# How are you preparing for gas shortages in the coming months?



## DeeKie (29 Jul 2022)

There are stories about certain German cities turning off lights on public buildings and tourist sites, and forcing citizens to have cold showers in light of gas shortages that are coming down the tracks. 

I know that Ireland has a different gas supply route, but it is likely that we will suffer gas / electricity shortages in the coming months, it would seem. How are you planning to prepare for these events? I am just thinking about my elderly parents and what I can do to prepare them for gas and electricity shortages. I’ve already got them a few torches and candles et cetera but I am sure I could do more.


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## Bronco Lane (29 Jul 2022)

DeeKie said:


> public buildings and tourist sites


I am not sure that German citizens are being forced to have cold showers.  Where did you get this information?


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## DeeKie (29 Jul 2022)

German cities impose cold showers and turn off lights amid Russian gas crisis










						German cities impose cold showers and turn off lights amid Russian gas crisis
					

Hanover is first large city to impose energy-saving measures and Berlin switches off monument spotlights




					www.theguardian.com


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## Bronco Lane (29 Jul 2022)

DeeKie said:


> German cities impose cold showers and turn off lights amid Russian gas crisis


"Cities in Germany are switching off spotlights on public monuments, turning off fountains, and imposing cold showers on municipal swimming pools and sports halls"

"including turning off hot water in the showers and bathrooms of city-run buildings and leisure centres."

Nobody is forcing anybody to have cold showers....


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## Kimmagegirl (29 Jul 2022)

DeeKie said:


> I’ve already got them a few torches and candles et cetera but I am sure I could do more.


Atmospheric anyway...


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## Peanuts20 (29 Jul 2022)

I thought Ireland was currently exempt from the 15% reduction. 

the headline in the Guardian article is a bit dramatic but when you read down through it, it mentions heating being turned off in municipal buildings which means no hot water (an issue I would have thought in the ongoing fight against Covid/viruses but thats another story). You can't force people to have cold showers in their homes without actually turning off the gas or power. 

There is unrelated action underway already, lights in my street were replaced with energy savers a few months ago, lights at many motorway junctions are being removed for some other unknown and daft reason. Homeworking may also help, reduced demand for aircon and lights in buildings as an example

I guess there is a risk that we go back to something similar to what Britain had in the 70's with rolling blackouts but I expect for the most part, we'll get through this, unless we have a really bad winter.

And there is always turf if we are stuck.


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## odyssey06 (29 Jul 2022)

If it did come to that, and I'm not saying it will ... I think my options are limited as I have a combi boiler... 

So if the gas if off, no hot water... and can't even heat a tank during the periods gas is 'on'.
Heat I can supplement with plug in heaters I guess. I have no fire \ stove that could burn logs.
Also gas hob cooker.

If 'gas' is rationed to residential customers, it is rationed full stop. There'd be no way to limit it to just hot water and not heat.
Maybe there would be hours in which it would be off. Not sure if that's even feasible.


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## Kimmagegirl (29 Jul 2022)

Our cooking is gas, our heating is gas, two gas fires.   If the gas goes we will be plugging in whatever electrical apparatus we have to cook food.

Hot water bottles, double fleeces.......a bit like last winter really.


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## skrooge (29 Jul 2022)

Not to be all Domesday (I should really wait until a Monday morning to post for full effect) but electricity generation is very dependent on gas. 









						Electricity
					

Modern societies are dependent on reliable and secure supplies of  electricity. Electricity generation accounts for a third of all  primary energy use in Ireland.




					www.seai.ie
				




"Natural gas is the largest source of electricity generated, accounting for 52% of all electricity generated in 2020"

It is a worst case scenario but it could get cold and dark together.... Well for some parts of Europe.


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## Peanuts20 (29 Jul 2022)

Back to the 80s, throw another coat on the bed if you are cold and ignore the ice on the inside of the windows !

Joking aside, Supply will be one thing, but the price will also help reduce demand, some people will struggle to afford it and almost all of us will be reducing usage to reduce the bull


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## fidelcastro (29 Jul 2022)

skrooge said:


> Not to be all Domesday (I should really wait until a Monday morning to post for full effect) but electricity generation is very dependent on gas.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You'll have gas since it originates mostly from North sea.  However the price will be very expensive.

