Alternative to high bills?

sevenhills

I guess there are people living off grid because they don't have a choice. With energy prices increasing, how feasible is it to disconnect from the grid?
Would it be an option for businesses that don't have an energy cap?
I have eight solar panels, it's not an option for me, just curious.
Petrol generators are cheap, could a tax free fuel be used?

elsien

The cost of having the meter removed and the potential costs of having to be reconnected in the future wouldn’t make a lot of financial sense for most people. And without that you’re still paying the standing charges. 

wild666

Try turning off everything in standby mode except the fridge, freezer and router and lowering the temperatures on the boiler to 50 degrees for water and 55 degrees for heating and lower the thermostat to 18 degrees this is what I'm doing and saving 35% on the electric bills and 60% or more on gas bills. There's no need to go off-grid just use less by turning appliances off at the wall socket and lowering temperatures.

[Deleted User]

sevenhills said:

I guess there are people living off grid because they don't have a choice. With energy prices increasing, how feasible is it to disconnect from the grid?
Would it be an option for businesses that don't have an energy cap?
I have eight solar panels, it's not an option for me, just curious.
Petrol generators are cheap, could a tax free fuel be used?

I have 24 solar panels. My lowest daily output in December last year was 350Wh.

Only certain industries (farming; horticulture; fisheries et al) are allowed to use tax rebated fuel.

Theoretically, with a very large array; significant battery storage and a large wind or hydro turbine it is possible to go off Grid. Whether it would be cost effective is a separate issue.

MattMattMattUK

[Deleted User] said:

sevenhills said:

I guess there are people living off grid because they don't have a choice. With energy prices increasing, how feasible is it to disconnect from the grid?
Would it be an option for businesses that don't have an energy cap?
I have eight solar panels, it's not an option for me, just curious.
Petrol generators are cheap, could a tax free fuel be used?

I have 24 solar panels. My lowest daily output in December last year was 350Wh.

Out of curiosity, rather than the number of panels, what is your installed kWp and what is the max you have had in a day? 

[Deleted User]

MattMattMattUK said:

[Deleted User] said:

sevenhills said:

I guess there are people living off grid because they don't have a choice. With energy prices increasing, how feasible is it to disconnect from the grid?
Would it be an option for businesses that don't have an energy cap?
I have eight solar panels, it's not an option for me, just curious.
Petrol generators are cheap, could a tax free fuel be used?

I have 24 solar panels. My lowest daily output in December last year was 350Wh.

Out of curiosity, rather than the number of panels, what is your installed kWp and what is the max you have had in a day? 

I have panels on 2 roofs facing 140 and 230 degrees. Installed kWp is 6.35. I have SolarEdge as there is some shading from a house adjacent to my garage.  My daily maximum over the past 2 years is 48kWh on a very bright but temperate day in late May. The installation has been in place 2 weeks short of 2 years and my generation meter passed 12,000kWh yesterday.

Alnat1

More curiosity, what was your installers prediction of output?

Astria

wild666 said:

lowering the temperatures on the boiler to 50 degrees for water and 55 degrees for heating

Has anyone actually compared the differences on this on both the gas and electric side?

Having a lower boiler temperature will very slightly decrease gas usage but it will also increase electricity usage as things like pumps and fans will need to be on longer to get to the same temperature, so will you actually save any money with raising electric costs?

brewerdave

Astria said:

wild666 said:

lowering the temperatures on the boiler to 50 degrees for water and 55 degrees for heating

Has anyone actually compared the differences on this on both the gas and electric side?

Having a lower boiler temperature will very slightly decrease gas usage but it will also increase electricity usage as things like pumps and fans will need to be on longer to get to the same temperature, so will you actually save any money with raising electric costs?

Didn't want to upset @wild666's apple cart so haven't commented before - but I tried something along those lines with my gas boiler - running with too low a return temperature led to the thermostat never actually reaching the set temperature and the boiler constantly firing and shutting down and the pump constantly running; Bigger radiators only got warm. I suspect it'll only work if you live in one or two relatively small rooms with doors shut and the thermostat in one of the rooms. And the rest of the house can get pretty cold !!

brewerdave

[Deleted User] said:

sevenhills said:

I guess there are people living off grid because they don't have a choice. With energy prices increasing, how feasible is it to disconnect from the grid?
Would it be an option for businesses that don't have an energy cap?
I have eight solar panels, it's not an option for me, just curious.
Petrol generators are cheap, could a tax free fuel be used?

Theoretically, with a very large array; significant battery storage and a large wind or hydro turbine it is possible to go off Grid. Whether it would be cost effective is a separate issue.

Not only a cost issue - even if you have the capital available ,getting stuff installed currently will involve long waiting times. I believe someone on here has suggested between 6 and 18 months for solar installs. Certainly where I am, the local guys won't even quote at the moment.

QrizB

brewerdave said:

Astria said:

wild666 said:

lowering the temperatures on the boiler to 50 degrees for water and 55 degrees for heating

Has anyone actually compared the differences on this on both the gas and electric side?

but I tried something along those lines with my gas boiler - running with too low a return temperature led to the thermostat never actually reaching the set temperature and the boiler constantly firing and shutting down and the pump constantly running; Bigger radiators only got warm. I suspect it'll only work if you live in one or two relatively small rooms with doors shut and the thermostat in one of the rooms. And the rest of the house can get pretty cold !!

If you've got a smart enough boiler (& controls to match) it will do automatic weather compensation, turning the flow temp down when the weather is warmer and up when it's colder. You get the benefit of higher efficiency when possible, while keeping higher radiator temperatures when needed.

My boiler is 17 years old and not noticeably smart, so I do this manually. I've put a tick mark on the flow temperature knob to remind me where 50C (ish) flow temp is, and if the forecast is for subzero temperatures I turn the knob up.