Introduction To Renewable Energy

While we don't go into great detail, this section will provide a brief overview of renewable energy, including the pro's and cons.

Solar for power and heating water

Wind power

Wind turbines harness the power of the wind and use it to generate electricity. When the wind blows, the blades are forced round, driving a turbine that generates electricity. The stronger the wind, the more electricity produced.

There are two types of domestic-sized wind turbine:

Pole mounted – these are free standing and are erected in a suitably exposed position, with generation capacity around 6kW.

Building mounted – these are smaller than mast mounted systems and can be installed on the roof of a home where there is a suitable wind resource. Often these are around 2kW in size.

Pros

Clean energy: Wind turbines generate electricity without emissions 

Energy independence: Wind turbines can reduce your reliance on the grid 

Low maintenance: Wind turbines require minimal upkeep 

Efficient use of land: Wind turbines can take up less space than solar panels 

Can be combined with solar: Wind turbines can complement solar panels, which work best when it's sunny 

Cons

High initial cost: Wind turbines can cost between £10,000 and £30,000 to install 

Wind dependence: Wind turbines require consistent wind speeds to work 

Noise: Some wind turbines can produce noise levels up to 50 decibels 

Visual impact: Wind turbines can alter landscapes and face opposition 

Not suitable for every home: Wind turbines need lots of unobstructed space, which is usually only the case in rural homes 

Return on investment: The return on investment for wind turbines can be poor, especially for roof-mounted models 

Water - Wave / Hydro

Whether it’s from a small stream or a larger river, small or micro hydroelectricity systems, also called hydropower or hydro systems, can produce enough electricity for all electrical appliances and lighting in the average home.

Obviously you need to live close to a body of running water in order to consider this as a renewable option and the adoption of water based renewable projects within the UK is relatively tiny.   There are some community based projects around the UK,  and the commercial hydro plants being mostly located in Scotland and Wales.

Geothermal energy

Geothermal Energy is all energy stored in the form of heat beneath the surface of the solid earth. It is a reliable and constant source of low-carbon, renewable heat that is not dependent on weather conditions. It is available across the UK at depths from a few metres to several kilometres from where it can be extracted using different technologies including ground source heat pumps.

How Geothermal Heat Pumps Work in Your Home

Geothermal systems are made up of two main parts: the geothermal heat pump unit that goes inside the home, and a series of underground pipes, or “ground loops” that are installed in the ground below the frost line. Heat pumps don’t generate heat, but they transfer it from one place to another.

Would you believe that you already have a type of heat pump in your home? Refrigerators work in a similar way; they pump the warm air out, where it comes in contact with a closed loop of freezing cold coils, and then returns the cold air to the refrigerator. That’s why you can feel warm air coming from behind your appliance!

Geothermal heat pumps work in a very similar way. A type of antifreeze is pumped through the ground loops, and transfer heat. If the antifreeze is warm when entering the ground, it is cooled to the ground temperature and returns to the house. During the cold winter months, geothermal systems are able to absorb the heat that is stored beneath the ground. When the solution enters the ground cold, the same process works in reverse, steadily warming it up to the ground’s temperature of 50 to 60 degrees. From there, it is piped into the unit in your home to another set of coils. Then, air runs across the device’s hot or cold coils and is pumped through the home’s ductwork. Voila!

Geothermal energy has great advantages over other energy sources, including:

• It’s clean. Because there are no fossil fuels being burned to create energy, geothermal systems release minimal carbon dioxide and less harmful gases.

• It’s renewable. Scientists estimate that just one percent of all the earth’s geothermal energy is 500 times greater than all of the oil and gas resources on the planet.

• It’s domestic. Each country has its own domestic supply, meaning less dependence on foreign oil sources.

• It’s reliable. The Earth’s core has been generating heat for hundreds of millions of years, meaning geothermal energy is a constant, reliable source.

Geothermal heat pumps can be an excellent home heating and cooling option for your family. For homeowners in the Metro East Illinois area, let Ernst Heating and Cooling answer any lingering questions you have about geothermal systems!

The main disadvantage of geothermal heat are the potential depth required for initial setup and the cost is more expensive than air-source heat pumps.

Biomass

Biomass can include wood, plant materials and even animal dung, used to fuel fires for warmth and cooking. However, by compressing organic matter like wood, forest residues and sawdust into energy-dense pellets, biomass can be used for heating or renewable bioenergy generation at a much greater scale.

A domestic biomass boiler works by burning a renewable fuel like wood pellets, chips, or logs in a combustion chamber, generating heat that is then transferred to water through a heat exchanger, which circulates through the home's heating system to provide hot water for radiators and taps; the process is typically controlled by thermostats that adjust fuel feed and fan speed based on heating needs, with the burnt fuel's ash needing to be periodically removed. 

Key points about biomass boilers:

Fuel source:
Biomass boilers primarily use wood-based fuels like pellets, chips, or logs, which are considered renewable because they can be replenished through tree growth. 

Combustion process:
The fuel is ignited in a combustion chamber, where it burns at a high temperature, releasing hot gases. 

Heat exchanger:
The hot gases produced pass through a heat exchanger, transferring their heat to water circulating through the system. 

Water circulation:
The heated water is then pumped around the home through pipes to radiators and taps, providing heat. 

Automatic feeding:
Many modern biomass boilers have automated fuel feeding mechanisms that continuously supply fuel to the combustion chamber. 

Ash removal:
As the fuel burns, ash is produced which needs to be regularly removed from the boiler.