So what will you do if the oil runs out?

[diamond lil]

A thread for us to discuss what we could/would maybe do in future for power when powercuts might become the norm, or electricity becomes so bloody expensive that we cant afford it!
Has anybody got a full scale plan for life without gas or electric? has anybody got good ideas they want to develop? If yes then post it here, we need all the ideas we can get
We don't want to get too deep into politics or green issues here cos that always ends up in a row !! just ideas please !

[Ian]

Go back 40 years in lifestyle, burn coal, wear jumpers more often, get fitter.

That is about it I think.

[diamond lil]

Can we still do everything with coal fired machinery though? Are there any coal-fired steam machines left? What about the harvesting and farmwork?

[nickdutch]

I am already planning for it. Make solar panels and store them somewhere and when you then need them get them out, grid tie them or battery system them and use them.

There are already people in the UK who can't afford to use the lights, so aren't we almost there already?

Sure, I have only got 150 watts of PV panels built so far, but over the coming 2 years I hope to get 2 Kw together or more.

then there is wind, bicycle generators and the like.....

Then, solar furnaces and wood gas generators to burn rubbish.

Making biodiesel may become a necessity. Home brewing and distilling alcohol to power petrol generators might be a necessity too soon.

(brew during the winter, distil in the spring, summer and autumn using solar powered 'stills and burn it in the winter for cooking, heating and for the car)

If "it" doesn't happen in my life time, if I am lucky enough to find a good wife and to have kids I want them to have the knowledge that they are going to need for when "it" happens and energy gets so dear that Shell and BP think that research into fart bacteria will seem like a viable method of methane generation.

The Attenburgh program about what population the planet could support suggested that we might just have 40 years if we can keep going that long.

If SHTF never happens then OMFG might

[diamond lil]

So you're more into future new stuff than what we used in the past..? that's scarey to me because its largely untested no? I just try to work out how to do things without electricity or gas. But our lifestyle makes this possible, whereas for many it would be a hassle. Is interesting to hear other people's ideas.

[nickdutch]

that's scarey to me because its largely untested no?

No, its not largely untested.

I made my first ever solar collector assembly when I was in my early teen age years in secondary school.

Aint nothing futuristic about PV cells

I am using my panel at the moment. I am therefore testing it.

Also if you don't have access to electricity what are you gonna do about communications EG., CB / Ham radio, mobile internet?

I can power my soldering iron from solar for a zero electric cost.

And also once in a while, wouldn't it just be nice to use the dehydrator / hand drill / bench saw / lighting to help see the underside of the car by when changing the oil / plus any other normal things like popcorn machine, microwave, dvd player and the like ??


I aint dissing your approach. But a blend of technologies could be a more stable solution. I am going to be using a combination of solar tech and the kind of stuff that you are talking about.

[scoobie]

a blend of technologies could be a more stable solution.

I think you're spot on with your approach there

[diamond lil]

"the dehydrator / hand drill / bench saw / lighting to help see the underside of the car by when changing the oil / plus any other normal things like popcorn machine, microwave, dvd player and the like ??"
************
I havent got any of these, and I dont want to solder anything I am hopeless. I will sit back and leave this to all you members who know this stuff, Ty Nick !

[jansman]

This IMO is the Big One. Finance and Fuel are linked. The World Economy DEPENDS on oil. Black Gold. We even eat oil. Thats because we depend on farmers using oil to plough ,seed,weed and harvest-thwn transport food. Then its processed using oil,and packed in oil -based products. Hey!you even fetch,or have it delivered using oil. Then it goes in the fridge,run by oil derivative generated electricity. You cook the food using oil derived power. When you wash up the plates,and get rid of food wastes down the loo or in the bin-it takes oil.

You get the picture. Oil has caused the world to be totally entwined with oil-based technologies and products. It is too complicated a subject to do it in a post.

If oil diminishes,so will Society. It will not just be a case of solar panels on the roof(I am NOT criticising anyone here)Because the production and maintenance of said PV panels takes...yep you guessed it,Oil.

I believe there WILL be a mix of relevant technologies,as oil will not suddenly run out,it will get harder to find and so become more expensive. But at the same time we will drift back to a more low-tech Agrarian Society. As Ian said,coal fires ,jumpers and more exercise!

You have raised a good point here Lil,and there are no answers. We will adapt to the New Economy I think.
Watch the money markets,and see how oil,coal and alternatives drive the market. It all really is a House Of Cards.

[nickdutch]

This IMO is the Big One. Finance and Fuel are linked. The World Economy DEPENDS on oil. Black Gold. We even eat oil. Thats because we depend on farmers using oil to plough ,seed,weed and harvest-thwn transport food. Then its processed using oil,and packed in oil -based products. Hey!you even fetch,or have it delivered using oil. Then it goes in the fridge,run by oil derivative generated electricity. You cook the food using oil derived power. When you wash up the plates,and get rid of food wastes down the loo or in the bin-it takes oil.

You get the picture. Oil has caused the world to be totally entwined with oil-based technologies and products. It is too complicated a subject to do it in a post.

If oil diminishes,so will Society. It will not just be a case of solar panels on the roof(I am NOT criticising anyone here)Because the production and maintenance of said PV panels takes...yep you guessed it,Oil.

I believe there WILL be a mix of relevant technologies,as oil will not suddenly run out,it will get harder to find and so become more expensive. But at the same time we will drift back to a more low-tech Agrarian Society. As Ian said,coal fires ,jumpers and more exercise!

You have raised a good point here Lil,and there are no answers. We will adapt to the New Economy I think.
Watch the money markets,and see how oil,coal and alternatives drive the market. It all really is a House Of Cards.

Indeed, and we got a fair few years til we are there though. Maybe 40 maybe more.

In the mean time, what i am preparing for is something a little more immediate. Electricity getting pricier, but still needed to run my computer + other things and therefore to keep me in work.

We are all growing in preparedness, we don't have to be "there" today or tomorrow 9 AM

And we are preparing for different things and in different ways