Holistic Homestead Energy Systems.

[TeeDee]

So I have a new property.

It has potential for being as off grid as I can optimally take it but I'd like the additional input and experience from others.

It is currently heated by an Oil Fired C/H boiler , it has its own waste Septic Tank/Soakaway , once the extension is built is will have ample roof space for a decent Solar array combined and Battery system/wall.
It currently has an archaic Wood burner but will be upgraded to an up to date new Burner with I hope a Back Boiler system.

It also has access to a Fast running Stream with decent head and run alongside the property so I'm seriously thinking a Micro HEP would be very beneficial.

As the Extended Roof will be a decent size I'd really like to include some kind of rainfall recovery system & storage to use within the house / grey water if implementation is Cost effective.


At the moment everything is purely within the planning stage - so any inclusion of off grid ideas can be kicked around at this point.

I'd like input / opinion and advice on how best to implement some of these ideas from those that have or which ideas to omit as they prove not useful ,practical or cost effective ?


I'd like advice on how best to combine the potential of the following energy systems to best capitalise on them.

SOLAR POWER - BATTERY

WATER POWER - MICRO HEP & BATTERY

WOOD BURNER - TEGS (?) , BACK BOILER



Any advice or questions will be well received. Thank you.

 

[Janne]

Maximize the insulation on the new extension.
Get an architect and builders that understand the insulation, vapour barrier and airtighteness part properly. Proper three glass windows.

Properly designed and build, your house as a whole should use a little bit less energy to heat than without the new extension, as one of the old walls will be incorporated 'inside' the house.

 

[TeeDee]

Vert true and Good Janne , the easiest way to maximise energy potential is to start with minimising the 'waste', as the property will be having a new roof ( and 1st floor ) I will indeed put the maximum depth of insulation in where possible. A nice big warm " Hat " for the new property.

 

[Tengu]

If you have a nice stream a Hydraulic Ram might be an option.

(If you need water pumped somewhere)

Jannes right, saving is where you start.

(I wish I had a decently insulated place)

 

[saxonaxe]

I'm unsure of how the formal process works, but I'm assuming that you are at least connected to the National/local Grid. If after the property is re-roofed you find you can install a significant and effective number of Solar Panels, it is possible to sell unused or surplus electricity back to the National Grid. So any excess power remaining after you have used what you require will be purchased from you.

So if after all the uprated insulation and alternative methods of generating power have been installed, you find that you produce more than you require, the excess can be sold to the National grid.

There is a farm house not too faraway from where I live which from a distance appears to have one complete aspect of it's roof covered in Solar Panels. I understand that the owner does just what I have described above, and that he in fact pays for his Summer domestic electricity bills by doing so, as the return cancels out the bills.

I've no idea of the Wattage of the panels he uses, or initial cost, but I would think any reputable Solar Panel Installation company would be able to advise and know about the proceedure for the resale of power.

 

[TeeDee]

If you have a nice stream a Hydraulic Ram might be an option.

(If you need water pumped somewhere)

Jannes right, saving is where you start.

(I wish I had a decently insulated place)

Yes Ram Pump is on the ideas list.

 

[TeeDee]

I'm unsure of how the formal process works, but I'm assuming that you are at least connected to the National/local Grid. If after the property is re-roofed you find you can install a significant and effective number of Solar Panels, it is possible to sell unused or surplus electricity back to the National Grid. So any excess power remaining after you have used what you require will be purchased from you.

So if after all the uprated insulation and alternative methods of generating power have been installed, you find that you produce more than you require, the excess can be sold to the National grid.

There is a farm house not too faraway from where I live which from a distance appears to have one complete aspect of it's roof covered in Solar Panels. I understand that the owner does just what I have described above, and that he in fact pays for his Summer domestic electricity bills by doing so, as the return cancels out the bills.

