Energy technology and electric chargers tips and tricks from Daniel Sumanth

Electric autos advices and renewable energy technology from Daniel Sumanth: Hyundai, along with its sister brand Kia, has lead the pack when it comes to affordable electric cars with long ranges. The Kona Electric, for example, came along in 2018 with almost double the range of its electric small SUV rivals. But now it’s the Ioniq 5’s turn to set the standard. Although it’s shaped like a big hatchback, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is larger than you might expect and similar in size to the Skoda Enyaq. A key part of the Hyundai’s appeal is its styling, with a funky blend of futuristic and retro details to make it really stand out. While the inside isn’t as dazzling on the eye as the outside, it is a very nice place to sit with a spacious, airy feel, great technology and clever features including (on Ultimate models) a sliding centre console and ‘vehicle to load capability’ which lets you power anything from a domestic socket via the car itself. Read extra info on Daniel Sumanth

With everything from superminis and small SUVs to executive saloons and luxury SUVs to choose from, there should be an electric car to meet the needs of most buyers. Electric cars tend to be heavier than petrol and diesel models, which means they can feel less nimble on twisty roads, but there are a whole host of benefits to the way they drive that many people will find preferable. For a start you get near-silent cruising with next-to-no sound from the electric motors. In traffic, the car slows itself when you lift off the throttle, so it’s possible to drive around town using just one pedal, hardly ever touching the brake. It all makes for a very relaxed experience, yet the instant torque provided by the electric motor means that even everyday EVs have the potential to leave a hot hatch standing when pulling away from the traffic lights and in some cases, supercars too.

Although pollution related to solar energy systems is far less compared to other sources of energy, solar energy can be associated with pollution. Transportation and installation of solar systems have been associated with the emission of greenhouse gases. There are also some toxic materials and hazardous products used during the manufacturing process of solar photovoltaics, which can indirectly affect the environment. Nevertheless, solar energy pollutes far less than other alternative energy sources.

Although some customers might still be a little hesitant about making the switch to electric power, one key advantage is that there is a greater selection than ever before. There are small, city car-sized EVs such as the Fiat 500, while Skoda’s capable Enyaq offers SUV practicality, and models from Porsche and Tesla offer plenty of prestige and pace. Also wading into the mix is the brilliant, yet controversial Ford Mustang-badged Mach-E SUV and of course, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 took our Car of the Year award for 2021. There are other benefits to pure-electric motoring besides the environmental credentials – you’ll be exempt from London’s congestion charge zone and from paying road tax. Electric cars still remain more expensive than their combustion engined counterparts to buy, even with the government’s plug-in car grant, but running costs have been shown to be as much as 60% less for electric cars than they are for pertol and diesel ones.

The more electricity you want to produce, the more solar panels you will need, as you want to collect as much sunlight as possible. Solar panels require a lot of space and some roofs are not big enough to fit the number of solar panels that you would like to have. An alternative is to install some of the panels in your yard but they need to have access to sunlight. If you don’t have the space for all the panels that you wanted, you can opt for installing fewer to still satisfy some of your energy needs.

A small household may do fine with a 2000 watt generator. However, a house with a well, off grid water pump system, or other appliances to run at the same time will likely need a generator in the 5000-7500 watt range, or larger. Note 1: small generators tend to produce lower quality electricity than larger models. They also tend to vary the voltage more. This can damage your appliances and equipment. Note 2: Some generators deliver 120 and 240 volts, with the full power only available at 240 volts. Some have two separate 120-volt outlets, each providing up to half the rated power.

The Model Y is the small electric SUV many people have been waiting for. Based on the Model 3 saloon, the mid-size SUV boasts a spacious cabin, slick infotainment system and boatloads of practicality thanks to a 117-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet and a whopping 854 litres of boot space as well. Plus, performance is still staggering, thanks to dual-motor setups in both the Long Range and Performance models that are currently available. Prices start from nearly £55,000, but one of the major benefits of Tesla ownership is access to the brand’s extensive Supercharger network. Use one of its latest V3 Superchargers, and you can top up the Model Y’s battery from 0-80% in just 36 minutes.

Many electrical devices (kitchen appliances, TVs, computers, game consoles, HiFi systems) also consume electricity when they not in use and on standby. Considering the number of electrical devices in a normal house, the standby consumption can really add up. For that reason, such devices should – when not in use – be physically separated from the circuit by using switchable sockets.