Zombieland

Zombieland

Disclaimer: I recommend consulting with an expert about any information provided below before making any changes to your home, especially with regard to the use of generators.

So, this post is about one of those weird musing I get from time to time! I'm planning a Passive House which will rely on various fuel sources to keep it warm, provide hot water, keep fresh air flowing and to cook with / store food. But what if there is a power cut? Unlikely you may say. Well, I'd nearly agree but I lived through a few power cuts as a kid in Ireland and it's not nice! You only realise how much you take it for granted when it's gone and I always remember the moment it comes back on as you feel only then that normality has returned.

So, the scenario I was thinking of centres around Gas. Huh, I hear you say?!! I thought you said Electricity would cut out? Well, think about it, we have an aggresor Gazprom/Russia in control of most of the natural gas supplying Europe. If they use that for leverage in 2028 for example then turn it off for 5 days at a time as negotiations drag on, what is everyone going to do? You need to cook and heat your home, so everyone plugs in an electric fire or four and buys a new electric cooker / water heater. Guess what happens to the electricity demand? Plus in many countries over half their Electricity is generated by Gas and you've a big spike, inadequate supply so each country will shut down their inter-connectors to preserve shut out any non-domestic Electricity demand. We regularly import Electricity in Ireland and while we've a big stake in a huge station in Manchester but no plans for any new power plants in Ireland, we'll be at a major disadvantage: end result - California rolling blackouts. Remember we're also seeing an increase in the number of Datacenters, who do you think will win the argument for access to limited electricity in the short term, big business or citizens? You can bet your 10 cent that money will talk and priority will be given to businesses. And these are 24 hour setups, not ones they can give it back to us in the evenings or weekends!

So, that's all the doom and gloom so what can we as individuals do about it? Knowledge is one key element. Check out the following links to learn a bit more:

So this link shows all power outages in Ireland - there is an Android / iPhone app also, get it!
https://www.esb.ie/esb-networks/powercheck/

Next, there is a list of advice for those at risk of storm damage interrupting their supply:
https://www.esbnetworks.ie/power-outages-updates/be-prepared
Some good advice here for short term outages.

I contacted ESB Networks about the equivalent of the following portal they have in the UK:

http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk

They responded that I should contact the Eirgrid group and sure enough they have a portal and it's actually very good, much better than I suspected:

http://www.eirgridgroup.com/how-the-grid-works/system-information/

http://smartgriddashboard.eirgrid.com

So a few surprises, wind encompasses up to 1,000MW which was shocking, I assumed it was much lower, even on a better day. The highest ever was 28-01-16 when we got 2,683MW from wind alone! The highest demand ever was 21-12-10 with all the snow @ 6878MW, usually it's @ 5,000MW, so nearly half came from wind last January! With regard to the generation mix - Gas usage is up to 60% though for the week/month. While they can switch over to Diesel if there is a problem it shows this fuel is part of the magic mix and a strategic one at that. The interconnection graphs show we're importing up to 500MW during Mon-Fri. This is regular and sustained, not good.

So, with regard to how this impacts you and I. You need to take a look at your own usage. In the event of a Gas AND Electricity shortage, how will you heat you home for short periods? You'll only drop say two degrees a day in a Passive House when it's cold outside but you could gain 7-9 degrees from the south facing windows via the Sun so you have a net gain. To top up if it's overcast, a superser gas heater is the most obvious route to go, just make sure you have a full bottle of gas lying around to keep it running as these will disappear fast. I know you can get light and cooking from the gas bottle but you need appliances geared up for it or just get a camping stove set etc. An extra gas bottle if the risk rises would be important too. Note: If buying one of these devices watch that the valve connection is compatible with Irish Bottle gas as it is different in the UK - A B&Q superser will not fit, you'll need a different regulator so watch out for this.

Now, your MHRV is powered by electricity. No, you won't suffocate if it isn't working, not overnight anyway! You need to open windows to ventilate during the daytime when the heat differential isn't as great but that should get you by. It may require additional top up heating as a result and to open a window if cooking / showering etc. Not much you can do about this.

Hot Water is interesting, assuming interruptions in the mains water due to pump issues, you're probably going to be looking at wet wipe showers and using water for cooking, reuse for washing / cleaning and flushing loos. It's at this time I think of rainwater harvesting. Now, you do need a pump to fill the header tank but a manual system could be rigged up easy enough. Assume the sewers are working to some degree or you'll need a compost toilet and careful sanitation. While the use of rainwater doesn't currently have any economic payback this is when it could assist. A water butt tank might get you by if it's just you - fill a bucket and flush the loo with it etc. Still just a consideration than a necessity. Having a 1500L+ underground tank vs a 200L Rainwater butt is the equation you'll need to balance, if you don't have it you can't use it.

Of course you can use Solar PV and a thermal or electrical store. These leak however so best case is the loss of Gas & Electricity happens in the summertime you might get by with batteries and lowering your usage. In the winter however when it's more likely to be timed for political reasons, you're not going to be able to recharge the battery even if you managed to keep it fully charged up to the time you needed it. The capacities available fall far short of what would be needed and Energy Harvesting for medium term storage in the form of hydrogen etc is not viable currently. Maybe in 10 years we'll have more options to generate in the summer and store/use in the winter.

Storing food in the garden shed, outside of the thermal envelope still provides some security. Chest freezers will stay cold for quite a while. There's a guy in Australia using his as a fridge as it loses less heat when opened so he's keeping it at 3-4 degrees C with a thermometer controlled plug. So, if you can, use up all your frozen food first, switch food to the chest freezer and see if that keeps you going for a while.

With regard to lighting, if you had a battery you could afford to run a few small loads such as LED. There is also developing country projects that use a weight to power an LED for 30 minutes before you need to reset it. That plus handheld flashlights are probably a useful backup.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gravitylight-lighting-for-developing-countries#/

Assess all the other devices in your home. You car can provide a mobile phone charging point (if the network cells are operating) and a radio for receiving updates. The obvious source of it's power Petrol/Diesel is also an option.

Now a generator is an option here. They are fed with regular unleaded and can power your home. There are a lot of considerations so seek expert advice on this one. Security might be a concern as the noise it makes and all the lights you have on will be a giveaway. Ensure you have working AND tested battery powered smoke and CO detectors in your house if using a generator. As an example: A Honda model that does 7000 watts on 240V can run for 6.5 hours on 20 litres (this is when powering a full load or it can last longer, up to 18 hours on a quarter of that load). This would cost around 5K though! Honda have a great website to get more information but always speak to an expert:
http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators
A Transfer switch must be installed to ensure you are not putting yourself or electrical workers at risk. This isolates the house from the mains and prevents generator power flowing to outside your house and killing someone. Talk to an expert about this and other precautions to be used with a generator and the correct procedures in using one.

There are other scenarios that will influence matters outside of a power loss. Floods, high winds and fires can all affect power supply. It may even make it hazardous to run supplemental sources if your house is impacted / damaged. An emergency box with medical supplies, food, clean water and blankets / spare clothing might be useful if you can access it.

So, hope I've not scared you completed. There are a lot of options out there but becoming too dependant on Electricity I feel is not a good thing. Examining the energy usage patterns you build up should make you realise that any loss for more than a few hours will impact you. Keeping you and your loved ones safe will require some planning and a small investment, things to keep out in the garden shed. If a spate of power cuts actually occurs, a more substantial investment might be required.