H2OME

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When the network switches your power off on purpose

On extreme fire weather days some electricity networks may de-energise lines in high-risk areas, so a fallen wire cannot start a fire. It is deliberate, and it can last until crews have patrolled the line.

How planned shutdowns work

In general terms, a network watches wind, humidity and fuel dryness, and when conditions cross its threshold it may switch off feeders running through bush and grassland. Practice differs between networks and regions in New Zealand and Australia, so check with your own lines company about whether it does this and how it gives notice. Power usually only comes back after crews have driven or flown the line looking for damage, which takes daylight and time.

What it would keep running

  • Heat pump cooling one living room
  • Fridge and freezer
  • Bore or tank water pump
  • Modem for shutdown updates
  • Ceiling fans in bedrooms overnight

The warning is your charging window

Planned shutdowns usually come with some notice, and that notice is worth using. Let the system take a full night-rate charge, cool the house down while grid power is still there, freeze bottles of water to help the fridge, and run the dishwasher and washing machine early. Arriving at the shutdown with a full hydrogen buffer and a full battery is the single biggest thing you can do.

If you have a wind turbine, check it is free to turn and the brake is released. Hot, gusty fire weather can be good charging weather, so a turbine may keep adding to storage through the day while the lines are off, provided the gusts stay inside its normal working range.

How it works →
The H2OME loop: an electrolyser splits water into hydrogen, the hydrogen is stored in a tank for weeks, a fuel cell turns it into electricity for your home, and the water returns to the loop.

Riding out a hot, dry shutdown

These outages land on the hottest, windiest days, so cooling is the load people miss most. The system is designed for 15 kW continuous output, enough to run a heat pump in a living area alongside the fridge and pumps. Pick one room to keep cool rather than the whole house, and remember that every kilowatt hour comes out of storage. Round-trip efficiency is 30% or less, so stored energy is precious, not free.

Questions

Is a planned shutdown the same as a fault outage?

Not quite. A fault outage is unplanned and starts without warning. A planned shutdown for fire risk is a deliberate safety step and usually comes with notice, which gives you time to charge storage. Both end only when the line is confirmed safe.

Can I keep charging from the grid during a shutdown?

No. The line is off, so there is nothing to charge from. A wind turbine or micro-hydro scheme can keep charging if conditions suit, otherwise the house runs on what is already stored until the network restores supply.

Will the system feed power back into the dead line?

It must not, and it is designed not to. The hybrid inverter isolates the house from the grid when supply drops, which protects line crews who may be working on the network. A registered electrician installs and certifies that connection.

More in outages, weather and how it works

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