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Sustainable Cheshire Forum Climate Change Guide |
Renewable
Energy
In recent years, renewable technologies have become a more realistic prospect for home owners. In addition, a range of grants are available to support the initial costs of installation. In addition, several options now have pay back periods of just a few years. For further information on any of the technologies visit www.cheshirerenewables.org.uk or call the Energy Efficiency Advice Centre free on 0800 512012.
Passive Solar Design
The simplest way of harnessing the sun's energy is converting light
into heat through careful building design and planning. Few houses are
currently planned in this country to maximise heat available from the
passing sun. It involves having large south facing and small north facing
windows to maximise solar gain. This is best done in new build projects,
or as part of a major refurbishment. Existing buildings can benefit
from a similar effect from the addition of a south facing conservatory.
Ground Source Heat Pumps operate on a similar principle, using passive
solar energy stored in the ground. But they are best installed in new
build as they require the installation of a long loop in the ground
underneath the building.
Solar Water Heating
SWH uses the energy of the sun to heat water passed through narrow pipes
in a panel on a (ideally) south-facing roof. The panels are connected
to a hot water cylinder to store the heated water. In the UK a solar
hot water panel can provide 100% of hot water needs in summer and 10
-50% in winter. Therefore it does need to be supplemented with another
source of hot water heating. There are two types of system, flat plate
and evacuated tube. They are similar in principle but the evacuated
tube is slightly more efficient as the pipes are situated in a vacuum.
The evacuated tube system is also more expensive. A typical SWH system
can save 9 tonnes of CO2 in its lifetime and save £60 -70 a year
on heating bills. Planning permission is not normally required, but
check with your District Council first. Costs vary according to size,
type of roof and location, but are between £2,500 - £4,000.
Payback is between 15-20 years. Grants are available from government
and some District Councils. For more information visit www.solartradeassociation.org.uk
Solar Photovoltaic
(PV) Panels
PV panels convert sunlight into electricity. The panels are made up
of several cells to give the desired electrical output. They can supply
up to 50% of a homes needs. There are 3 types of panel, monocrystalline,
polycrystalline and amorphous silicon. The 3 types have decreasing efficiency
and therefore cost. Currently, PV panels are relatively expensive, between
£8000, £18,000; although grants of up to 50% toward the
cost are available from government. Over its lifetime a system could
save 16 tonnes of CO2 and £75 - £125 a year on bills. Visit
www.pv-uk.org.uk for more information
Wind
Power
The UK has the greatest potential wind energy resource in Europe but
currently only 1% of our power comes from the wind. It is also one of
the most developed and cost effective technology. Small scale wind turbines
on a roof top generate around 1kW. At a cost of £1500, they have
a payback of 5-7 years. They will save one third of your electricity
bills and save 32 tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime. They are subject
to planning permission, although the planning laws are due to be relaxed
to enable greater take up of roof mounted turbines. Speak to your local
District Council to discuss. For more information visit www.bwea.com
Biomass
Biomass is the term for organic matter such as wood, wood chip, wood
pellet, or fuel crops (such as willow, hazel or miscanthus). It is carbon
neutral in that the carbon emitted when it is burnt is equal to the
amount absorbed during growth. Biomass is suitable for home use as either
a stand alone fire or as system linked to space and water heating. Both
can be fed biomass as wood pellets or logs. A biomass boiler system
can save 100 tonnes of CO2 in its lifetime and around £5000 depending
on the system. For more information visit www.r-p-a.org.uk
or www.logpile.co.uk
Hydro-power
The power of water has been harnessed to generate energy for many centuries.
Hydro-electric power uses the force of moving water to generate electricity
via a turbine connected to an electricity generator. These can be connected
to the electricity grid (where excess can be sold back) or be part of
a stand-alone system (where excess can be stored in a battery). A home
with access to even a small, yet steady, flow of water could generate
electricity at a lower cost than other renewable technologies. Central
government grants can assist with the cost of building a system. For
more information visit www.british-hydro.org
or www.hydropower.org
Combined Heat and
Power
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is a fuel-efficient energy process in
which both heat and electricity are produced simultaneously. The heat
generated when fuel is burnt to produce electricity is captured and
put to use, in conventional energy systems this is normally wasted Typically
this achieves a 35% reduction in energy use as well as ensuring a secure
supply from having an independent source of power. Furthermore, because
it often supplies electricity locally, CHP can also avoid transmission
and distribution losses. For more information visit
www.chpa.co.uk
.