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Yes, you're probably right there - but the off-grid battery/inverter setup for an ASHP would be expensive and would degrade over time. Solar thermal is nice and simple which is why I went for it. It's augmented with a 200kW pellet boiler system, so that can take over in poor weather.

Coincidentally, found another stumbling across the road in the late afternoon this evening. It's tucked up with a hot water bottle, and hoping we can get him/her up to a rescue centre later on....

...and the thermal store is 4000litres

It was put in for a high temperature seasonal mushroom-growing room in a steel barn. Yes, I have heatdumps - industrial fanned radiators. Yes, I could use PV instead, but solar thermal is inherently very much more efficient and Im up to the maximum amount of PV I can put in without doing off-grid se...

Worth mentioning that hedgehogs may be struggling with the recent cold. If you see any hedgehogs out foraging in the daytime, they are in trouble and need help. With the mild autumn weather, hedgehogs have reared a lot of late litters this year, which means some aren't big enough to survive a winter...

I think all commercially-produced food has a poor CO2/energy rating ie if you could turn fossil-fuel diesel into food, it would be more efficient than growing any commercial crop. Even porridge, Im afraid! The exception would be what is often considered 'third world' agriculture - where human/animal...

Yes, I've got a huge array of solar thermal tubes - think it's about 50kW. Can't remember off the top of my head how many tubes - probably about 700 of the longer, fatter 58mm tubes. Produces just short of 50kW of heat when the sun is shining well. I'll see if I can dig out some photos of it. It's h...

I've posted on this subject years ago, but recent snow has reminded me about this issue! The problem with snow is that being white, it doesn't absorb much solar energy, so despite the gloriously sunny days that usually follow a fall of snow, you get zero kWh out of your PV until it eventually starts...

I know. It seems a blink of an eye. Time really flies!

Nice that you haven't forgotten me!! Glad to see the chocolate teapot emoji has endured the transition! I've been dabbling in all sorts of things over the last few years. There are a few things I regret that I haven't got round to pursuing, but there's still time! Haven't done anything with digester...