Have you considered a stove or solar panels to reduce your Mar-October use of elec and gas anyone ?


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## fidelcastro (29 Jul 2022)

DeeKie said:


> There are stories about certain German cities turning off lights on public buildings and tourist sites, and forcing citizens to have cold showers in light of gas shortages that are coming down the tracks.
> 
> I know that Ireland has a different gas supply route, but it is likely that we will suffer gas / electricity shortages in the coming months, it would seem. How are you planning to prepare for these events? I am just thinking about my elderly parents and what I can do to prepare them for gas and electricity shortages. I’ve already got them a few torches and candles et cetera but I am sure I could do more.


Just is case, this is not in peoples houses.   Question, how may hot showers have you been provide by the irish state or you local council?.  I wager zero, whereas on continent these "benefits" of cheap municipal swimming pools and leisure centres are as common as your local dunnes stores.


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## odyssey06 (29 Jul 2022)

Could be wrong on this but aren't there some apartment complexes, moreso on the continent than here, have a central thermostat for the building which can be set lower...


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## interested21 (29 Jul 2022)

Kimmagegirl said:


> Our cooking is gas, our heating is gas, two gas fires.   If the gas goes we will be plugging in whatever electrical apparatus we have to cook food.
> 
> Hot water bottles, double fleeces.......a bit like last winter really.


Regarding cooking, there's actually some really good plug-in induction hobs on the market now.

Hopefully it doesn't come to it, but that's what I'll be getting if the gas supply is limited in any way.


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## noproblem (29 Jul 2022)

Containers of gas are readily available right now, the big one lasts us around 1 year so won't have a problem with that. However, are people ordering heating oil (Kerosene) at the moment for winter heating? It's just over €1300.00 for 1000 litres in our area right now and am wondering if it will go up much in price? It was €1400.00 for the same amount just a month ago.


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## fidelcastro (29 Jul 2022)

odyssey06 said:


> Could be wrong on this but aren't there some apartment complexes, moreso on the continent than here, have a central thermostat for the building which can be set lower...


in the shared areas e.g. staircases, corridors yes, but not inside a persons appartment, they can do whatever they please.   People on continent live in free democratic societies, by the way,  its not just in jolly old Eire where a person can heat their homes to whatever they please ......


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## Leo (29 Jul 2022)

fidelcastro said:


> in the shared areas e.g. staircases, corridors yes, but not inside a persons appartment, they can do whatever they please.   People on continent live in free democratic societies, by the way,  its not just in jolly old Eire where a person can heat their homes to whatever they please ......


That's not true, many of the larger complexes use a district heating model that is centrally controlled. Germany have specific legislation in place governing the temperatures these must operate at within the living accommodation itself, with mandatory and significant rent reductions if targets are missed. There are discussions underway currently about reducing the minimum temperatures,


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## Monbretia (29 Jul 2022)

I got a fill of gas early this year, hasn't been used at all since other than for hob which isn't much, boiler is gas too.   I usually use immersion to heat enough to wash dishes etc but it went 'bang' the other day so waiting on electrician to look at that.  Have halogen oven and microwave if there was no gas hob working.

Thankfully I still have the dreaded open fire so assuming I can get some logs/coal can burn that if needed for a bit of heat.

The problem with solar panels and I'd love some but when I'd most like it in winter the sun ain't great, my roof is kind of facing sideways into the best sun too so I wouldn't get the full blast of it on either side of the roof each day.

I was actually going to buy a gas heater last year, the newer type fancy super ser that looks like stove, it would be handy in the kitchen in winter as I wouldn't have boiler on until evening so at the moment use oil filled radiator.  The heater runs off one of the yellow tanks of gas, not sure whether that is a good plan or not at the moment!  I didn't buy at the time as Calor just didn't answer my questions about it, simple enough question but never bothered to answer so I didn't bother to buy.


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## Leo (29 Jul 2022)

Monbretia said:


> I usually use immersion to heat enough to wash dishes etc


Using a kettle to heat water for dish washing would be more efficient.


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## Monbretia (29 Jul 2022)

Leo said:


> Using a kettle to heat water for dish washing would be more efficient.


