Going off grid at Gibson Mill

Gibson Mill is the first place in our care to be run entirely off the grid

All our know-how and passion for renewable energy has come together at Gibson Mill, which is the first place in our care to be run entirely off grid. Bringing power to this 17th-century heritage site, hidden in a wooded valley at Hardcastle Crags, was far from easy.

Listen to our podcast to learn about the history of Gibson Mill and find out what you can do to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

We aim to produce 50 per cent of the energy we use from renewable sources by 2021, and places such as Gibson Mill are helping us to achieve this. Our team at Hardcastle Crags has reinstated a historic hydropower system, installed roof-mounted solar panels and a biomass boiler.

Listen to our podcast on going off grid

The podcast was made possible thanks to the support of BMW i, the brand behind the all-electric BMW i3. Our partnership with BMW i allowed us to expand our network of electric vehicle charging points and by investing in groundbreaking projects at National Trust places, the partnership brought us closer to our renewable energy ambitions.

Gibson Mill in Hardcastle Crags in run entirely of the grid

Going off grid

Gibson Mill, which is at the heart of Hardcastle Crags, was one of the UK’s first mills to power the Industrial Revolution. Fast forward 200 years and it now stands as the first renewable place in our care that’s run completely off the grid. This episode reveals that this journey has been far from easy. Power shortages affect the availability of food and drinks and the worm toilets took some getting used to. Despite these challenges Gibson Mill has won several sustainability awards and inspired many other National Trust places on their journey to a low-carbon future.

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50% renewable: Going off grid

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What's a tonne of carbon?

452 litres of petrol
15 months' electricity supply for an average British home
Carbon stored in a 40-year-old oak tree
Enough paper to print 52 copies of the entire Harry Potter series
A one-way economy flight from London to Dallas
57 nights in an average British hotel

Source: DEFRA emissions factors, in combination with some standard assumptions and research.

Doing your bit

kayaking on the sea off Middle Beach, Dorset

Mobile phone showing the National Trust podcast

A wooden slatted compost bin with compost sign

Embrace minimalism

Downsize your possessions. Everything you buy and consume generates waste. Before you buy ask yourself these questions. Do I need this? Do I want it? If so, why? Will I want/need this for ever?

Support green energy

We’ve got lots of fun activities for you to try at the places in our care, including kayaking, boating, fishing and swimming. You could also visit Cragside – the UK’s first hydro-powered home.

Solar chargers

Use a handheld solar charger for your mobile devices. You could even opt for a solar window charger, which captures the sunlight directly from your window sill.

Get composting

Educate yourself on what can be composted. You'll be surprised at just how much can, including food scraps, newspaper, tissues, stale toast, eggshells, coffee and tea granules.

Gibson Mill: a history of innovation

Since the restoration of Gibson Mill started in 2005, we’ve made several exciting green energy milestones, which has brought this 17th-century mill into the 21st century. We worked with renewable energy firm Dulas to restore and reinstate the cotton mill’s original hydro turbine.

Today water turbines and roof-mounted solar panels provide almost all the power for the site and café. A biomass boiler, fed with sustainably-sourced woodchip, provides hot water. Food waste is composted on-site and tiger worms are used to compost waste from the toilets.

With no connection to the National Grid, energy is stored in batteries for when it's needed most. But just like household rechargeable batteries, they lose their ability to store as much power over time, and at times there’s been insufficient power to fully run the café.

Discover a history of innovation at Gibson Mill