Environmental Impact

The Borgo as of December 2019 is effectively off-grid (but does retain an ENEL connection in-case of emergencies) and proudly takes its electrical power exclusively from photovoltaic panels. The Borgo however does generate some carbon emissions from:

• Bottled gas for the cooking stoves

• Wood consumed in the woodburners

• Pellets consumed in the pellet burner

Details

•  43 Sanyo 230W PV panels (11kW) provide electricity in the day light hours – and pushes excess electricity back to ENEL

•  30 Amerisolar 255W PV panels (7kW) charge 24 x 80cm 2V batteries, which power the Borgo at night or on very overcast days, as well as powers 1 x EV charger (in the small weight station house below)

• The PV and battery storage is all controllable from an internet enabled Vitron dashboard (last picture)

•  4 Immergas solar water panels (8kW) provide all the hot water for the property when sunny (when not sunny, the pellet burner takes over)

• The Borgo’s water is fed from a well and a lake. The pipe work has been configured in a way that the lake water feeds all toilets while the well water feeds the kitchens (drinking and cooking). The shower and bath feeds can be swapped, subject time of year

• The Borgo has a self-contained septic field

• An organic food waste compost is located in the field at the end of the garden, and general household waste is source separated in line with the local policies