Around here wvo and biodiesel have basically "gone" in terms of
availability - all sewn up by the big corpse-rat-ion boys it seems. I
blame carbon trading! The local biodiesel coop is struggling to find
material for processing.

So ... for running on diesel from dinosaur bones (less the road tax) or
28sec kerosene (will listers run on that lower viscosity fuel without
undue wear?) does it still stack up economically to consider a home
brewed combined heat and power system for space heating and electricity
generation (and sell back to the grid of excess in UK if that is getting
easier to arrange ... is it?).

Logically we should insulate our concrete fake stone house with 4-6" of
polyurethane, render and paint a pretty colour but the planners won't
let us as it destroys the Cotswold "character" ... as if concrete fake
blocks have any character on an estate of 1970 houses!!! Then we would
only be looking at homegrown electricity supply and hot water -
otherwise space heating would be passive from activities and equipment
use with that sort of insulation and a third window pane and active
ventilation!

But seeing as the planners are still in denial over doing the logical
thing whilst oil is around to make the PU insulation foam WITH we need
to input low grade heat ... all day 'cos I'm ill and disabled with a
nasty autoimmune thingy and no longer "work" and need to be kept warm.

Hence the question - when I get my workshop/garage next year (not this
year having to replace lintels which have failed on said 1970 grot box,
helluva job for a "sick man" to take on) and my desire to fiddle with
engines and electrics, would it still pay its way with CHP on heating
oil costs so that she who must be obeyed will allow the expenditure - or
should I find another hobby like vole strangling?