It is the use of tides or wind to deliver our daily energy needs that form ‘Green Energy’. They are thought to be ‘Green’ due to the fact that they are easily restored and natural. Often, by going back in time, we can see the value of wind power and windmills as modern energy sources. Regardless of this, we are mainly talking about using modern techniques to offer planet friendly and eco-efficient solutions.
The home environment, for example, encompasses a range of energy ideas – including Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating solutions. For electricity created through roof-installed panels, you would need Photovoltaic Panels or PV’s. Then there are Stoves that burn Bio-Pellets – which make up the subject commonly known as Biomass Energy. Then there are the Ground Source Heat Pumps, which is simply the ground heat created by the Sun. Finally, we have two of the most traditional forms of energy generation that have gone through some resurgence over the last few years; these being Wind Power, Wind Turbines and Hydropower (including Water Wheels.)
Thermal Solar Energy – Also known as Solar Energy, this mainly uses two, albeit different types of solar panels to get the desired results. Making hot water from solar energy is the first stage – and is known as Solar Water Heating Collection. Solar Electrical panels or Photovoltaic heat collectors transfer solar radiation into electricity. Across the board, Solar Panels should be mounted on a south facing roof, at an angle of 30 degrees away from horizontal – and to some extent away from blocking trees, surrounding buildings and chimneys.
For the UK, this is often considered the most popular form of ‘Green Energy’. These systems are very efficient – and can deliver 50 percent of a household’s hot water requirement annually. There are two options to fit these items. The first is to get a professional fit and the second is a DIY system, the first will cost around 2-5k and the second between 500 and 1500 pounds.
Biomass Energy Based Systems: This is a general term for all forms of plant and animal material e.g. wood, straw, poultry litter and ‘energy crops’. Due to its adaptability, it can produce a range of energy forms – from heat and electricity through to combinations of both. Indeed, within the European Markets, the UK has some of the leading levels of Biomass material at hand. It should be borne in mind that the whole process is designed to produce energy without an impact on CO2. Having a tree planted in place of another (that is felled for energy production) helps overall.
By the growth of Short Rotation Crops (SRC), the UK is able to maximise the ‘Energy Crops’ return overall. Of equal importance is the production of perennial grasses – because of their yield of dry matter. Equally significant within this practice sit Municipal and Agricultural waste products. Agricultural Waste is commonly formed as a by-product of traditional agricultural work. Because it comes from food or wood, Municipal Waste is also considered a useful biomass product.
Geo-Thermal Energy Technology: By naturally heating the Earth, the Sun has the potential to generate both warm water and electricity. By using the ground source temperature of approximately 12 degrees, we can either heat or cool buildings within the UK. With four units replaced for every one unit of energy used, these heat pumps are very effective. This system can go even further – if energy efficient items such as wind turbines or solar electrical panels are used.
Wind Energy Systems: As an energy source, wind energy has to be one of the oldest forms of energy creation in history. 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. The financial recovery process takes around 6-9 months.
Within the UK, Hydropower suits the energy generation model. The ability to utilise energy from moving water, much like wind power, has been going on for thousands of years. That said, this type of energy can generate around 2 percent of the total electrical demand for the UK.
Using a turbine, a Hydropower system can transform the energy of water into other forms. It is by either water ‘drop-offs’, or Natural River runs, that turbines can work through this process. ‘Micro-Hydro’ utilises a chunk of the outdated sluices and dam systems that have been killed off by the large national distribution methods. Whilst considered a smaller form of electrical output, this system is thought to be able to give some 200mW of capacity to the UK. The capital cost of installing a micro-hydro system can run between 200 and 3000 pounds per kW of energy output.
Because of the energy need of the Western World, we are now seeing a rapid rise in ‘Green Energy’. The UK domestic market appears to be one of the core beneficiaries of this technology.
Once again, it is the Electrician and Plumbing trades that are set to capitalise on the domestic installation process. Grants and financial aid is also set to increase within the EEC and the UK – as ‘Green Energy’ gets ever higher status. Getting the right qualifications can often provide job security in a new field such as this. To that end, it may be worth thinking about combined training. You can then get plumbing or electrical training along with green knowledge.
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