It is the use of tides or wind to deliver our daily energy needs that form ‘Green Energy’. Collectively they are thought to be ‘Green’ because they are ecologically sound and easy to replace. The older energy skill sets have had value for years, especially when we think of wind power and windmills. Generally, this is the result of using up to date ideas, specifically those that are planet friendly and eco-efficient.
In the home environment, one can see examples such as Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating Collectors. It is equipment such as Photovoltaic Panels (PV’s) that develop electricity through suitable roof-panels. Equally important is that of Biomass Energy – which includes Stoves, Fuel, Pellets and Boilers burning Wood. Of course, then there is the heating from the Sun – often just called Ground Source Heat Pumps. Not all ‘Green Energy’ is new – by considering Wind Power and Hydropower we are looking at some of the oldest forms of energy production.
Thermal Solar Energy Systems: Typically referred to as Solar Energy this is mainly made up of two types of Solar Panels – each using different methods to achieve similar results. Initially, there is the process of obtaining hot water from the Sun via Solar Water Heating Collectors. Then we have the work of the Photovoltaic Heat Collectors, often called Solar Electrical Panels – which transform solar radiation into electricity. Solar Panels themselves need to be away from all light blocks, and should be on south facing roofs at angles of 30 degrees from the horizontal plane.
With Solar Power being so common within the UK, it’s Solar Water Power that is most often used. These systems are very efficient – and can deliver 50 percent of a household’s hot water requirement annually. 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 and ‘Energy Crops’ – In the modern world this now includes genetically engineered ‘Energy Crops’ – but it also takes in natural plant and animal substances. Considering its ability to produce energy in the form of heat and electricity, this type of energy is extremely flexible. It is interesting to note that the UK has some of the largest quantities of Biomass material to generate electricity within Europe. The lack of C02 given out by this form of energy is another positive element in the whole process. To that end, many wood crops come from sustainable sources (as one tree is felled, another is planted in its place; thus the new tree absorbs the CO2 produced during the heating process.)
To meet the need, fast growing trees, known as Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) are utilised. Of equal importance is the production of perennial grasses – because of their yield of dry matter. Whilst Agricultural and Municipal waste may be lesser known, they are essential to the whole process. To begin with, Agricultural Waste is often produced as part of the agricultural process overall. Because it comes from food or wood, Municipal Waste is also considered a useful biomass product.
Geo-Thermal Energy Systems… 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. Although heat pumps require energy to function, their rate of return is superb – being a four-fold benefit over the energy put in. A greate return of energy (sometimes almost 100 percent) is produced – because heat source pumps can operate in-line with wind turbines and solar electrical panels.
Wind Energy – An Update On Old Technology: 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. The UK is considered as one of the best sources of wind generation within Europe. For the fact remains that, within the UK, we have the ability to generate 10 percent of our requirement from Wind Production – as opposed to the current value of only 1 percent. Electricity can be produced from as little as 2p per kWh, but generally comes in somewhere between 2-10p per kWh. The financial recovery process takes around 6-9 months.
Hydropower is a method that suits the UK energy production system. The field of using moving water to release energy is a very old technique – albeit we now do this in new ways. That said, this type of energy can generate around 2 percent of the total electrical demand for the UK.
A hydropower system transforms the kinetic energy of the moving water into another type of energy by means of a turbine. It is by either water ‘drop-offs’, or Natural River runs, that turbines can work through this process. ‘Micro-Hydro’ however, uses the dam and sluice systems that have been made redundant by the larger national distributions. This smaller form of electrical output has been recently reviewed and could allocate some 200MW of capacity to the UK system. A micro-hydro system like this would be expected to cost between 200 and 3,000 pounds per kW of the energy.
The demand on ‘Green Energy’ continues to develop – in light of the energy demands worldwide. The UK remains one of the main beneficiaries of this technology.
With the rise in demand for domestic installations, both Electricians and Plumbers are well placed to take advantage of this technology. It is the political view of this type of energy generation that results in grants and financial aid becoming ever-more prevalent. Getting the right qualifications can often provide job security in a new field such as this. Electrical or plumbing training that incorporates green technology could be very useful for the future.
Written by Scott Edwards. Hop over to Click HERE or Electrical Training Courses.
I found the information on this site handy.
I just put in a wind turbine just for my lodge in the Caribbean My partner and i picked up from a corporation named Green Systems International. They’re based mostly within Panama And Nicaragua , and also provide and service environmentally friendly electricity devices for the Carribbean along with South and central america.