‘Green Energy’ is the use of resources such as wind, tides and geothermal heating to provide us with our everyday energy requirement. They’re all considered naturally able to replenish - and thereby ‘Green’. It’s interesting to note that in some instances we’re actually travelling back in time to utilise some of the older energy skill sets e.g. Wind Power (Windmills etc.) This idea is preserved by the use of technology, eco-efficient options and planet friendly alternatives.
It is the use of simple renewable energies such as Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating Collectors, that suits the home environment. To gain electricity from roof panels you would need solar electrical panels (PV’s). Then there are Stoves that burn Bio-Pellets - which make up the subject commonly known as Biomass Energy. Then we have the ancient energy of the Sun and the heat that comes from it - now called Ground Source Heat Pumps. Considering items such as Wind Power and Hydro Turbines, we are finally getting to very old forms of energy production.
Thermal Solar Energy - Often called Solar Energy, this is fact based on two types of solar panels each using different ideas to get their results. First, we have Solar Water Heating Collectors, which absorb energy from the Sun and transfer this into hot water. Furthermore, there are the Solar Electrical Panels (more correctly known as Photovoltaic heat collectors) which transform solar radiation into electricity. Typically, these panels are found on roofs - and need to be away from any light blocks such as trees, chimneys and other buildings.
Within Solar Energy overall, Solar Water Power is most commonly used in the UK. With the capacity to deliver 50 percent plus of a household’s hot water requirement annually, Solar Water heating systems are crucial to energy in the UK. The typical cost for installation ranges from 500-1500 pounds for a DIY system, all the way through to 2-5k for a professional fit.
Biomass Energy Technology: This is a ‘capture all’ phrase which includes all natural materials. e.g. Wood, straw and poultry litter - but nowadays also includes modern ‘Energy Crops’. It is extremely useful - in that it can produce a range of power sources, including heat and electricity. The ability to generate electricity is one of the UK’s main green strengths - as it has one of the larger Biomass legacies within Europe. It should be borne in mind that the whole process is designed to produce energy without an impact on CO2. Because the system often involves one tree being planted as another is felled, many wood crops are deemed to be sustainable sources.
Fast growing trees such as Willow and Poplar (under the banner of Short Rotation Coppice ‘SRC’) help to meet the need for ‘Energy Crops’ within the UK. Dry matter is also very sought after - and perennial grasses are a good source of this. Equally significant within this practice sit Municipal and Agricultural waste products. Agricultural Waste is naturally formed as a by-product of conventional agricultural activity. Another biomass source is that of municipal waste - and this comes from recycled wood or food.
Geo-Thermal Energy Based Systems - Basically this is the warming of the Earth from the Sun - and is often used in the manufacture of warm water and electricity. Having a consistent ground temperature of around 12 degrees centigrade is fortunate for the UK - as it allows both the heating and cooling of buildings. Whilst these heat pumps require energy to operate, their rate of return is excellent - being four units produced for every one unit used. By using energy from solar electrical panels or wind turbines to power them, heat source pumps can be almost 100 percent renewable in energy production.
Wind Energy: The use of wind as a source of energy has been going on for thousands of years, especially in milling grain and pumping water. More recently, there has been the desire to deliver the energy created to the home - or to a local power grid. With regard to wind generation, it is the UK that has the highest production within Europe. The fact remains that in the UK, there exists the ability to realise 10 percent of our electricity requirement from wind power - as opposed to the current value of just 1 percent. Rather than electricity production running at 2-10 p per kWh, it could be run at 2p per kWh. Because of this, it is estimated that it takes between half a year to three quarters of a year to cover the installation costs.
Within the UK, Hydropower suits the energy generation model. The ability to utilise energy from moving water, much like wind power, has been going on for thousands of years. Interestingly enough, this type of energy production meets around 2 percent of the UK electrical total demand.
By using a turbine, a Hydropower system can transfer the kinetic energy of moving water into another form. Turbines use either a water drop (e.g. through a dam) or by a natural ‘run of the river’ - thereby having no water storage reservoir. It is by using the eroded national distribution systems, that allows for outdated sluices and dams to be used by techniques known as ‘Micro-Hydro’. This process alone could meet 200mW of the UK requirement. When considering the installation cost of items such as this, we’re looking at somewhere between 200 pounds and 3k per kW of energy created.
It is the growing worldwide energy requirement that is causing the growth in ‘Green Energy’. Within the UK and mainly the domestic sector, we are well placed to take advantage of the schemes above.
Electricians and Plumbers in particular are expected to provide the main thrust of domestic installation expertise. A range of grants are available to support the growth of renewable energy ideas within the European market. As a new industry, there are a range of new certificates to gain. Look for combined electrical and plumbing training, with a key emphasis on practical green systems and installation.
Written by Scott Edwards. Navigate to Plumbing Training Courses or Plumber Courses.
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