Friday 26 September 2014

Hello, is that Mrs Jones?

Misdirected mail is commonplace, and usually presents no problem. Envelopes addressed to "Prof. April McMahon" are redirected in a trice, and parcels addressed to "Dafydd Raw-Rees", postmarked Todmorden, likewise present no obstacle.

But today arrives an envelope addressed to "Mr and Mrs Jones".

FFS. I've just counted and there are over 2500 "Joneses" in the Aberystwyth phone book, and it's a slim volume.

This is going to take ages.

Monday 8 September 2014

Charlies to manage Kate Bush nuptials

I have asked Kate Bush to marry me, and await her decision. She is a lady who takes care over these things and, while she didn't scream "YES" in immediate hysterical glee, she certainly didn't say "no" either.

So keep your diaries cleared: a date in mid November seems most probable, just after Claire's.

The Wedding List will be managed by Charlies of Aberystwyth (with branches throughout Wales, and one in Shrewsbury).

Monday 1 September 2014

SECOND UPDATE - Photovoltaic cells: free money

I wrote with conceit both one and two years ago about our PV cells. It is now three years since their installation and the pictures they generate have stabilised.

The three year average daily generation and usage now look like this (click to enlarge)


(recall that "usage" is not a clearly defined quantity).

The best fit sine waves to generation and usage, plotted on the graphs, are (click to enlarge):

The waves are (again) reassuringly homed on the spring equinox. The average daily generation in 2011-12 was 9.8KWh, in 2012-13 was 11.3KWh, and in 2012-14 10.5KWh.

Well, the upfront money-in-pocket from the FIT is now well over £5/day. What we save from using free rather than costed power, and pushing surplus into the grid, is as ever secondary and difficult to pinpoint, but is certainly another positive quantity. We're not regretting this purchase.

There seems little point in perpetuating this project as I am now confident of the results. This will leave space on the fridge when I no longer stick the daily recording sheet there. Suggestions?