The late May Bank hols saw two back to back celebrations at off-grid Roundhill Barn. This was the first major test of our renewables installation, which combines hybrid photo-voltaic thermal panels with large battery backup.

From a power consumption point of view the long weekend involved live bands, lights, some refrigeration and hot water for showering and washing up. Bath parties planned their events carefully and avoided heavy power consumption: there were no deep fat friers, freezers, electrically heated glass washers, space or water heaters, or hot tungsten lights.

That’s definitely the way to go. Here we are on a grey morning after that long weekend with the on site batteries still two thirds charged.

So if you plan an event at Roundhill Barn tread lightly and you can have solar-powered 240v electricity. That means: silent, no emissions, no checking the generator is full of diesel, no need to turn it off at the end of a long night. If OTOH you plan an energy-intensive event with dishwashers, freezers or industrial coffee machines you might want to bring your own generator or consider alternate venues.