Off-Grid Guru's Tent

Your Ultimate Guide To Off-Grid Solar covers everything off-grid. We will be looking at lithium batteries vs AGM, when and why you may need a cabinet for your off-grid system, how off-grid systems are calculated and what you should look out for when going off-grid. This is a great talk for those looking to set-up an off-grid system and understand the process and system components better. 

Rick Molley has been an EV driver for year's and a proud member of the Victorian Branch of Australian Electric Vehicle Association. As we get closer to a time where all cars on the road will be Electric (the count down is on), now is the time to get the knowledge and find out where the industry is going. 

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- What are the Pros and Cons of owning an EV?

- How far can you drive?

- How do you charge up at home and on the road? 

- Is it more affordable? 

- Can you buy second hand EV's yet? 

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Rick will go through all of these topics with plenty of time for you to ask your own Questions along the way. 

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And be sure to head over to the EV display area after 1pm to go for a test drive with one of the car owners to see just how different it is. 

Trials and tribulations, a builders journey to self sufficiency and energy independence.

In this talk, we'll share our journey to getting off the grid DIY style. Take you through all the trials and tribulations we faced along the way from drainage to shelter, energy to water, and waste management. And cover all the essential infrastructure topics that you might need to know about.

We understand the challenges that come with getting off the grid, and we're here to share our experiences and lessons learned. You'll hear about the mistakes we made and how we overcame them, as well as the best practices and solutions we've adopted.

Whether you're just starting your journey or have already taken the first steps, this talk will provide you with valuable insights and inspiration to help you reach your goal of getting off the grid.

Disclaimer: Troy is not a Registered electrician and all knowledge shared in this talk is from his experience and learning whilst setting up his own private DIY system. If you are uncertain about electrical set-up we recommend you always hire a registered contractor. 

Find out how to use the design and construction of your home to create a healthy, comfortable environment that uses minimal energy for heating and cooling. By applying the principals of high insulation materials, minimisation of thermal bridges, air tightness and appropriate ventilation, comfort can be maximised and energy use minimised. Low embodied energy, high insulation value, vapour permeable natural building materials such as hempcrete, strawbale and light earth are perfect for creating a high performance, low energy home. 

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Kirstie Wulf is a Building Designer who specialises in natural building materials, passive house and building in bushfire areas. She has also been an owner builder, having built one of the first Council Approved hemp houses in Australia and is a Certified Passive House Designer. Kirstie is the principal Designer at Shelter Building Design that has designed and obtained approval for off grid homes built using, hempcrete, light earth, straw bale, mud brick and earthbags as well as green roofs and earth floors.

Part 1: Learn how greywater can be put to good use as an irrigation source via simple diversion systems to create water-wise gardens/farms. Some examples of both DIY setups and off the shelf products will be explained. Anthony will also go through the details of greywater reuse in both town and rural settings and the regulations to understand. 

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Part 2: Anthony will continue the discussion and go through greywater disposal systems and reedbeds. Learn about simple techniques for managing greywater in off-grid setups including simple trench systems and reedbed treatment systems etc.

Anthony (Smitho) Smith is an Environmental Engineer and a major advocate for sustainable wastewater management. He knows the industry in and out from backyard DIY composting to large corporate systems.

In this talk/workshop you'll gain in-depth information about setting up your own system, what's right for you, the various options, and the pros & cons of different systems (made or purchased). Followed by an interactive workshop on how to build a simple composting toilet from a wheelie bin and find out how a DIY composting toilet can be built to meet the Australian Standards.

“Planned obsolescence” is a strategy that makes products obsolete so that they require frequent replacements. This forces consumers to spend more by buying products more frequently.

Sensible By Design are working on re-imagining the
design standards for manufactured consumer goods and technology in order to reduce or eliminate planned-obsolescence and poor design, and to encourage manufacturers to align with Resource-Based Economy
by making technology be long-lasting and easily repairable, thus reducing landfill and waste of valuable resources.

We're also helping consumers find the most value-for-money, feature-rich and reliable products and ethical manufacturers.This is one way to make the world a better place and we invite community participation in this project.
 

We are also creating a register of existing and new products/devices which satisfy the sustainable design criteria. As a community of tech experts we will aim to provide reviews and help promote these products in an online directory, as well as invite sensible, visionary and conscious manufacturers to cooperate.

Come and celebrate the launch of a new platform and website focussed on natural building trades, workshops, education and networking across Australia. There will be a short introduction by the founding  Director Dr Rachel Goldlust and an opportunity to hear what such a platform can do for those working in and those interested in building with natural materials. 

It’s also an opportunity to become a founding Seed member to help grow the venture. Join us! 

This talk will give people an overview of how to run a vehicle on Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO). It will include basic steps from sourcing and cleaning WVO to the various options for how to set-up a vehicle to use it. This will include some handouts with more detailed information on what types of vehicles are best suited to running WVO and where to do more research on what is a long but fascinating journey. It will encourage people to pursue their own fuel independence as part of off-grid living.

Disclaimer: Leo is not a mechanic or expert, the knowledge shared in this talk is from his experience and learning whilst converting his own vehicle to run on WVO. 

Many of our festival attendees are already living in grid-connected homes but want to make steps towards making their house more sustainable or even transitioning to being off-grid with a full battery system. 

Michael O'Connell has been actively practicing and advocating sustainability for over 25 years and
has a thorough understating of the sustainable and renewable industries and communities. Currently teaching Engineering, Electrical and Renewable Energy and working through the process of upgrading his own on-grid home to be as sustainable as possible this will be a great talk for those looking for practical and in-depth advice. 

Septic systems, Aerated treatment systems, vermiculture systems etc. explained. Gain a general understanding of how these systems work, what their applications are and how to decide which setup is best for you.

A builders solution to getting off the grid in the next 30 days - In this talk Troy will be addressing the major challenges that have been holding people back from getting off the grid. From complex installation processes to high costs, we'll explore the obstacles that might prevent people from making the switch.

Troy will introduce his solution to these obstacles, which is designed specifically for property owners, owner builders and DIY enthusiasts, and it's going to make getting off the grid a breeze.

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Disclaimer: Troy is not a Registered electrician and all knowledge shared in this talk is from his experience and learning whilst setting up his own private DIY system. If you are uncertain about electrical set-up we recommend you always hire a registered contractor. 

Learn all about flexible off-grid water heating solutions for continuous, hygienic, and reliable hot water. 

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And find out how you can adapt your current water heating to make use of solar in a truly smart way can greatly increase efficiency.