Why rural areas are most vulnerable
- Electricity dependence: Many rural and off-grid homes rely on electricity for heating, cooking, water pumps, and hot water systems. When power lines go down, as they often do in high winds, daily life can grind to a halt. Backup solid fuel may help, but it is labour-intensive, slower to heat, and not sustainable long term.
- Geographic isolation: Rural households are more likely to be cut off by blocked roads, flooding, or fallen trees. This not only slows down ESB Networks repair crews but also makes it harder for families to access food, fuel, or medical support.
- Ageing infrastructure: Approximately 70% of Irish homes were built before 1983. Many of these properties still rely on outdated heating and energy systems, leaving them more vulnerable to storm-related failures
- Communication challenges: Poor mobile coverage in some rural areas makes it harder to access emergency updates or call for assistance during severe weather, increasing the risks of isolation.
- Weather exposure: Rural housing is typically detached and spread out, often in exposed locations, increasing vulnerability to cold, wind, and storm damage, and making energy demands higher. Farm buildings, sheds, and older stone properties are particularly vulnerable to storm damage.
Together, these
factors mean rural households must be especially proactive in storm-proofing
their homes and ensuring they have reliable off-grid heating in Ireland.
How Calor helps rural homes stay storm-ready
Calor provides practical, storm-resilient rural energy solutions that ensure households can keep running smoothly when the grid goes down:
Reliable off-grid supply
Calor’s LPG and BioLPG tanks are installed on-site and refilled as needed, with regular deliveries managed by Calor’s nationwide logistics team. This means your energy is safely stored at your property, giving you independence from the grid. Unlike electricity, your supply isn’t at risk from downed power lines or storm damage. Even in prolonged outages, your home continues to function with no interruption.
Heating and hot water security
Gas boilers powered by LPG or BioLPG need a small amount of electricity to ignite and circulate heat. This means that if the electricity goes out, your heating and hot water system will pause but the gas supply itself remains ready to use. To keep your boiler running during a power cut, many rural households choose to install a backup generator. A correctly sized generator can power essential systems like your boiler and pumps, ensuring continuous heat and hot water even through extended outages.
Cooking without disruption
Your Calor-powered gas hob will continue to work during power cuts, allowing you to prepare hot meals and drinks when electric appliances are down. Having that ability to cook and boil water brings real comfort and practicality during stormy conditions.
A sustainable energy choice
Resilience doesn’t have to come at the cost of sustainability. Calor’s BioLPG is a renewable, lower-carbon alternative to conventional LPG,
offering the same reliability while cutting carbon emissions by up to 80%*. This means households can reduce their environmental footprint without compromising on security or comfort.
If you have a gas emergency, including a gas leak, or gas supply disruption to an essential service, Calor customers can call our emergency line which is open 24/7:
- ROI: 01 291 6229
- NI: 0845 075 5588
Peace of mind, no matter the weather
Severe storms in
Ireland are no longer occasional disruptions, they are a recurring challenge
that rural households must be prepared for. From prolonged electricity outages
to blocked roads and fuel delivery delays, the impact on off-grid homes can be
immediate and severe.
That is why
securing a reliable off-grid heating solution in Ireland is no longer optional,
it’s essential. With Calor LPG and BioLPG, rural families can rely on a fuel that
continues to work, even when the grid goes down
Sources
*reduce carbon emissions
ROI - Carbon emission savings are calculated using BioLPG carbon value of 45.11 gCO2 per kWh and is based on the weighted average of actual BioLPG feedstocks and deliveries in 2024. All other fuels’ values are reference SEAI Carbon emission factors 2025.
NI - Carbon emission savings are calculated using BioLPG carbon value of 67.46gCO2 per kWh and is based on actual BioLPG feedstocks and deliveries in 2024. All other fuels’ values are reference DEFRA Carbon emission factors 2025.
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