Ashley Grealish

Why Your Balcony Solar Savings Might Be Way Too Optimistic

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:01:01 +0100

Balcony solar is finally arriving in the UK. After years of strong adoption in Germany and across Europe, we’re starting to see these plug-and-play systems appear in British homes. It’s genuinely exciting news for anyone interested in renewable energy and lower bills.

But there’s a problem. In all the enthusiasm, the maths is starting to look rather optimistic.

The Claims Don’t Add Up

You’ve probably seen posts claiming that an 800W balcony solar kit will save you money, some might claim over £600 per year! It’s an attractive figure, but it’s based on a pretty dodgy assumption: that your panels will get 8 hours of peak sun, every single day, without fail.

Home Batteries: Unlocking Hidden Savings

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In recent years, portable battery systems like those from EcoFlow have surged in popularity, primarily for their convenience in outdoor activities and off-grid scenarios. However, these powerful energy storage devices have untapped potential right in our homes. What if we could harness these batteries not just for emergencies or adventures, but as a smart solution to reduce our daily energy costs and carbon footprint?

The concept is straightforward: store energy when it’s abundant and cheap, then use it when demand (and prices) peak. This approach not only promises significant savings on your energy bills but also contributes to a more sustainable energy consumption pattern.

Balkonkraftwerk: Clean Energy for All Homes

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Balkonkraftwerk, a German term meaning “balcony-based power generation,” has gained significant popularity in recent years. This system allows individuals to harness solar energy on their balconies and feed it back into the grid, reducing their reliance on traditional energy sources.

I recently visited Düsseldorf to understand this Balkonkraftwerk movement better. By studying its success, we can identify key factors that contributed to its growth and explore how these lessons can be applied to other countries, including the UK.

Beyond Range Anxiety: Conquering Europe in an EV

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0100

I’ve always had a particular fondness for a good road trip. From motoring up the Pacific Coast Highway in an American muscle car to meandering through the misty Scottish Highlands, there’s an undeniable allure to exploring the world on four wheels. In recent years, my adventures have taken a decidedly electric turn. I’ve traversed the verdant hills of Ireland and ventured across various European countries, all without so much as a drop of petrol.

Startups and SDGs

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

As an electronics engineer, you have a superpower: the ability to design and create technology that can change the world. Over the course of your career, you’ll spend around 80,000 hours working. That’s a significant portion of your life, and how you choose to spend that time matters. By aligning your work with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), you can ensure your 80,000 hours are dedicated to making a positive impact.

Getting the most from your PPL lessons

Mon, 30 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Find the right school

Sometimes there will only be one school within any reasonable distance from you, so you you have little choice. But, if you do have choice you may want to visit a number of schools and do a trial lesson. When visiting, you can answer any questions you have. I would recommend you ask about:

Costs
- Can they do a package deal for the minimum 45 hours
- Or, if you prefer can they accept a pay-as-you-go arrangement so that can can pay for each lesson when you can afford them
- What extra costs do they expect for ground school, equipment, landing fees, health checks …
Availability
- How many instructors do they have
- When are they most busy
- Does this align with your schedule
Sustainability
- What aircraft do they use
- Can you do any training on an electric aircraft
- Can you supplement your training with simulator time
Weather
- What does the typical year look like at this airfield
- In summer and in winter, what % of flight lessons get cancelled due to poor weather.
Can you speak with a current or former student?

Asking these questions will ensure you find the right school for you. Finding a school that matches your needs is the most impactful thing you can do to get the most from your PPL. But once you’ve found the right school, there is more you can do.

The Carbon Impact of a Private Pilot Licence (PPL)

Sun, 15 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

What influences the carbon emissions?

How much you fly?

The standard UK PPL mandates a minimum 45 hours of flight time. Many students will complete their PPL within this minimum number of hours, but others will take more time. Clearly, the more hours you spend in the air, the more carbon emissions will be generated.

What you fly

Most flight schools will use small, fairly fuel effecient aircraft. The Cessna 152 is a small 2 seater that is great to learn in. The Cessna 172 and the Piper PA28 are also common 4-seater options, for those who feel the 152 is too small. Check what options your school has and ask about fuel efficiency of their fleet.

Race Engineer

Wed, 11 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

As the world went digital during the COVID pandemic, the world of motorsport was also forced to go digital. As a motorsport fan, this raised the opportunity to directly compete within the sport I love. Sim Racing and eSports levelled the playing field across all and allowed motorsport amateurs to compete with professionals from the world of motorsport.

However, this raised a question. How do amateurs get the tuition and mentorship they need to develop their skills to be competitive against more experienced drivers? Drivers that has a team of people behind them to optimise their on-track performance, analysing every lap and comparing it against others to advise on where gains can be made. race.engineer is the solution to that problem. The digital world produced much more data than the physical. If we can harness the power of this data, we can automate the role of the Race Engineer. We can understand what techniques can make the driver faster and offer targeted advice on where pace can be gained.

e.quinox Izuba Box

Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000

During my final two years at Imperial College I became involved with the e.quinox project. I spend a lot of time developing a new solution to the rural electrification problem in developing countries. Previously e.quinox have focused on a kiosk model which has one central kiosk with a form of power generation, typically solar. Villagers will come to the kiosk and rent a fully charged battery box which they will use to power their lighting and charge mobile phones. Once the battery box is empty they return to the kiosk to rent another fully charged box and their empty box is recharged ready for another customer.

About

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ashley is an Engineering Leader who has helped to grow start-up companies who want to make positive changes in the world. He specialises in building technology which interacts with the real world and in the past has built an IoT platform which has supported 100,000+ remotely connected devices. He is happy working across a technology stack from hardware and embedded firmware up to backend and frontend web-app development.

ev.energy

Ashley was the CTO (Interim) & VP of Engineering at ev.energy, joining at the early stages of the company to build a scalable solution for charging electric vehicles. He led the fast-growing, and cross-discipline engineering team. He oversaw the people side of the engineering team, covering the design of team structure, setting objectives, performance reviews and hiring. On the technical side, Ashley set the long-term technology strategy and oversaw the implementation of best development practice.

Contact

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Talks & Papers

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Windfall Energy - Ashley Grealish

Sustainable Founders Podcast - Season 4, Episode 7 - November 2026

Ashley talks to Raakhee about creating something he wished existed for himself and his peers, how a test-and-learn approach changed their entire product, and how he registered the company after unexpectedly being accepted into an accelerator programme.

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts

Your Flat Called. It Wants a Battery.

Energ’Ethic Podcast by Marine Cornelis