Information about renewable technology
With a vast range of different technologies available for heating your home, generating your own electricity and heat onsite below is an expanation on how some of these technologoes can be used and explain some of the myths and mysteries behind them.
Heating your home
The way homes are being heated is changing but this change will happen over many years. With the increase in energy costs and highlighted awareness of global warming, trends away for the common oil and gas boiler are being considered as alternative heating sources. Here are a few alternatives:
- Heat pump. (Both air to water and air to air)
- Biomass.
- Electric heating. (both central and distributed)
What is best for you depends on so many factors and don’t let any one tell you that one solution can work in all situations. Things to consider when changing your heating system include:
- Occupancy patterns.
- House construction.
- Outdoor space for equipment.
- Indoor space for equipment.
- Available electricity tariff.
- Mains gas availability. (it is still very competitivly priced if you dont want to switch to electric source)
Heating your hot water
The decision on how you heat your hot water can be driven by the decision you make when deciding on how you would like to heat your home. for example if you have an air to water heat pump you can use that to heat a hot water cylinder of water but if you choose an air to air heat pump then you will need to find another method to heat your water although there should be an air to air heat pump solution coming onto the market in the UK that will heat hot water in 2024 apparently. Also if you have electric heating your hot water will most likely be using an electric immersion element in your hot water cylinder.
Generating home electricity
For many years some people have been generating their own electricity in their house but the technology has now come down so much in price it is cost effective solution to reduce the electricity utility bill each month but it has some drawbacks and constraints you need to understand when considering the technology.