heat pumps

[Paul30]

I've installed Solar thermal, Ground source heat pumps and turbines ( not the silly one's that perch on a roof, they are as much use as a chocolate teapot). And all can work very well. One friend now runs his entire 1000 square meter home, Farm and out buildings with all his power coming from two 6kW turbines, his 32kW heat pump for space heating and solar providing half his hot water. He actually produces more power than he uses, so sells whats left back to the grid for 11p per unit.

What I'm getting at is that this technology is great when used properly and in the right type of property.

Paul

 

[^woody^]

By all accounts heat pumps may be worthwhile, but solar and wind are very dubious.

IIRC, a recent (Government?) report has cast doubts on the typical wind turbines used for domestic properties and the actual amount of wind commonly available at 5-10m in most parts of the UK.

The cost of manufacture and installation is too much at the moment, so unless you can make/acquire the parts and install yourself, then there are some unfeasible payback times.

Solar seems a waste of time as when you need the heat (in winter) the sun is not out!

The most efficient thing to to is have new properties designed to take account inherent lighting, heating and cooling features, or to insulate older properties to reduce energy consumption.

 

[Paul30]

By all accounts heat pumps may be worthwhile, but solar and wind are very dubious.

IIRC, a recent (Government?) report has cast doubts on the typical wind turbines used for domestic properties and the actual amount of wind commonly available at 5-10m in most parts of the UK.

The cost of manufacture and installation is too much at the moment, so unless you can make/acquire the parts and install yourself, then there are some unfeasible payback times.

Solar seems a waste of time as when you need the heat (in winter) the sun is not out!

The most efficient thing to to is have new properties designed to take account inherent lighting, heating and cooling features, or to insulate older properties to reduce energy consumption.

A wind turbine of say 6kw on an 18m mast, located property generates double the amount of electricity your average home uses in a year. The excess power is sold back to the grid for 11.3p per Kw ( with N-power ) and on top of that every unit produced can claim 4.5p with the ROC's (renewable obligation certificates). A turbine like this can be fully installed for about £15k and has a pay back of around 7 years, potentially less if energy prices continue to rise.

Roof mounted turbines really don't work whatsoever by the way!

A solar thermal (hot water) system can produce realistically about 60% maybe a tad more, of a households DHW requirement. It's possible to get good gains in all but November, December and January with evacuated tube type collectors. If you need a new twin coil cylinder along with a Viessmann collector, control system and install can be had for about £4.5k so pay back isn't so long.

Paul

 

[^woody^]

Whats this doing here?

I replied to a post in the Trade talk forum, and where are the other posts?

 

[Kes]

A solar thermal (hot water) system can produce realistically about 60% maybe a tad more, of a households DHW requirement. It's possible to get good gains in all but November, December and January with evacuated tube type collectors. If you need a new twin coil cylinder along with a Viessmann collector, control system and install can be had for about £4.5k so pay back isn't so long.

It depends what you mean by long.

I reckon we use at most about 5 units a day on domestic hot water. If we paid 15p a unit (we actually pay 7.15p until 2010) then the cost is £270 a year. If solar heating provides 60% of that then we save £160 a year. Payback time on a £4.5k system is in excess of 28 years.

If you add the loss of interest on that £4.5k, say 3.5%, then the saving is £2.50 a year, with a payback time of 1,800 years.

I like the idea of solar power, I want a whole array of photovoltaic cells, but I realise that it's a philanthropic exercise.

Rgds.

PS the proposed Severn barrage, at absolutely enormous cost, destruction and disruption, will provide around 0.75% of the UK's energy needs. Yes, the dot's in the correct place. Bah blooming humbug.

 

[Bylough]

Just seen a program on television about a guy in wales- where the wind blows well.
He had a lot of hassle getting his fan-on-a stick installed. He claims the cost was £2500, if I've got that right, and with government help worked out at £1700 to himself.
Repay would take 17years he says as the saving is £1000pa, and also the income from reselling to the grid is only 4p an unit in total.
It's a 6kw generator, and doesn't look good to me- my opinion!
I would also query what the maintenance costs are going to be- what if it starts squeeeking in the night!
I've got a 50 foot high leylandii tree, and I'm wondering- if I bought a couple of B&Q generators kits and stuck them up there- paint them green for merging in. Would they work? Certainly be cheaper.

 

[JohnD]

...A wind turbine of say 6kw on an 18m mast, located property generates double the amount of electricity your average home uses in a year...

yeah, I can just picture an 18m mast beside the average UK home

 

[Bylough]

Guess the figures on my post are £25k and £17k- silly me

I read of all the options for generating power, and I think there needs to be more information for domestic installations and costs, worked out so that we understand correctly whats what.

But we should have blogs about ideas- sort of like the kettle that takes less water and power to boil- looks good!

 

[Paul30]

...A wind turbine of say 6kw on an 18m mast, located property generates double the amount of electricity your average home uses in a year...

yeah, I can just picture an 18m mast beside the average UK home

Did I say that??? No I didn't!

I stated a properly 6kW located will generate double the amount used by an average home. Properly located means your going to need to have a fairly rural detached property, without a great deal of clutter to achieve plenty of clean air.

 

[Paul30]

Guess the figures on my post are £25k and £17k- silly me

I read of all the options for generating power, and I think there needs to be more information for domestic installations and costs, worked out so that we understand correctly whats what.

But we should have blogs about ideas- sort of like the kettle that takes less water and power to boil- looks good!

If you visit the Fortis wind energy website you will see you can work out costs and pay back periods for there range of turbines.

 

[stevewilliams]

I installed a DIY solar hot water system (my local council combined with a commercial solar hot water specialist - ran workshops and basic plumbing training plus all the components) for around £1500.

The payback time is reducing as energy prices increase (I'm out in the country and my oil costs have gone up around 200% in the last 4 years.) Electricity and gas prices will certainly follow this trend.