Generate your own energy

Sep 25 2008 by Christopher Ellis, The Journal

RENEWABLE energy is the cleaner, cheaper way to power your home. It doesn’t use fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, but uses natural sources such as the wind, sun and flowing water.

You can even sell unused electricity back to the energy companies.

Grants are available for those who want to go green but cannot afford the set-up costs alone. In some cases, grants will cover up to 50 per cent of installation costs.

The best type of green energy for you and the savings made will depend on your circumstances. For example, homes at the tops of hills will benefit more from wind power than those sheltered by other buildings and hydro-electricity needs a nearby source of water to use.

A rundown of renewable energy

Air-source heat pumps

Metal coils attached to the wall absorb heat from the air outside to heat the house. Air-to-air systems create hot air, which is pumped through the building. Air-to-water systems heat water passed into the building through radiators.

Air-source heat pumps could save up to £185 per year for a gas-heated home and as much as £760 a year for an electrically heated home.

A system usually costs between £7,000 and £10,000 to install.

Biomass

Known as ‘biofuel’ or ‘bioenergy,’ biomass heaters burn natural material such as wood, food and animal waste, which produces heat.

Most commonly, biomass heaters use wood chips, logs or pellets.

The carbon dioxide produced by burning biomass is much less than by burning fossil fuels.

A wood-pellet boiler could save you £750 a year in energy bills for an electrically heated home.

Biomass can also be used in a stand-alone stove heating one room. Stoves cost around £2,000-£4000 to install with boilers costing £5,000-£14,000.

Ground-source heat pumps

An underground loop of coiled pipe takes heat from the ground and into your house. This works in a similar way to an air-source heat pump. A ground-source heat pump could save £250 a year for houses heated by gas and up to £880 for those heated by electricity. Systems cost between £6,000 and £12,000.

Hydro-electricity

The energy from flowing water (its kinetic energy) turns a turbine to produce electricity. The greater the height from which the water falls, the more electricity is produced.

Any excess electricity generated can be sold to energy companies if the hydro-system is connected to the national grid. Installation costs around £4,000 for a smaller hydro-system if a source (such as a pond or reservoir) already exists. However, costs vary a lot depending on the individual site.

Solar power

Energy from the sun is used to produce electricity and hot water to your home. Solar PV (photovoltaic) panels use sunlight to generate electricity. On brighter days more electricity is produced. Heating water needs different kinds of solar panels to absorb the sun’s heat.

Solar PV could save up to £230 a year on your electricity bills. Panels cost between £5,000 and £7,000.

Solar heating panels cost £3,000-£5000 to install. Savings could be up to £50 a year for gas-heated homes or as much as £80 for those with electric heating.

Wind Power

The wind’s power is harnessed by turbines, which turn a rotor to generate electricity. Turbines can be installed on rooftops or on masts. The speed and direction of the wind affects how much power is produced.

Savings depend on local factors such as the height of the turbine, wind speed and any nearby buildings or other obstructions. Like hydro-electricity, any excess power can be sold to energy companies.

Rooftop installations cost from £1,500, with larger systems costing between £11,000 and £19,000.