Driving off the grid

About Driving off the grid

All about sustainability options and the journey we took to become self-powered in Urban Suffolk, UK. We are not your typical eco-warriors, being based in Suffolk means vehicles are needed. We live in a town. Yet, we have taken our house through from an EPC C to a B without doing to much to the main fabric. We shared the stories we hear from other people - no one size fits all in the UKs journey to net zero in terms of zero emissions.

Publisher

Sam J Watkins

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Jul 2026

Latest episode

23 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Oct 2026

   Getting our EPC A

   Our journey surmised in 27 minutes. In 2013, we bought our house, already upgrading from an EPC D to C. This episode takes you through that trek: it wasn't a jump all taken in one fast paced transformation but one considered step after another. What worked I tended to share on the Driving off the Grid blog. What didn't was chalked up to experience. And shared else where. Most steps were well taken. Listen to the story here.

2. 

   16 Oct 2026

   Get automated!

   In today's episode, I look at how we've used home automation to reduce vampiric loads on our electricity and yet remove some of the friction in day-to-day life. This is Heat Pump week, but using automation in terms of our heating schedule unlocked the savings available in our heat pump, and made life so much more comfortable. Lighting automation can be contentious in a busy and flexible household, so what's the right mix for you? How can you make the most of that investment? Isn't it just easier to go and push the switch on the wall? Find out how we made the steps towards our automated house. Is there anything you can share on living in the 21st Century?

3. 

   15 Oct 2026

   Bonus Episode: How to cut your heating bill by 30% (without buying a heat pump or going cold!)

   Hi, it’s National Heat Pump Week, and while we are huge advocates for low-carbon heating, we know the elephant in the room: heat pumps aren't financially or physically accessible for everyone right now. Yet with the high price of natural gas, how can you make your heating work for you? For this special off-schedule episode of Driving Off the Grid, we wanted to tackle the question: what can you do if you're stuck on gas or oil and either renting or not ready for a big capital upgrade? Before we ever installed our heat pump, we spent three years getting our home into shape. Focusing on smart controls, lowering boiler flow temperatures, and phasing upgrades room-by-room, we dropped our annual heating consumption from 17 MWh down to 12.8 MWh. A massive 30% reduction in energy demand without sitting in the cold. We did it in small steps, none costing more than a takeaway for four! In this episode, we break down: • 🌡️ The 55°C Boiler Trick: How a simple dial adjustment pushes your gas boiler into its high-efficiency condensing zone. • 🎯 Smart Zoning on a Budget: Why room-by-room scheduling with smart TRVs beats heating empty space. • 🎭 Low-Cost Fabric Wins: Easy insulation hacks (like thermal curtain linings and draught excluders) that anyone, including renters, can implement. The high price of natural gas means it is not enough just to turn down the boiler, you need to get it working better for you. Share your tips on how to make the most of your heat here.

4. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Looking forward to Winter with our Heat Pump.

   Today's hot episode is all about the heat. As the first cold day is approaching, how can you get the most out of any planned heat pump or one you have in place? Why does the planning of the installation matter? Why should you look at the settings? Heat pumps are not the only story in town when it comes to electric heating but getting it right can make it pay for itself. On Saturday the numbers behind this podcast will be published on Driving off the Grid - heat pump section (https://samjwatkins.com/blog/?cat=234).

5. 

   2 Oct 2026

   The total carbon footprint of owning our Leaf.

   What happens when you drive an early-generation electric vehicle for over a decade, rack up thousands of miles, and bypass modern tech nannies entirely? In this episode, we’re cutting through the second-hand EV panic and looking at the reality of long-term electric ownership. From keeping maintenance bills under £200 per annum and proving that replacing early battery packs is not a massive cost when the time comes, to why we should celebrate "dumb" cars that don't aggressively yank your steering wheel on country lanes, this episode is about the real-world economics of keeping a classic EV on the road. Forget the hype, the anxiety, and the endless alerts. Let’s talk about true automotive longevity and driving joy. See why I 💚 our Leaf.

