"We're working closely with Sir John Samuels and Peter Ridley at Refuel Research on the flow battery, which is a fuel cell storage medium that will be storing energy for the project.

 

"We are proposing to do some localised manufacture for the tanks and enclosures here on Shetland and are about to embark on a feasability study for phase 2.

 

"Our architect Ken Fowler is working with us on several projects.  Ken is based down in Gloucestershire.  We're working on the planning approvals to extend the boardwalk and to create a deck at the front of the house.  This will also have a disabled ramp access.  We already have one which, at the present time, gives access to the rear of the property but we want to approve the access further.

 

"We have three grandchildren who have spent their summer holidays with us and we're looking forward to them coming to stay again this year.  They live in Bristol so we don't see as much of them as we'd like.  We do however talk every day on the telephone and I send them images of the latest developments.  They helped me lay the Enviroglass pathways last summer.

 

"We are presently awaiting the return of our plumber Dennis and his assistant Ivor.  We have been using all local labour, tradesmen and services so we have to be very patient as they are all very busy.  They'll be finishing off the wet room.  Polyflor International have supplied the non slip flooring which has to be glued down with a waterproof adhesive.  Polyflor Hydro is an interesting product as it inhibits the growth of MRSA.

 

"We are also redesigning the enclosure for the water battery and air to water heat pump.  This originally was going to be just a fenced off area at the gable end of the house.  We've decided now to make this into a proper building as we can duct the heat recovery ducting directly into the heat pump inlet and recover as much as possible from the 10 per cent of the heat which the heat recovery exhausts.

 

"In the summer the heat recovery has an automatic override and goes into air conditioning mode.  This only uses 300w.  There has been alot of interest in this worldwide as air conditioning normally uses from 3-5kw.  This obviously depends on the size of the system and, for larger systems in shopping malls, is much greater.  The energy saving alone from this technology is substantial and we've had alot of interest from areas like the Middle East.

 

People are now looking at energy efficiency worldwide - I've even had an enquiry from Russia to replicate the project!