I've no idea of the Wattage of the panels he uses, or initial cost, but I would think any reputable Solar Panel Installation company would be able to advise and know about the proceedure for the resale of power.

Yes the F.I.T's ( Feed In Tariffs ) were from what I understand useful to have when they were first introduced , however the amounts you actually get paid for now will vary with whatever contract of FITS you managed to get signed up to. The overall trend has mainly been that the newly fitted solar installation FITS have declined.

I'm not saying that they may not be having more that the return from the Grid has lessened over the years.

 

[saxonaxe]

Ah! Understood. Our local must have got in early with a decent contract I suspect, the installation looks 'weathered' as if it's been there some time.

 

[Tengu]

http://www.greenandcarter.com/

Are the best.

But you can make your own.

 

[Toddy]

Instead of a stove, look at a rocket mass heater.
It gives an enormous return of heat from very little fuel, and it can become a built in warm area to sit/lie on too.
google for images, etc., and there are dozens of designs out there
I hope your new property is an excellent place

M

 

[Woody girl]

While you are at the planning stages. Rainwater collection to be used to flush toilets, and for use in washing machines and showers might be worth considering.
If you are doing that then if there is room for a reed bed filtration to a wild pond area you can save a fair bit on water rates too as well as being a green solution to grey water as a bath or sink can be connected up too.
If you can prove that water is not going "down the drains" you can get a discount on your rates.
If your land is not enough for a grey water filtration system like that. Just collecting the rain water and using it as described for loos etc will be a green solution to water usage and your bill will be lower if you are on a meter as you will not be using as much metered water. Worth getting a meter if you don't have one and decide to go for this.
Permaculture has a lot of info as does the centre for alternative technology in Wales.

 

[Janne]

Instead of a stove, look at a rocket mass heater.
It gives an enormous return of heat from very little fuel, and it can become a built in warm area to sit/lie on too.
google for images, etc., and there are dozens of designs out there
I hope your new property is an excellent place

M

In Sweden we had a Finnish Tulikivi soapstone wood burning stove installed. Expensive, but we made up the extra cost ( compared to a cast iron woodburner) in less than two winters.

Other manufacturers exist, at a better price point today.
Just search on ‘soapstone masonry heaters woodburner ‘
Whichever woodburner you install, make sure it is fed straight by outside air.
If not, it will just suck the warm inside air, which will be replaced by cold outside air.

 

[Le Loup]

So I have a new property.

It has potential for being as off grid as I can optimally take it but I'd like the additional input and experience from others.

It is currently heated by an Oil Fired C/H boiler , it has its own waste Septic Tank/Soakaway , once the extension is built is will have ample roof space for a decent Solar array combined and Battery system/wall.
It currently has an archaic Wood burner but will be upgraded to an up to date new Burner with I hope a Back Boiler system.

It also has access to a Fast running Stream with decent head and run alongside the property so I'm seriously thinking a Micro HEP would be very beneficial.

As the Extended Roof will be a decent size I'd really like to include some kind of rainfall recovery system & storage to use within the house / grey water if implementation is Cost effective.


At the moment everything is purely within the planning stage - so any inclusion of off grid ideas can be kicked around at this point.

I'd like input / opinion and advice on how best to implement some of these ideas from those that have or which ideas to omit as they prove not useful ,practical or cost effective ?


I'd like advice on how best to combine the potential of the following energy systems to best capitalise on them.

SOLAR POWER - BATTERY

WATER POWER - MICRO HEP & BATTERY

WOOD BURNER - TEGS (?) , BACK BOILER



Any advice or questions will be well received. Thank you.

We have been off grid for about 40 years TeeDee, & find that ordinary rainwater catchment tanks fed by the main house roof & the cottage roof work just fine. The two main tanks are 5000 gallon cement tanks, one down at house level for catchment, & the other up above the house to feed the house via just gravity. The water from the lower tank is pumped up to the upper tank by an electric pump powered by or solar power system. We have another 5000 gallon poly tank fed from the cottage roof which supplies the cottage & the main house outside laundry. We have two 1000 gallon poly garden water tanks fed from the main house roof & we have another one ordered which will be fed from the overflow of the lower cement tank.