6. 

   25 Sept 2026

   The gift that keeps on giving.

   Sunbeams, Slide Rules, and Staying Power As the autumn equinox arrives, this week’s episode takes a reflective yet practical look at the lifecycle of solar technology—tracing our relationship with ambient energy all the way from childhood classroom calculators to modern domestic microgrids. From Retro Tech to Rooftop Arrays: We take a nostalgic walk down memory lane, looking at early solar-powered essentials like the classic Texas Instruments calculators (the TI-1766 and TI-34) and exploring how those early encounters with ambient light sparked a lifelong appreciation for self-sustaining power. My family has been harnessing solar power for a while. The Myth of Planned Obsescence: Moving past the modern cycle of constant upgrades, this episode challenges the throwaway culture surrounding electronics and energy hardware. We look at why true sustainability is rooted in rugged longevity, proper maintenance, and respecting the gear we already own. Everyday Ambient Efficiency: Connecting vintage low-power tech to modern setups—including solar-driven keyboards and a 4 kWp domestic rooftop array—we discuss how small design choices accumulate into genuine resource independence. Tune in as we explore how looking backward at enduring design can help us build a more mindful, resilient, and off-grid future.

7. 

   18 Sept 2026

   We have the means, we're just not using it!

   We have the means to generate far more renewable energy than we're doing today if you look at sources like https://www.energydashboard.co.uk/map (https://www.energydashboard.co.uk/map). It has a feed all of the live and planned electrical generating plants across the UK. The dashboard also provides where our energy comes from over the past 15 minutes. When I examined it on the 20th August, we had solar farms idle while our home plant was harvesting photons at 90% of the maximum available for our site! All while the Great Yarmouth Gas power plant was producing carbon dioxide to give us the energy we needed. Why does having these sources idle cause such an issue for me? If they were live, especially during the summer, we would have much cheaper prices for electricity. The UK is a pioneer in renewable energy, it would be great if we could actually use it!

8. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Sustainability meets accessibility, taking steps towards a journey that includes everyone.

   As a human computer interface designer (often called user interfaces), I am often criticised by my peers for my 'boring designs'. For me though, the story has always been about ensuring any person can make use of the information I am producing and displaying through my apps. Since 2002, I have never locked my webpages to a colour or scheme. If you need it yellow text with a purple background because that makes your life easier: you should have that. All of TSamko Ltd's apps are built with that philosophy, baked in from day one: which doesn't mean we get it right but we try and we listen to our users feedback. This podcast is the story of that journey towards an intuitive user interface for a solar optimiser, whether the screen is visible to you today, or not. Further details on how this works may be found on optiPV's website (https://optipv.co.uk).

9. 

   4 Sept 2026

   Plugin Solar arrives in the UK

   On the 27th August 2026, it became possible to legally buy and use plugin solar cells. In this episode of Driving off the Grid, Sam examines the opportunities that brings to everyone in the UK and why you should consider it. Sam also discusses the app their company is about to publish called optiPV (https://optipv.co.uk) which helps to explore some of these opportunities using just your mobile phone! • Navigating the newly established UK legal framework for 800W plug-in solar systems, including compliance with the Interim Product Specification and the G98 notification process. • How granular control from solar arc and tracking calculations (such as those via optiPV⁠ (https://optipv.co.uk) ) compares to the fixed yields of plug-and-play kits. • Real-world economics for micro-generation, balancing domestic base loads (fridges, routers, and standby draws) against time-of-use tariffs and smart meter tracking without sacrificing evening routines. If you have any questions, or which like to take part in beta testing of optiPV⁠ (https://optipv.co.uk) please contact me via "help at optipv.co.uk" .

10. 

    21 Aug 2026

    Resource management underpins everything.

