"IF I can do it in my van there is nothing to stop you doing it in your own home." That was the advice of Kerr MacGregor to pupils at Rothesay Primary School as he demonstrated his renewables powered camper van last week.
Kerr has converted a standard long wheelbase Luton-bodied white transit van into a self contained living and exhibition unit, powered by a combination of solar panels, a mini wind turbine and bio mass.
The forward section contains Kerr's livi
ng area consisting of his bedroom and kitchen with microwave, refrigerator, hot and cold running water and a shower unit. There is underfloor heating and the walls are insulated with sheep wool garnered from Scottish hillsides.
The rear of the unit consists of a small exhibition area which Kerr was using to talk to groups of about eight pupils at a time. To capture the imagination, Kerr employs quirky methods to hold his audience's interest.
A small electric model railway takes its power from the unit and solar powered bagpipes really caught the interest.
However the most attractive aspect is the financial one. As Kerr said himself: "I have no oil, electric or gas bills to pay."
Following a short talk, Kerr opened the floor to the pupils for questions. These were wide ranging with one boy asking Kerr why he had become involved in renewables.
He said: "I became interested in solar power in the sixties when I lived in Africa.
"I was fascinated by the way cats react to the sun. They obviously love it and it does them good."
"What about your love of inventions - is it easy to have them carried out?" asked one girl.
"Inventions come to me," Kerr replied. "It is more difficult to persuade someone to actually invest money in an invention but my solar powered panel has been taken up and a factory now employs 30 people manufacturing them.
"It is very satisfying to create something which is of benefit and is used by lots of people."
Kerr was conducting his demonstration on one of the wettest, darkest and dreichest days of the year so far, so we were struggling with the concept of solar power in the Scottish climate.
But Kerr told us that despite the dark November weather he currently had ten days worth of battery power stored up.
Kerr has written a number of very informative articles on renewable energy and if you want to find out more about this vital subject you can check out his web site at www.macgregorsolar.com.
(This story first appeared in the November 24, 2006 issue of The Buteman.)