Anyone can generate their own heating from clean, renewable sources.
Fortunately there are a range of alternative and climate-friendly ways to generate heat from renewable sources, rather than relying on fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil.
This section describes how you can generate electricity using Solar Thermal systems, Heat Pumps, and Biomass or wood-fuelled boilers. At the bottom of the page you'll also find details of how to apply for Government Grants towards the costs.
Solar thermal systems use energy from the sun to pre-heat water for your hot water or household heating needs. Like Solar PV systems they are straightforward to install.
There are two main types of solar thermal system - solar tubes and solar flat plates. They collect the sunlight in slightly different ways but in both cases it used to heat water which is them pumped through your water or heating system.
Solar thermal systems are one of the most efficient renewable energy technologies available - they can provide up to around half of your hot water needs, thus reducing your domestic carbon dioxide emissions by up to 30%.
Heat pumps are a great renewable way of providing your hot water and space heating needs whilst reducing your climate change impact. There are various types but all make use of heat naturally available in the surrounding environment.
The most common are ground source heat pumps, which make use of the fact that a few metres under the ground the temperature is a constant 12°C all year round. This energy can be converted for use as heat in your house, but you need a big enough area outside in which to lay the ground loop required to capture the heat.
Alternatively air source or water source heat pumps can be used to extract heat from the air or from a nearby moving source of water.
Heat pump systems require electricity to operate. However, they still lead to significantly lower carbon emissions than a normal boiler heating system even when this electricity is taken into account. If you switch to a renewable electricity provider then your impact on climate change is even less.
Install a biomass heating system
Biomass is a natural form of energy from wood sources (such as forest residues) and non-wood sources (such as animal waste). Using it for heating replaces the need to burn fossil fuels like gas and oil.
There are various biomass heating system options available. You can buy a standalone stove for heating a specific room space. You can also buy a biomass boiler to power your hot water and central heating systems. Alternatively you can buy stove which can supply hot water and be used for cooking too.
Burning biomass does release carbon dioxide into the environment, but this is equivalent to that which the biomass crops absorbed during their life. Biomass sources are sustainable, in that they are replaced with new crops once used, so as a result biomass is a carbon-neutral energy source and has much less climate change impact than burning fossil fuels.
Click herefor associated information relating to generating electricity from renewable sources.
Renewable Energy Installer List This spreadsheet contains a list of UK renewable equipment installers across the full range of renewable energy technologies.
Government Grants
The Government is keen to encourage the adoption of renewable energy systems in homes throughout the country. It has recently launched a new Low Carbon Buildings Programme which gives grants towards the cost of installation.
The programme will operate UK-wide and is due to run for 3 years, ending in March 2009. All of the technologies listed on this site are eligible under the programme.
Grant amounts differ for each technology, but generally grants of up to £5,000 are available for householders, subject to a an overall 50% of the overall installed cost. Click here to see the different grant levels available.
In order to qualify for a grant you need to meet the following criteria:
You have loft insulation which meets building regulations, if appropriate
You have cavity wall insulation installed (if you have cavity walls)
You are using energy-saving light bulbs in all appropriate light fittings
You have basic controlsfor your heating system (e.g. timer, thermostat)
Are you a supplier of renewable heating systems? If you'd like to appear on this site then please contact us: info@whatyoucando.co.uk
