Fair to Say This Little Shed Is a True Powerhouse
The winter of 2024/25 presented us with extraordinary challenges. Three major storms – Conall and Darragh in November and December 2024, followed by Storm Éowyn at the end of January 2025 – brought disruption on a scale we had never experienced before. Altogether, we faced more than 400 hours of power outages. Storm Éowyn, which was officially declared a nationwide Status Red event, was by far the most severe, leaving us without electricity for 322 hours, or in other words, a full two weeks.
During this time, all essential systems in the house failed. Heating, running water, lighting, the internet, and every other aspect of daily life that requires even a modest amount of electricity simply stopped working. With a small plug-in generator we managed to create a minimal and temporary level of comfort, but normal life was impossible, and hosting guests under such conditions was out of the question.
Storm Éowyn also caused widespread damage by bringing down countless trees, creating long corridors of destruction. These not only disabled large parts of the overhead power grid, they also knocked out several mobile phone masts. Even a simple phone call or text message required driving around until we found an area with a functioning signal.
It became clear that, as a B&B open throughout the winter, we were not adequately prepared for such situations. In spring 2025 we therefore analysed the events thoroughly, supported by the expertise of EGPS, an Irish family-run company that specialises in high-quality European generators. Together we planned a solution that would allow us to operate independently during complete outages. We decided on a large generator from EGPS, connected directly to the house’s main supply via a changeover switch. This system enables us to maintain full operation even when both the power and water supply are down, ensuring that we can offer our guests proper comfort and reliability even when the regional infrastructure is struggling.
We are especially proud of our decision to run the generator on HVO fuel. HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is a low-carbon biofuel that can be used as a direct replacement for regular diesel.
HVO is a high-quality renewable fuel produced by treating waste plant matter with hydrogen, which means it does not release additional carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Compared to conventional diesel, HVO emits up to 90 percent less carbon and offers several further advantages, including lower NOx emissions, biodegradability, a longer shelf life, and complete freedom from fossil components.
Find out more about HVO here.
And finally, we could not resist giving the generator a home that matches both its technical importance and our architectural standards. The elegant outdoor structure, which presents itself with the discreet appearance of a modern garden shed, is in truth a genuine powerhouse.