Well that is what I have to do now that the immersion is broke, it's nearly slower as I need two kettles full for a decent bit in sink and immersion would have heated that in less than 5 mins, I once timed it as someone else was complaining about how slow theirs is to heat!   Whatever about cost it's a pain filling/boiling kettle twice, I'll be getting immersion fixed, it's one of those pringles tin sort of size ones attached to side of tank, not a small element in the tank itself.  Think it was called an economiser at the time I put it in so probably not much worse than kettle.


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## Leo (29 Jul 2022)

Monbretia said:


> Think it was called an economiser at the time I put it in so probably not much worse than kettle.


Ah, they are indeed much more efficient than your standard immersion.


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## fidelcastro (29 Jul 2022)

Leo said:


> That's not true, many of the larger complexes use a district heating model that is centrally controlled. Germany have specific legislation in place governing the temperatures these must operate at within the living accommodation itself, with mandatory and significant rent reductions if targets are missed. There are discussions underway currently about reducing the minimum temperatures,


Yes,  but you can turm off the radiators in your appartment, to suggest otherwise is bizarre.  Of course, you have to look after your appartment to a certain standard, as determined by your local appmt housing committee, which I was once a part of.


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## Leo (29 Jul 2022)

fidelcastro said:


> Yes, but you can turm off the radiators in your appartment, to suggest otherwise is bizarre.


Just a little reminder, but the comment was that temperature would be reduced centrally. and you suggested that wasn't the case and people could 'can do whatever they please', and 'heat their homes to whatever they please'. So clearly you were not aware that central control is common.

I'm not sure why you think the ability to turn down heating is relevant in the context of a forced reduction in temperature.


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## Jim2007 (30 Jul 2022)

Peanuts20 said:


> Back to the 80s, throw another coat on the bed if you are cold and ignore the ice on the inside of the windows !
> 
> Joking aside, Supply will be one thing, but the price will also help reduce demand, some people will struggle to afford it and almost all of us will be reducing usage to reduce the bull



Back in the 80s we students lived in sleeping bags when not out of the house!


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## Jim2007 (30 Jul 2022)

DeeKie said:


> There are stories about certain German cities turning off lights on public buildings and tourist sites, and forcing citizens to have cold showers in light of gas shortages that are coming down the tracks.
> 
> I know that Ireland has a different gas supply route, but it is likely that we will suffer gas / electricity shortages in the coming months, it would seem. How are you planning to prepare for these events? I am just thinking about my elderly parents and what I can do to prepare them for gas and electricity shortages. I’ve already got them a few torches and candles et cetera but I am sure I could do more.


I live in Switzerland where our winter temperature is between -15c and -25c.  We have gas heating on tap as opposed to from a tank.  However like most Swiss houses, ours is very well insulated so if we get to turn on the heating once every three days we should be fine.  There is not much you can do about gas shortages but perhaps you can improve your insulation so that it stays warmer longer.

Our bigger concern would be a shortage of electricity as all cooking etc need electricity.  So we bought a power station, it delivers about 5 hour at 80 watts, so enough to do cooking, recharge devices and run my desktop computer.  The charge time is about 3 hours, so that should cover us.

There is not much talk of food shortages, but I imagine some items will be in short supply this winter, but not major issue.  At least I hope so.


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## fidelcastro (30 Jul 2022)

Leo said:


> Just a little reminder, but the comment was that temperature would be reduced centrally. and you suggested that wasn't the case and people could 'can do whatever they please', and 'heat their homes to whatever they please'. So clearly you were not aware that central control is common.
> 
> I'm not sure why you think the ability to turn down heating is relevant in the context of a forced reduction in temperature.




"in the shared areas e.g. staircases, corridors yes, but not inside a persons appartment, they can do whatever they please."

Shared corridors clearly implies an area  outside of a persons appartment door, therefore under control of the control of appartment block committe , who after all have to pay the bill for the unkeep and heating of shared appartment blocks.  This is in the continent, I'm not talking about Dublin.

For your information, running costs and maintenance are apportioned on a cost per sq m basis amongst all of the appartment owners.  Each owner has a vote on the committee, so if they wish to heat the appmt block to +30C, they can, or if they chose to heat it to +10C they ca

As they say, I'm OUT.


