In a nutshell, ‘Green Energy’ utilises natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat to provide our daily energy requirement. They are considered ‘Green’ because they are environmentally friendly. It is easy to think that we may be travelling back in time when we think of items such as wind power and windmills. However, it is the result of eco-efficient and planet friendly options that this process is maintained.
The home can use a range of new ideas to help with energy usage - including Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating Collectors. Equally there is electricity that is generated through roof-installed panels. A further factor revolves around stoves and boilers - which are known as Biomass Energy. There is also the ground heat from the Sun - now known as 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 Energy Systems: This technology is based around two core types of system. Firstly, there are elements that absorb energy from the sun and create hot water - known as Solar Water Heating Collectors. Added to this is the generation of electricity from solar radiation - known as Photovoltaism, or more commonly Solar Electrical panels. To get the best results these panels need to be south facing at an angle of around 30 degrees from horizontal, and away from blockages.
For the UK, this is often considered the most popular form of ‘Green Energy’. Solar Water heating systems can meet the need for more than half of all hot water needs in the domestic market. Getting a professional fitting will cost around 2-5k, however, doing the job yourself could make it as low as 500 to 1500 pounds in total.
Biomass Energy Systems - Including all natural energy forms derived from plant and animal products - such as wood, straw, poultry litter and ‘energy crops’. It is extremely useful - in that it can produce a range of power sources, including heat and electricity. Indeed, within the European Markets, the UK has some of the leading levels of Biomass material at hand. Considering all this, and the relative lack of C02 produced, makes the whole process highly green overall. Because the system often involves one tree being planted as another is felled, many wood crops are deemed to be sustainable sources.
‘Energy Crops’ trees such as Willow and Poplar play a major part in the process - under the banner of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC). Perennial grasses also produce a high yield of dry matter. Within this process also sits the lesser known Agricultural and Municipal Wastes. Agricultural Waste is commonly formed as a by-product of traditional agricultural work. Another biomass source is that of municipal waste - and this comes from recycled wood or food.
Systems Using Geo-Thermal Energy - Used in the generation of both warm water and electricity, this energy mainly comes from the Sun and heats the Earth. By using the ground source temperature of approximately 12 degrees, we can either heat or cool buildings within the UK. Generally, items such as Heat Pumps are thought of as very effective, as they produce four units of energy for every one that is used for generation. A greater return of energy (sometimes almost 100 percent) is produced - because heat source pumps can operate in-line with wind turbines and solar electrical panels.
Systems Based On Wind Energy: When you consider the milling of grain and pumping of water, it is easy to see how long wind energy has been with us. Whether to your home or to a local grid, when the energy has been generated it must be delivered to a point of usage - and cannot be stored. To be fair, the UK has the highest level of wind generation within Europe. It is interesting to note that whilst we can produce 10 percent of our entire power requirement from wind power, at present we only produce 1 percent. Rather than electricity production running at 2-10 p per kWh, it could be run at 2p per kWh. Therefore, recovery of cost takes approximately 6-9 months overall.
Finally, we have Hydropower; an area in which the UK does well within Europe. The ability to utilise energy from moving water, much like wind power, has been going on for thousands of years. It is this type of energy production that could meet 2 percent of all the UK’s demand.
Using a turbine, a Hydropower system can transform the energy of water into other forms. No water reservoirs are required - as the turbines either run through a water drop-off system or the natural power of the river. 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’. Having said that, this process could still generate 200mW of the National Capacity. 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.
‘Green Energy’ is growing - mainly due to the demands of the Western World. To be fair, the UK domestic market is actually leading the resurgence, with a variety of schemes.
Electricians and Plumbers in particular are expected to provide the main thrust of domestic installation expertise. With ‘Green Energy’ rising up the political agenda in Europe, a range of financial aids and grants are becoming available. This is a new industry - but getting the right certification can only improve job security and opportunities for the future. Electrical or plumbing training that incorporates green technology could be very useful for the future.