Our grey water from kitchen, inside laundry & bathroom is fed into two underground trenches under the gardens.
Our solar power system is 24 volts DC converted to 240 volts AC. We did not put our solar panels on the roof, because they are a lot harder to clean if they are on the roof! Also we used to get snow, & it is much easier & safer to clear the snow if one does not have to climb onto the roof!!!

The main house is heated with a wood burning heater, burning wood does give off C02 emissions, but not as much as burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas). Cooking is done on a wood burning stove & the hot water is supplies via a water jacket in the side of the firebox.

In this image you can see the hot water tank at the side of the main house, rather than being in the roof.

We also use the wood heater & stove for drying foods.
Regards, Keith.

 

[demographic]

Maximize the insulation on the new extension.
Get an architect and builders that understand the insulation, vapour barrier and airtighteness part properly. Proper three glass windows.

Properly designed and build, your house as a whole should use a little bit less energy to heat than without the new extension, as one of the old walls will be incorporated 'inside' the house.

That^ paying particular attention to the building envelope being airtight so water vapour doesn't condense in the insulation and cause it to lose efficiency and the timbers to rot.

 

[Toddy]

In Sweden we had a Finnish Tulikivi soapstone wood burning stove installed. Expensive, but we made up the extra cost ( compared to a cast iron woodburner) in less than two winters.

Other manufacturers exist, at a better price point today.
Just search on ‘soapstone masonry heaters woodburner ‘
Whichever woodburner you install, make sure it is fed straight by outside air.
If not, it will just suck the warm inside air, which will be replaced by cold outside air.

Those are beautiful, Janne and so practical too there.

M

 

[demographic]

Yes the F.I.T's ( Feed In Tariffs ) were from what I understand useful to have when they were first introduced , however the amounts you actually get paid for now will vary with whatever contract of FITS you managed to get signed up to. The overall trend has mainly been that the newly fitted solar installation FITS have declined.

I'm not saying that they may not be having more that the return from the Grid has lessened over the years.

As theres a difference between the price of late night (used to be called economy seven, not sure now) electricity and peak electricity it seems possible to buy it in during the night, store it in batteries then sell it back to the grid during the day when its more expensive.
Which would actually lessen the pressure on the grid as well as make you money.

 

[Janne]

Yes, very important, specially if one of those natural or sustainable ( or what they are called) insulation materials are used.

Those are beautiful, Janne and so practical too there.

M

There are two negative aspects:
Cost
Weight. The subfloor must be strong. They absorb the heat from the fire, and release it gently over many hours.

In our new house in Norway I think we are going with a Jotul. Budget, plus weight.

Burning wood for heat must be one of the more sustainable heating ways? I do not know?

 

[TeeDee]

As theres a difference between the price of late night (used to be called economy seven, not sure now) electricity and peak electricity it seems possible to buy it in during the night, store it in batteries then sell it back to the grid during the day when its more expensive.
Which would actually lessen the pressure on the grid as well as make you money.

That would be very useful if it works like that!. Good thinking.

 

[TeeDee]

Yes, very important, specially if one of those natural or sustainable ( or what they are called) insulation materials are used.


There are two negative aspects:
Cost
Weight. The subfloor must be strong. They absorb the heat from the fire, and release it gently over many hours.

In our new house in Norway I think we are going with a Jotul. Budget, plus weight.

Burning wood for heat must be one of the more sustainable heating ways? I do not know?

Can you give me some links?

 

[Toddy]

@Janne
I think if you have space around you, then it's not so bad, but in suburbia and the like the particulate pollution from stoves and the like is causing concern. One reason the rocket mass heaters are considered because they give a really good return for little fuel.

M