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## DeeKie (30 Jul 2022)

Would you share what type of power station that you got? 

We cook on gas and our house is heated by gas. I picked up a sandwich toaster in Lidl and plan to pick up some sort of one pot plug in cooker. We will use both anyway, and they are small purchases. 

On the power supply side it’s interesting to hear about what others have done. was thinking about using our EV as you can charge it and reverse the flow into the house. 

I’m an equity partner in a firm and we should probably think about the possibilities. The last firm I worked in was fully agile to run remotely for the pandemic, other were not and lost clients and business. In terms of the kids schooling and our lives having a bit of resilience built in might be a good thing. I

That’s the point of the thread rather than people nitpick about whether municipal showers are showers used by German citizens.


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## Look ahead (30 Jul 2022)

I use electric for my cooker and stove top, heating and water is by mains gas. I bought ton of smokeless coal  for my stove awhile ago, not cheap at €750.   I bought some battery powered lanterns on Amazon and a gas camping stove just in case electricity will be rationed. I also stocked my cupboards with some non perishable foods, saving myself from going out in the cold too much over the winter months. These are things everyone should be doing.  I told my neighbour to prepare but he just stared at me blankly. 
 I might even head to the Canaries for a couple months, probably be best option this year in grand scheme of things.


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## Kimmagegirl (30 Jul 2022)

DeeKie said:


> There are stories about certain German cities turning off lights on public buildings and tourist sites, and forcing citizens to have cold showers in light of gas shortages that are coming down the tracks.





DeeKie said:


> That’s the point of the thread rather than people nitpick about whether municipal showers are showers used by German citizens.



You are the person who raised the matter and even gave a link to a newspaper article that you obviously hadn't read.


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## Zenith63 (30 Jul 2022)

fidelcastro said:


> You'll have gas since it originates mostly from North sea. However the price will be very expensive.


I’d imagine if the rest of the EU is cut off from gas a significant portion of the North Sea supply would be redirected there, so we’d all end up with a small bit rather than us having no reductions and Germans freezing to death in their homes? I don’t personally think it will come to pass, but if it did I think it would be a mistake to assume we’ll continue to have a sufficient gas supply or consistent electricity given how much is generated with gas.  If you’re buying electrical appliances in-case-of-emergency you should be considering either a method to generate your own electricity or how to store some from the periods when the grid amid supplying (eg. an 8kWh battery you might get with a solar panel system).


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## DeeKie (31 Jul 2022)

Generation of electricity domestically is problematic I think. But it is a good point to consider it. It crossed my mind to switch from gas heating to a heat pump.


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## galway_blow_in (31 Jul 2022)

Loading up on turf 

What is this gas I hear about


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## newirishman (31 Jul 2022)

Reading this thread I think we must immediately start lobbying for a change in planning laws requiring every house must have basement, with at least one blast proof room, water and air recycling, etc.
A 100% value, interest-free retrofitting grant to be introduced for existing houses.
Furthermore, every back garden, regardless of size, must install at least one wind turbine, in multiples of one per any 25sqm.

Vouchers for free beans (to stockpile in said basement) of course as well. And, liberalising gun laws to allow - no, require - one shotgun per household.

That should get us over the winter.


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## VonHohenzollern (31 Jul 2022)

Since February I have been giving slippers as birthday presents; obviously the message stuck because I got 3 fleeces for my birthday last week. 

For winter the plan is for extra layers and concentrating the heat in the living room; heating in the morning is gone. A trick is placing a tray of baking powder and salt out in the hallway to absorb damp. 

Electric hob for all cooking and kettle for pasta. I have a propane-based bbq grill that can do burgers and other pieces of meat which may get some extra usage until it runs dry.


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## RichInSpirit (31 Jul 2022)

I hope to prune a couple of 100 metres of overgrown Ash trees after the bird nesting season ends on the last day of August.
Hopefully it should yield enough timber for the winter. 
Thinking of using a hand saw to save on the petrol for the chainsaw.


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## Odea (31 Jul 2022)

Are we still looking for gas off the coast of Ireland?  There must be a bit of gas left next door to the Kinsale Head Gas field?


