… And How Can a Renewable Energy System in my Home Help Save Money and the Planet?
We’ve all heard how burning fossil fuels is bad for the environment. But did you know that the carbon dioxide from our home gas boilers is a major cause of climate change?
Big industries aren’t the only ones responsible for changing how they use energy. We should all find ways to live more sustainably.
Using renewable energy at home is good for the planet and can also save you money in the long run.
But what is Renewable Energy exactly?
Renewable Energy’ consists of three main factors –
- It comes from naturally occurring sources.
- It will never run out
- It can be used to generate power, heat, or to run vehicles.
How does using renewable energy help the environment?
In 2019, UK parliament set new legislation called the UK Net Zero target. This requires that the country ends its contribution to global warming and climate change by 2050. This is one of the most ambitious targets in the world.
The UK’s climate advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change, have proposed planting trees and utilizing carbon capture or energy storage technology as important ways to redress the climate imbalance.
Other proposed measures include a ban on the production of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. And after 2025, builders will no longer fit gas boilers in new homes. Heat pumps will be installed instead.
With new environmentally friendly laws soon to be affecting our daily lives…is now a good time to make your home more sustainable?
Types of Renewable Energy available
To achieve Net Zero, we can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from burning gas and coal for electricity generation. We can do this by switching to renewable energy systems in our homes. In the UK, the current main sources of renewable power come from solar, wind, hydro and bioenergy.
But you don’t need to rely solely on large wind and solar farms for low carbon energy. Did you know you can also generate renewable energy at home?
Solar Energy
In the UK, numerous homes have solar panels on their roofs. These panels utilize sunlight; a cost-free and plentiful source of renewable energy. Solar energy, also known as photovoltaics (PV), is generated by capturing the sun’s energy. The energy is then converted into electricity or used to heat water.
You can mount solar panels on a roof, fix them to a frame on a flat roof, or hang them from a wall.
Even though direct sunlight is not necessary, it is recommended that panels face towards the south and avoid any shading. You will also need about 5 square meters for the panels and a space for a bigger hot water cylinder.
Solar energy levels can change throughout the year, so panels are often used with battery storage units and other heating systems. These store excess energy generated in peak sunlight hours. This can then be used at times when electricity is most consumed, like during winter evenings when people use heating and cooking simultaneously.
Installation can be costly, but you might qualify for FREE solar panels under the government’s ECO4 Scheme. Check if you’re eligible here. After installation, your electricity costs will decrease significantly. You may also save 1 tonne of carbon annually, contributing to the UK’s net zero goal.
Wind Power
Wind farms are a common sight across the UK countryside. This renewable energy source is created by using the wind to turn giant turbines to generate electricity. The windier the day, the more energy it produces.
If you live in a town or city, this energy is probably not suitable for your home. However, if you live in the countryside, this could be the perfect renewable energy option for you.
And like sunlight – the wind is free! So, once you have invested in installing your domestic wind turbine, you will save money on future electricity bills. You will also reduce carbon emissions; saving nearly 2 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the air annually.
Biomass Heating
This popular type of renewable energy comes from burning plants, wood, waste, or sewage. Burning wood pellets, chips, or logs in large stoves and boilers generates domestic power to heat homes and hot water.
To have a home biomass system, you usually require a substantial space. This is because the boiler used in biomass systems is larger than gas and oil boilers. You will also need a flue that meets regulations for wood-burning appliances and enough space to store fuel. Biomass systems are best for bigger homes or those in rural areas due to these reasons.
As this energy is produced by burning solid materials it will still release some carbon dioxide. But not as much as burning fossil fuels.
As long as we regrow any plants we use for fuel, this can be considered a renewable and sustainable energy.
Heat Pumps – Air-source and Ground-source
These work by capturing heat from the air or ground outside and then moving it into the property.
Although heat pumps need electricity to work – they will generate more energy than they use and are good for home heating and supplying low-temperature heat like underfloor heating. However, they aren’t as efficient at heating water.
Ground source heat pumps use pipes that are buried in the garden and extract heat from the ground. It is necessary to dig a trench where these will be installed, so it’s recommended that householders have a reasonable garden size. These also work better with underfloor or warm air heating systems rather than radiators as lower water temperatures are needed.
Other Options
Here are some other ways of creating renewable energy – although popular in other parts of the world, these tend to be less suitable for generating electricity in the UK.
- Hydro Power is created by the movement of flowing or falling water turning a turbine and generating electricity. Although this is the third largest source of electricity globally – it only generates about 2% of the UK’s overall electricity.
- Geothermal Energy is made from materials found near the surface of the earth. In Iceland 90% of homes are heated by water that has been naturally heated by geothermal springs.
- Tidal Power uses sea tide movement to turn turbines and generate electricity. There are very few tidal power stations around the world due to the huge upfront costs to build them, the risks of changing the natural habitats they are installed in and complicated maintenance issues.
How do I choose which renewable heating system will be right for me and my home?
As you can see, there are several renewable energy solutions available for your household. At the beginning, this can feel very overwhelming – so here are a few tips and questions you may want to consider that could help you to narrow down your search.
- Learn as much as you can about the options available. Some of the above information will help.
- Consider the space of your household inside and out. Solar thermal, heat pump and biomass will need larger spaces.
- Which way does your roof face? For solar panels and solar thermal systems to work efficiently, a south-facing roof is recommended.
- If you’re considering hydropower, you’ll need a running stream or river nearby.
- Are the options you’re considering useful for all your energy needs? Do you want to generate electricity or heat – or both?
- Is this a new-build property? Or are you replacing an old system?
- What is your main priority for shifting to renewable energy? Is it to make your home more sustainable…or to save money?
- Do you want a single system that supplies both power and heat or multiple systems that work together? For example, if your property is rural or isolated and has no mains electricity, you could consider using hydro or a mix of wind and solar panels.
- Could prepping your home with better insulation make it even more energy-efficient? Doing this before you install your new system will ensure you keep more heat in your home – without losing it through the roof, windows, doors or walls.
So, now you think you’ve decided…what next?
- Did you know that you may be able to have your new renewable heating system installed for FREE? Click the link to see if you qualify for government funding from the ECO4 Scheme. The funding is available for solar panels, heat pumps, and insulation.
- Installers will visit your home to estimate the energy performance of recommended technologies.
- All our installers are certified by the Microgeneration Certificate Scheme. This ensures that only accredited products are installed and that you have full protection if things go wrong.
- Other possible questions to ask – what output can you expect from the system and over what period? Exactly which parts of the system are covered? Your installers should be able to answer this for you.