2023-09-10 04:00:00
A solar energy expert decided to try the experience of self-sufficiency from Hydro-Québec himself in a tiny house, which seems to be a success so far.
Rémy Pratt has lived with his partner for almost 7 years in their tiny wooden house measuring 16 feet by 20 feet in the municipality of Sainte-Alexis-des-Monts, in Mauricie.
Contrary to what we usually see, their solar panels (in place for two years) are located 150 feet from their home, which is located on the edge of the river, in the woods. There are therefore 10 solar panels of 435 watts each in this location where there is no water or electricity distribution service.
Photo provided by Rémy Pratt
“I have electricity going to the corner of my property, but I don’t want to plug into the grid for philosophical reasons,” explained Mr. Pratt, who has worked in the solar industry for about 30 years. years. The 65-year-old now gives private lessons in solar installation, particularly for Stardust Solara British Columbia company specializing in solar training and installation.
“I am able to live in energy autonomy, it’s going very well.”
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The House
His house with a mezzanine has a single open-concept room. A part is obviously reserved for the bathroom with shower and toilet, which constitutes the only closed room in the house.
Rémy Pratt heats with a wood stove and he has a small conventional four-gallon water heater connected to his batteries which are powered by the solar panels. “It’s enough for what we do here and I don’t have a generator either,” he specifies. Rémy Pratt sees no harm in living this way.
“I had never built a house, but I surrounded myself with the right people,” says Mr. Pratt, as he hired someone to draw the plans as well as a construction professional who explained to him what to do or not to do.
Rémy Pratt’s electrical system. The inverter, in particular, is the blue box at the bottom left. Photo provided by Rémy Pratt
Warm in winter
Mr. Pratt also told us of an advantage during the winter linked to the south-facing positioning of his house. “I have no thermal mass, but when there is sun in winter I easily have 4-5 degrees warmer in the house,” Rémy Pratt explained to us. Some houses are built so that the sun heats the thermal mass and releases this heat during the night. A thermal mass is a mass of material such as cement, stone or concrete which allows the heat of the sun to be stored during the day and released slowly during the night.
“And there are sometimes municipalities which want houses facing the street in terms of municipal regulations, but this is not the case with Saint-Alexis [sa maison n’est pas visible de la rue]“, he says to demonstrate that not all cities would allow his situation.
Patrick Baril, director of development and town planning in Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, told us that the owners have a possible angle of 15 degrees in relation to the street. “But as soon as we leave the urban perimeter of the village, these regulations no longer hold,” said Mr. Baril. This type of regulation is in force so that there are no houses crooked in relation to others on a street.”
Rémy Pratt’s house is also on stilts, which saves him from big problems, because he lives in a flood zone. “This year the river overflowed much more than usual,” said Rémy Pratt. The water stopped very close to the house and I was very happy to have the pilings.”
“I plan to end my life here, I am very comfortable,” concludes Mr. Pratt.
Sources of energy :
Solar panels Four-gallon conventional water heater wood stove connected to its batteries
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