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T
HE world’s first inhabited out you just buy a couple of Ever
zero carbon house can Ready batteries. Why pay £14.95
trace its lineage back to for new lights?’ The market just
the mid-late 1980s and a wasn’t ready for it,” Michael
rechargeable cycle light. says. The venture left him
Product designer Michael considerably out of pocket.
Rea worked on the ground- Two decades on, however, the
breaking gadget and circuitry developed for the cycle
invested his savings in its lights system has been put to
development in the hope it use in the electronics for the
would become a nice little revolutionary Shetland home he
business venture. shares with his wife, Dot.
But his hopes dimmed The couple moved in to their
and finally fizzled out as house in January 2008 – and so
potential manufacturers far their energy costs have
failed to grasp the potential averaged £37 per month, and
of the lights. “All they could they achieved this without
say was, ‘When your lights go having to sacrifice any of life’s
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