Here’s a thought: how much electricity could you get from a turbine generator placed inside an adapter roof run-off downpipe in a place as consistently rainy as Scotland? Would it be enough to trickle-charge a battery system for running throughout the day? What about if the house was kitted out with low-voltage appliances only? Is it even worth trying?
Personally I think there’s a potential for both water- and wind-driven turbines around here — it is so windy and so rainy that it almost seems a shame to waste all that energy! Similarly, could some small “submergables” in key locations in the Waters of Leith provide enough electricity for subdued path lighting? (It’s treacherous at night without lighting, as the tree cover hides even moonlight.)
Just a thought.