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## PaddyBloggit (1 Aug 2022)

Odea said:


> There must be a bit of gas left next door to the Kinsale Head Gas field?



... all gone:

https://www.kinsale-energy.ie/decommissioning-2.html


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## Nordkapp (1 Aug 2022)

RichInSpirit said:


> I hope to prune a couple of 100 metres of overgrown Ash trees after the bird nesting season ends on the last day of August.
> Hopefully it should yield enough timber for the winter.
> Thinking of using a hand saw to save on the petrol for the chainsaw.


Not worth saving €2 for unless you have a thirsty chainsaw. I get a full cube cut with 0.5 l.

Have plenty wood, oil and gas bottles if gas and electric are cut off.
I don’t see many planning for gas and electric cuts on this thread. I suppose no one will wake up until it happens


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## AJAM (1 Aug 2022)

There will be no shortages of gas in Ireland. We get a little less than half our gas from the Corrib field and the rest from the UK.

"Natural gas in Ireland is currently supplied by a combination of domestic production and imports via pipeline from Scotland. In 2019, 53% of Ireland’s natural gas use was imported from the UK." https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/f1ecf1-gas/#:~:text=Natural gas in Ireland is,was imported from the UK.

However, the price of gas could continue to go up.


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## irbx (2 Aug 2022)

AJAM said:


> There will be no shortages of gas in Ireland. We get a little less than half our gas from the Corrib field and the rest from the UK.
> 
> "Natural gas in Ireland is currently supplied by a combination of domestic production and imports via pipeline from Scotland. In 2019, 53% of Ireland’s natural gas use was imported from the UK." https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/f1ecf1-gas/#:~:text=Natural gas in Ireland is,was imported from the UK.
> 
> However, the price of gas could continue to go up.


Corrib could be our saving grace this winter and next. For another debate re selling it and taxation on it. Even if their rolling rationing of Gas across the country. Gas Power plants would not be cut as Electrical is universally neaded by ever citizen. But don't think we will get to this point.


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## Zenith63 (2 Aug 2022)

AJAM said:


> There will be no shortages of gas in Ireland. We get a little less than half our gas from the Corrib field and the rest from the UK.


You really think if Germans or the Dutch were freezing to death in their homes we'd continue to use as much gas as we want and not share it with them and the UK would do likewise?  If the roles were reversed I believe the Germans/Dutch would cut their consumption, maybe dial down the patio burners, and share some of their gas with us.  Again I don't for a second think it will come to pass, but I am certain if it did there would be shortages of gas and electricity here and frankly if there weren't I'd be on the streets asking why we were living it up while other EU citizens were suffering.


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## huskerdu (2 Aug 2022)

No-one knows if there will be shortages in Europe but if there are, there will be EU wide agreements on sharing of the available gas supplies and Ireland will have no choice but to agree to these.


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## Leo (2 Aug 2022)

fidelcastro said:


> "in the shared areas e.g. staircases, corridors yes, but not inside a persons appartment, they can do whatever they please."
> 
> Shared corridors clearly implies an area outside of a persons appartment door, therefore under control of the control of appartment block committe , who after all have to pay the bill for the unkeep and heating of shared appartment blocks. This is in the continent, I'm not talking about Dublin.


Are you really quoting your own post as some kind of evidence? 

The German legislation applies to minimum room temperatures within apartments. 


fidelcastro said:


> As they say, I'm OUT.


That's probably for the best.


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## T McGibney (2 Aug 2022)

RichInSpirit said:


> I hope to prune a couple of 100 metres of overgrown Ash trees after the bird nesting season ends on the last day of August.
> Hopefully it should yield enough timber for the winter.


It'll be next to useless to burn unless you leave it first to dry out for the guts of a year.


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## roker (2 Aug 2022)

DeeKie said:


> There are stories about certain German cities turning off lights on public buildings and tourist sites, and forcing citizens to have cold showers in light of gas shortages that are coming down the tracks.
> 
> I know that Ireland has a different gas supply route, but it is likely that we will suffer gas / electricity shortages in the coming months, it would seem. How are you planning to prepare for these events? I am just thinking about my elderly parents and what I can do to prepare them for gas and electricity shortages. I’ve already got them a few torches and candles et cetera but I am sure I could do more.


