Having tossed the idea around in my head for almost the last year, I’m rather rapidly converging on a decision to finally fully go off grid. I’m already off grid for water and drainage, but still have a nains electricity connection, but think I can now manage solely with solar. Financially, the saving would be the standing charge which is relative peanuts, so I’m not doing it for that reason, but more to see if I can manage and the principle of not having to rely on external resources for any utilities, except phone line.
One of the considerations going through my mind is, if I do choose to disconnect from EDF, and then later find that I need to get reconnected, would the process be simple e.g simply call EDF and request a reconnection, as nothing would physically be any different with the infrastructure, except obviously being disconnected from their supply.
If you have a Linky then should be straightforward to cancel contract and restart - after all that’s what happens when a place is sold. But if you have made any physical changes that could affect the Linky then it could well be different and require a typically convoluted and bureaucratic French process.
When we were disconnect (without warning but we were in the UK) our gardener told us. Poor chap and his wife couldnt make a cuppa.
Trying to re connect with EDF was harder than going via mint energie who just got on with it.
Doesn’t it depend on whether you’ll be doing the installation and commissioning of the panels yourself? A third-party company would probably be expecting (and charge ) to make the connection to the Linky and do the admin/liaison with EDF. I found this forum invaluable for current (ha!) information. GPPEP : Vous avez la parole - Forum photovoltaïque
Based on the last Winter I’m feeling quite confident, but before making the leap, I wanted to check the reconnection process to make sure it isn’t onerous. I was thinking of waiting another year for further experience, but now feeling ready to grab the bull
That’s great and thanks for the clarification. I assume that if I did need to be reconnected, EDF could do this remotely via the linky or do you think it would be more involved than that?
There are chunky fees to reconnect which go up and up over the years. Exemptions for very low income people I believe.
How will you ensure ypur refrigeration appliances keep running in a winter of short dull.days? Do you have a neighbour who would run you a cable if necessary, or lend you a sizable diesel generator?
Well, where I’m located in 34, now that I’ve relocated the panels and made the frames to be able to seasonally optimize the angle, even on dull days I’ve had enough power to run all the essentials. Then on short days I have all the batteries, so now feeling quite comfortable. That said, it is obviously a significant step to disconnect. And no, no direct neighbours as I live on the outskirts of the village in peace and tranquility
Maybe with the same supplier as they love to try it on. When we were disconnected and the external meter removed EDF were hard work so we contacted Mint, arranged a day and a new connection and linky installed, they were happy to have our business and no major charges.
No, no drainage charge. Sounds very strange that you have a charge if no mains, unless it’s because you have mains water and they assume you have drainage???
No generator, but plenty of batteries. And as of today, I now have a solar panel driven hot water tank i.e you connect solar panels to it directly to heat water. So that will also help to reduce the load on the main system.
Assainissement = sewerage, drainage etc. is what we pay for, but there are no drains up here, all we have is the fosse septique.
It is possible that that is the charge for emptying rubbish bins I suppose.
We were flooded badly in 2014 and the meter was disconnected on 10 October, a date etched in my mind! It was reconnected after a phone call in mid January 2015. No Linky meter in those days but it was an easy process
That sounds terrible about the flooding, and can’t possibly imagine what that must have been like, but very reassuring to hear about the simple reconnection - thanks