    Forget the piggy banks and penny-pinching, true resilience looks a lot more like a well-stocked larder. In this episode of Driving Off the Grid, we look at how natural cycles of abundance and careful storage translate into modern self-sufficiency. From energy independence to preserving what you grow, we explore what it really means to put things away for a rainy day. Yesterday, we baked a chicken pie, cooked a fruit parcel, charged the car, vacuumed and steamed the upstairs rooms, did three loads of washing, and cycled the dishwasher. All of the 8.4 kWh we generated from our solar cells and the power stowed in our battery. The chicken for the pie had been cooked for Sunday roast, it was leftovers. The pastry was shop bought, but the fruit parcels meant the leftover pastry was used. Cooking the two courses cost less than 1.5kWh, because I used my combination microwave and fan oven. The shop bought pastry came in packaging that was completely recycled. Plug-in solar will bring that capability to many more people throughout the UK. You no longer need to own your property to have access to solar power. So, is it worth it? NB: The https://www.energydashboard.co.uk/map shows how many renewable sources of energy there are in the UK. And how few are actively donating to the grid. The answer is not to pump gas and oil out of the North Sea but to get these hooked up, in my opinion.

11. 

    14 Aug 2026

    The race is on

    When I contemplated having a podcast, this was the first idea I had for busting some myths about owning a heat pump. It's not your usual discussion on efficiency. Inspired by the legendary Murray Walker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_Walker), this looks at a dilemma faced by many every day and how our heat pump not only was up to the task in hand, but used less energy too. NB - our hot water tank is a 320 litre one, so the pump is doing a bit more than I estimated in the podcast. Our heat pump is a Visessman Vitocal not Vitodens! Though I did get the coefficient of performance (COP), aka seasonal performance factor, right: 4.2 was our value last year and the year before. If you want to see our numbers, in full, please see Number crunching part 2 (https://samjwatkins.com/blog/?p=3648).

12. 

    7 Aug 2026

    Insulation for keeping cool.

    In this episode, I share how the right insulation in the right places can help you stay cool during the summer and warm during the winter. I hear many broadcasters complain that UK homes are built for retaining heat and not keeping cool during the summer. But actually, it we think of insulation as allowing us to maintain a comfortable living temperature, insulating your home could give you that benefit. Following on from this article (https://samjwatkins.com/blog/?p=4899) on my blog, we examine what has been working for us, what we're thinking of doing next, and what might be worth looking at for your home! If you have any thoughts about this piece or subjects you'd like covered, please leave a comment below. It's not all about creating shaded spaces this summer!

13. 

    31 Jul 2026

    Living off the grid

    How have we managed to live 10 weeks off grid while high heat has meant our solar production has been a little lower in June than it was last year? Why would we want to do such a thing? Should we have been braver doing this? This draws on the figures shown in article Living off the Grid (https://samjwatkins.com/blog/?p=5114) and a little more besides.

14. 

    24 Jul 2026

    TechoSolara - the app

    Carl Sagan used to teach his students that any intelligent civilisation on any planet will eventually have to harness the energy from its parent star exclusively. Many people in the UK have made the move to solar, but it is interesting hearing why people don't. Their answers inspired me to build an app that in 20 seconds would give them the information it takes a professional several minutes to obtain. If the building or structure you are looking to use doesn't exist yet, TechoSolara (https://techosolara.app) will take in the details you give it. All without needing an internet connection - you can be in the middle of the UK countryside, without a phone signal and it will still work. Hear all about it here.

15. 

    21 Jul 2026

    Welcome to Driving off the Grid.

    Why is it called Driving off the Grid and what is it all about? Here the answers here - btw, the series name is from a section of my blog called Driving off the Grid (https://samjwatkins.com/blog/?cat=10). It started off as talking about driving an electric car, but quickly evolved into something more... our journey from EPC C to EPC B and hopefully an A. Of course, in this piece, I look at the world in 2013, when electricity in the UK was 14p a unit and LED bulbs were a small fortune. But that small step was the start of a bigger story and you can follow that here.

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