We don't  have gas in my area, I have an oil boiler and I am watching the price to top up, a tank full last me a year. If the electric goes off I cannot run the boiler and the solar panels won't  work but we have a very efficient built in enclosed fire, we won't freeze, and a camping stove to cook on


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## Zenith63 (2 Aug 2022)

roker said:


> We don't  have gas in my area, I have an oil boiler and I am watching the price to top up, a tank full last me a year. If the electric goes off I cannot run the boiler and the solar panels won't  work but we have a very efficient built in enclosed fire, we won't freeze, and a camping stove to cook on


FWIW the boiler and circulation pump use a tiny amount of electricity, you’d run it for days from a solar battery or a small generator. Just need to make sure there’s an easy way if plugging the boiler/pump out and into an alternative source in advance!


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## MrEarl (3 Aug 2022)

Just to add to the food for thought... 









						The UK has an energy security problem but does not want to admit it
					

If Russia cuts off gas supplies to Europe, Britain might not be immune to shortages amid rising competition for fuel




					www.ft.com
				




"Sitting outside the bloc, the UK may have to lean on its role as the conduit for gas supplies to EU member Ireland."


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## MrEarl (3 Aug 2022)

Our home is heated by gas, as is it water. Our cooker is electric. 

If we loose all gas supply, we've a couple of plug in heaters. Not ideal, but they'll warm a room or two. 

If we lose electricity and need to cook, it'll be the charcoal BBQ, and dinner by candlelight. 

Installing solar is not a realistic option, it's too expensive and we'd be a couple of decades trying to get a return on investment. The grants are foolish, as they've only resulted in prices of solar panels etc rocketing up. It was the same with the bike to work scheme - no one was buying a bike for anything even close to €1,500, before the scheme was launched.


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## ThatNewGuy (3 Aug 2022)

MrEarl said:


> Our home is heated by gas, as is it water. Our cooker is electric.
> 
> If we loose all gas supply, we've a couple of plug in heaters. Not ideal, but they'll warm a room or two.
> 
> ...


By default all solar panels switch off if there's a blackout - can't have uncontrolled electricity seeping back into the lines when workmen are out fixing transponders and fallen poles. If you want solar to cover you in blackout, massive investment in batteries and different system to not shut off


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## Purple (3 Aug 2022)

When these issues come up I think to myself "There's a war in Europe between democracy and totalitarian dictatorship which it an existential threat to our entire way of life. I won't have to fight and die, my children won't have to fight and die, we're not going to be shot or blown up and we won't become refugees... but we'll probably be less well off, we'll have to cut back on the shopping and driving and we'll probably be a bit cold a few times next winter... that's it?! Wow, that's great news!"


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## roker (6 Aug 2022)

Purple said:


> When these issues come up I think to myself "There's a war in Europe between democracy and totalitarian dictatorship which it an existential threat to our entire way of life. I won't have to fight and die, my children won't have to fight and die, we're not going to be shot or blown up and we won't become refugees... but we'll probably be less well off, we'll have to cut back on the shopping and driving and we'll probably be a bit cold a few times next winter... that's it?! Wow, that's great news!"


I will be just like when we were kids 70 yr ago. No one had Cars, Electric Washing machines, TVs, Central heating, electrical kitchen appliances etc


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## roker (6 Aug 2022)

Zenith63 said:


> You really think if Germans or the Dutch were freezing to death in their homes we'd continue to use as much gas as we want and not share it with them and the UK would do likewise?  If the roles were reversed I believe the Germans/Dutch would cut their consumption, maybe dial down the patio burners, and share some of their gas with us.  Again I don't for a second think it will come to pass, but I am certain if it did there would be shortages of gas and electricity here and frankly if there weren't I'd be on the streets asking why we were living it up while other EU citizens were suffering.


