric car), I’m weighing up Battery Storage or a Heat Pump. Each have their merits. Battery storage provides a way to store excess Solar PV in summer, and to […]
Building an Electric Bike
The first post on the energy of Transport showed that if you want to travel efficiently, there’s nothing for it: use a bike. However, many car-dwellers have the a predictable reaction: “I see that cycling is way cheaper than driving.. But I haven’t cycled since I was seven and I wouldn’t be fit enough.” What […]
Installing Double Glazed Windows
When we moved into our house, it had single glazed windows, no attic insulation, and a host of leaks. The wind basically blew straight through it, and it took the heat with it. After installing attic insulation, and adding new rubber seals around the windows and some doors, we decided one of the next moves […]
Installing Tap Aerators
This is a simple, low cost, but effective project. A tap aerator (or faucet aerator) can be screwed onto the faucet head, creating a no-splashing stream and often delivering a mixture of water and air. This is quite useful for reducing the amount of water coming out of the faucet without reducing it’s usefulness. In […]
Switching to an Electric Car
While I cycle to work and most other places, Mrs Green Mohawk is reluctant to become a carless household. This means we need to find a way of achieving motorised transport without significant expense and emissions. I expect this is a universal hope across most households, so let’s get it worked out. Since we started […]
Become a Heat Model: Get Paid to Wear...
The amount of heat that leaks out of the building, which you then have to replace with expensive heating (or cooling) is primarily driven by the fact that there’s a difference in temperatures between your house and the outside. (That’s why installing insulation saves you so much money!) There is therefore one thing you can […]