There has never been a better time to find out how you can save money, develop your home and help the environment.
Every day we hear more in the media about how our demand for energy is rising and historically fossil fuels containing big quantities of carbon were the way we produced our energy from burning the earth's resources and turning it into electricity or using gas, for instance, to cook with it. Burning these fuels releases huge quantities of carbon dioxide, which in turn affects many worldwide environmental factors including acid rain and climate change.
There is gathering momentum which is urging us all to consider finding other resources of fuel or energy, to deliver more sustainable future energy for the benefit of all current and future inhabitants of our planet – our home. This is not only about protecting and reducing costs, but also about reducing emissions from the harmful greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide.
Energy Efficiency - Insulation
Energy efficiency can result in monthly savings in terms of energy bills and energy consumption. This is because it’s much more cost-effective to save power than to generate it, and a smaller load means a smaller, less expensive system.
Being energy efficient includes using appliances (ovens, fridges, washing machines) with a high rating, LED light bulbs, and also turning off equipment instead of leaving them in stand-by mode which uses a small constant draw on electricity (also called a phantom load).
Home heat loss
The greatest savings can typically be realised by focusing on the areas that use the most energy;- heating, cooling, and hot water. In an uninsulated home, around 35 percent of heat loss is through the walls and 25 percent is lost through the roof. The remaining 40 percent is lost through doors, windows and the floor. The better insulated your home, the less money you’ll spend heating or cooling it. Insulation can also help alleviate damp, making it a healthier home to live in.
Solar Energy (Photovoltaic or pv)
Solar energy is when energy from sunlight is captured in photo-voltaic or thermal panels and converted into electricity or heat. Theoretically this means that there is an infinite energy supply available, benefiting you from having your own electricity and heating, particularly attractive if you happen to be off the electricity or gas grids. Manufacturing costs of systems continue to reduce and various Government finance schemes are available to help with these costs, so now has never been a better time to install these technologies in your home.
Solar Thermal
A thermal store is a way of storing and managing renewable heat until it is needed. In a domestic setting, heated water is usually stored in a large well-insulated cylinder often called a buffer or accumulator tank. The full potential of a thermal store is realised when it is used to store and manage a number of different heat inputs and outputs. It might store heat from a wood-fuelled boiler, solar water heating or a heat pump.
Hydro
Hydro power is produced when the kinetic energy of flowing water, is converted into electricity.
The most common type of hydroelectric power plant uses a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir. Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn activates a generator to produce electricity.
If you have the right conditions and only need a small source of energy then a dam may not be needed. What is important is the greater the height and the more water there is flowing through the turbine, the more electricity can be generated.
Ground or Air Source Heat Pumps
Air Source Heat Pumps absorb heat from the outside air in a similar way that a fridge extracts heat from its inside. Ground Source Heat Pumps use pipes which are buried in the garden to extract heat from the ground, whether that be from the sun at shallower depths or geothermally from 100m or so. The heat from each of these technologies can then be used to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems and hot water in and around your home. A small element of electricity is required to run the system, and the pumps run on a “performance coefficient” meaning that the energy in-putted is more that quadrupled through what is generated. The heat they extract from the ground or air is obviously constantly being renewed naturally, without cost.
Wind Power
Wind turbines use large blades to catch the wind. When the wind blows, the blades are forced round, driving a turbine which generates electricity. The stronger the wind, the more electricity produced. A typical ‘small-wind’ turbine system in an exposed site could easily generate more power than your lights and electrical appliances use.
Biomass systems
Biomass systems burn wood pellets, chips or logs to provide warmth in a single room or to power central heating and hot water boilers. The process is sustainable as long as new plants continue to be grown in place of those used for fuel.
Underfloor Heating
Underfloor heating systems work at lower water and air temperatures than conventional heating systems so can produce lower running costs. By adding underfloor insulation you could produce further energy saving of up to 15%.
Other
The above is just a quick review and doesn’t other forms like include geothermal, wave and tidal power. But there are many ways to improve your energy efficiency including:
Boiler replacement - heating accounts for about 55% on your energy bill so upgrade to a more efficient modern boilers
Energy efficient windows - improve the efficiency of your existing windows (curtains), or replace them completely
Saving water - another precious resource we take for granted
Smart meters - know what you are actually using, get accurate bills every month, and support the national smart grid
Switching utilities - to a company that has sustainability at heart
Home appliances - use high rated energy efficient appliances
Thermostats and controls - these allow you to turn off or down your system while you’re not home and can turn on before you come home to use the electricity while it’s still being generated from a solar system (if you have one).