It's Maggie Thatchers fault, she closed all of the coal mines in the UK


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## odyssey06 (6 Aug 2022)

roker said:


> It's Maggie Thatchers fault, she closed all of the coal mines in the UK


She preferred the nuclear option in multiple respects


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## Purple (8 Aug 2022)

roker said:


> I will be just like when we were kids 70 yr ago. No one had Cars, Electric Washing machines, TVs, Central heating, electrical kitchen appliances etc


My parents were children 70 years ago


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## lff12 (9 Aug 2022)

Portable gas heater with 11kg canister - as it doesn't depend on electricity being on. I've going through the process of buying a home with storage heating thats only a D2 BER so I might make use of it. There is a gas inset fire that might or might not work (my guess is that its probably not working) so I might consider getting it taken out and replaced with a modern wood burner if I still have any money left. If the gas inset fire works I will probably get a second canister as its on a dual system, well in advance of when prices are expected to skyrocket in 6 months. I would love to do the full retrofit but there's no way I will have the money for at least 2 years.


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## lff12 (9 Aug 2022)

fidelcastro said:


> You'll have gas since it originates mostly from North sea.  However the price will be very expensive.
> 
> Have you considered a stove or solar panels to reduce your Mar-October use of elec and gas anyone ?


Given the current relationship between the EU and UK, its unpredictable what UK might do, since their energy crisis is every bit as bad as ours & every likelihood Truss, the less able and more populist of the two Tory leadership candidates, gets elected.


fidelcastro said:


> Just is case, this is not in peoples houses.   Question, how may hot showers have you been provide by the irish state or you local council?.  I wager zero, whereas on continent these "benefits" of cheap municipal swimming pools and leisure centres are as common as your local dunnes stores.


When I was TCD my country classmates regularly used the sports facilities changing rooms in then sports hall to save on showers in their accomodation.


odyssey06 said:


> Could be wrong on this but aren't there some apartment complexes, moreso on the continent than here, have a central thermostat for the building which can be set lower...


Current - district heating is common on the continent.


noproblem said:


> Containers of gas are readily available right now, the big one lasts us around 1 year so won't have a problem with that. However, are people ordering heating oil (Kerosene) at the moment for winter heating? It's just over €1300.00 for 1000 litres in our area right now and am wondering if it will go up much in price? It was €1400.00 for the same amount just a month ago.


This is great news to me!


Leo said:


> Using a kettle to heat water for dish washing would be more efficient.


Absolutely, yes, rented a flat that had no hot running water for 2 years. It had a power shower and I boiled the kettle when I wanted to wash the dishes or hand wash clothes. My landlord also included ESB in the rent. Didn't put up my rent for 2 years. Then PRTB came into being, declared the flat substandard because of the lack of hot running water, forced the landlord to install this tiny thing under the kitchen sink. So the landlord clawed it back by ceasing my free ESB arrangement and fitted a meter with the rate set to 2x the then ESB rate. There was no comeback at that time, as there was at that time no rules around reselling of electricity to tenants, so after 2 months during which I found myself paying 40 euro a week on electricity, I gave my notice and moved somewhere else.


Zenith63 said:


> I’d imagine if the rest of the EU is cut off from gas a significant portion of the North Sea supply would be redirected there, so we’d all end up with a small bit rather than us having no reductions and Germans freezing to death in their homes? I don’t personally think it will come to pass, but if it did I think it would be a mistake to assume we’ll continue to have a sufficient gas supply or consistent electricity given how much is generated with gas.  If you’re buying electrical appliances in-case-of-emergency you should be considering either a method to generate your own electricity or how to store some from the periods when the grid amid supplying (eg. an 8kWh battery you might get with a solar panel system).


It might be complicated by the fact that Ireland is connected to a UK interconnector rather than a European one, and political situation in the UK being what it is could see that used as a political lever.


Odea said:


> Are we still looking for gas off the coast of Ireland?  There must be a bit of gas left next door to the Kinsale Head Gas field?


We stopped doing so. There is a significant find in Barryroe in Cork, but might be hard to get the Greens to sign up to it. There's also significant fields in Porcupine basin off Donegal but its deepwater, and after Rossport, no major producer or services company is going to want to ever, ever touch that side of the country again.


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## Bronco Lane (22 Aug 2022)

Bought one of those small electrical portable oven with two hobs on top, just in case.  We use gas for everything in our house.  Also to be on the safe side we bought a small camping stove cooker plus a bottle of gas.


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