Fiddling while Rome burns?

Can you use these “plug-ins” on balconies and decks??

LizzieDrip

My DH has been researching the ‘plug in’ solar pamels online for some time. He definitely interested in putting some on the roof of our large south facing shed.

I'm wondering how they could be attached. Has your DH got that sorted, LizzieDrip?

Has he any idea what they would weigh? I'm wondering about the possibility on a southwest facing outbuilding with a corrugated iron roof (which is connected to our electricity mains, of course)

Perhaps we should have a thread where MrLD could, if willing, share his research results .

MaizieD I just put in plug-in solar panels UK into Google, there is plenty of information and a variety of different products available.

MaizieD he’s been looking at YouTube videos about them - there’s lots on there.

Yes, Cossy apparently you can put them on balconies etc - quite common abroad apparently.

I’ll ask DH for a couple of YouTube links.

Crossed posts GrannyGravy

youtu.be/ulSsMHZSDq4?si=dTzkF2UjGJ8uhJqs

Here’s one link - there’s quite a lot of info on YouTube.

I suppose Just Stop Oil is over the moon! Strangely though, they seem to be keeping quiet during this rapidly oncoming oil crisis. I'd be seriously interested to know what practical ideas they have on how the ordinary elderly person should handle it.

With all these solar panels are coming from China, through the Strait of Hormuz, there may be significant delays and vast extra costs.

Extra "are" in there must be my west country accent 😉

Having listened to the education secretary on Sunday repeatedly saying we should all just carry on as usual then I really fear for any contingency planning or preparation from the govt. I have oil fired heating but have been using it less in favour of lighting a fire even though this only warms 1 room. Can't cut down on driving as live in remote location with almost zero public transport but every little helps.

From what I've read they've got a lot more than 27 days... More like 60 days.
No need to panic. Yes oil prices have gone up, but they will fall. I don't drive so petrol prices don't affect me directly, but I do get taxis so obviously those prices will increase. I'll just travel less and only use taxis for appointments.

I've lived through this several times (as I'm sure we all have here) so I'm sure I can do it again, I just cut back on luxuries and stick to essentials.
I was planning a holiday to Spain but I can live without that risk, I don't think I'd feel particularly safe on a plane right now no matter where it's going.

But at the end of the day I'm not getting blown up, my city isn't being bombed from all angles, my home hasn't been destroyed and my family is alive...

They come with brackets to fit them, they're very light and easy to install.

if there's a silver lining to the Middle East war could it be the speeding up of finding and using alternatives to oil, insulating houses, improving public transport, and so on.? I would like to think so.

Perhaps New Zealand should not have shut down their one oil refinery.

They do produce crude oil but have no means to process it.

Very wise.

Grammeretto noticed your comment on changing your walking plans. Fir quite some time I have wondered at my neighbours driving round trip 100/120 miles once a
week to go on an avg 6 mile walk. Loads of country and coastal areas nearby and within walking distance, never figured the sense in it.

Australia is pretty much the same according to family.

Well,we are all old enough (except for some thick-headed politicians, that is) to know that war in the Midde East will cause fuel shortages. So it can hardly suprise us.

As evironmentalists have been telling us for years that using fossil fuels is ruining the earth and its atmosphere, perhaps fuel shortages are actually a good thing!

And as all transport will become dearer, due to the diesel shortage, we are not all that likely to be able to afford to go on holiday, are we?

I prefer to be able to keep the house warm in winter and eat at least one full meal a day, even if doing so does me, due to inflation, that holidays are reduced to day trips within walking or biking distance.

I don’t think it’s unnecessary to try and free the people of Persia from a backward regime.

Cossy

Yes, I believe we should be aware, but I don’t think we should be panicking nor should our governments be scaremongering.

If NZ only have 25 days of oil left are they rationing?

Don't worry about rationing. They have plenty of sheep to eat. They won't starve.

We are not New Zealand... Very little if our oil comes from ME 5% I believe...in saying that we should still be mindful and not scaremonger as we have been told our supplies are fine..... at the moment.

I wondered if the advice to continue as normal was political speak for please don’t stock pile or panic buy? Diesel fuel shortages will soon affect life in the uk- buses and lorries ( food deliveries ) use it.
Yes I think we should be mindful of fuel use and be aware of lower fuel food and transport options.

Grammaretto

if there's a silver lining to the Middle East war could it be the speeding up of finding and using alternatives to oil, insulating houses, improving public transport, and so on.? I would like to think so.

We were discussing exactly this earlier. Hopefully, focussing the minds.
Terrible as the situation is, that could well be one positive for the planet.

OldFrill

With all these solar panels are coming from China, through the Strait of Hormuz, there may be significant delays and vast extra costs.

Iran are allowing Chinese shipping through the strait, but at a cost. $2 million a ship.

My son has been solared panelled up to his eyeballs for a few years now including the garage and various sheds.

You do need a storage battery though as he reckons selling it back to the grid is not worth it.

Apparently one day last week we were being 91% fuelled by renewables so it is getting better and definitely the way to go with nuclear of course.