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.

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, 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.

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 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!