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the Enviroment
Not all Renewables cost the Earth.
Renewables System Design & Installation
Why not.
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So, you are thinking of investing in Renewable Energy for your home?
It can be a little daunting, but we are here to help with affordable practical ideas.
Not everyone can have a 5kw pv system coupled with a wind turbine, air source heat pumps and evacuated hot water solar tubes. Not every renewable technology is suited for a particular home. Not everyone can afford to invest tens of thousands into renewables……
We get that. Our view is that renewables have to be affordable to your circumstances, practical, deliver a return for both the environment and your bank balance.
Ultimately we can all save money, while helping to protect the environment - SMART heating controls are an excellent example of a small investment that reduces your bills and energy consumption, ultimately helping the environment.
Why not check out 24/7 Cosy Home Cover™
Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors.
No doubt you would have seen Solar PV systems on many roofs across the UK. They turn the sun’s energy directly into electricity, however Solar Thermal panels harness the sun’s energy and use the solar radiation to heat water which is used in the home.
Every solar thermal system has a collector of which there are three main types to choose from - Flat Panelled Collectors, Plastic Collectors & Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors, each having their pro’s and cons.
Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors are expensive, but like many things in life - you get what you pay for and are the most efficient with a conversion efficiency of 90% +. This means that they can produce more heat that has a practical use in the home such as heating radiators and producing hot water at the tap via a thermal store.
We believe that Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors offer a the best overall return on investment, that is a practical reliable technology. We will not install plastic collectors unless there is a low heat requirement such as swimming pools or some types of underfloor heating.
A typical Evacuated Tube Solar Collector system installed on your property will typically produce about 1,250 – 2,500 kWh of useful heat energy, which equates to over 50% of an average UK home’s hot water requirements.
Save Money, the Environment with SMART Controls
Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP)
Air source heat pumps have had a lot of press coverage over the last few years and you may have seen the characteristic big box with the fan. ASHP convert heat energy from the outside air to provide heat and hot water for homes. They run on electricity, however they can be incredibly efficient, with some being over 300% or Coefficient of Performance of 3, which means that for every one unit of electricity used, they produce 3 units of useful heat.ie. 1kw of Electricity in and you get 3kw of hot water out.
If you compare that to a brand new Gas, LPG (or in the future hydrogen powered) boiler, some of which have an efficiency of 98% ie 1 unit of gas produces 0.98 units of useful heat, you may think on paper that an ASHP seems to be much better but is that really the case?
ASHP are popular and certainly have a part to play in lowering our emissions, especially with new build homes that have been designed to an airtight specification, however our opinion and experience is that ASHP should not be installed to an older building without significant upgrades to the buildings thermal efficiency.
If you don’t have access to mains gas and your home is well insulated, heat pumps are definitely a cheaper option long term than other forms of electrical heating. ASHP can provide low temperature heating and hot water, however your hot water will need to be topped up with an immersion once a week so the hot water exceeds 60c to eliminate the risk of Legionella.
