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your questions answered
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Here are the answers to the questions we get asked the most:
What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy comes from an energy source which does not diminish over time. For example, Solar and Wind power are forms of renewable energy.
What kinds of renewable energy are there?
There are five main types of renewable energy – Solar Power, Wind Power, hydropower, Biomass and Geothermal Energy, although this is not an exhaustive list.
Which forms of renewable energy could I make use of in my home?
It is possible to install Solar Power or Wind Power systems in your home, to use Biomass Fuel and to use Geothermal Energy.
Is it expensive to use renewable forms of energy in the home?
It need not be expensive to use renewable energy and there are many incentives available to help recover the costs. And remember that you will be saving money on your energy bills.
What is sustainable energy?
Sustainable Energy can be used to mean renewable energy but is also about using energy wisely and not wastefully.
What are the main advantages of renewable energy?
Renewable energy will not run out, has much less of an environmental impact than fossil fuels and the fuels themselves are often free! There are effective alternatives to fossil fuels that can meet your energy requirements and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They will either never run out - like wind, the sun and flowing water - or are continually replaceable - like waste products and crops. These can help reduce our dependence on non-renewable sources like fossil fuels.
What is Solar PV?
Solar PV (photovoltaic) uses energy from the sun to create electricity to run appliances and lighting. PV systems produce no greenhouse gases and each kWp can save approximately 455kg of carbon dioxide emissions per year, adding up to about 11 tonnes over a system's lifetime.
What is the Solar PV Feed in Tariff?
Feed in Tariffs are payments made by the energy companies for all units of electricity generated by a Solar PV system. An additional payment is also available for any surplus electricity fed back to the grid.
What is Solar Water Heating?
Solar water heating systems use heat from the sun to work alongside your conventional water heater. Solar water heating can provide you with about a third of your hot water needs. The average domestic system reduces carbon dioxide by around 350kg per year, depending on the fuel replaced. If you are considering installing a renewable energy technology in your home, you may be eligible for a grant.
What is a condensing boiler?
It's estimated that the average efficiency of boilers in UK homes is about 60%. This means they waste up to 40% of the heat they generate in the form of hot flue gases. Using more of this escaping heat to warm your water, rather than the outside, would reduce the amount of gas you need to burn to keep your central heating piping hot.
Using less gas will obviously save you money on your gas bill. The table below illustrates how much a modern condensing boiler could cut your gas bills, suggesting savings of between £160 and £360 per year depending on the size of your house.
What is a programmable room thermostat?
A programmable room thermostat lets you choose what times you want the heating to be on and what temperature it should reach while it is on. It will allow you to select different temperatures in your home at different times of the day and days of the week. This means you can save money and energy by not heating your home unnecessarily.
What is a thermostatic radiator valve (TRV)?
TRVs sense the air temperature around them and switch the radiator off and on accordingly. They help improve comfort in your home by allowing you to set different temperatures in different rooms. This also helps to save money and energy.
What is biomass?
Often called 'bioenergy' or 'biofuels', Biomass is produced from organic materials, either directly from plants or indirectly from industrial, commercial, domestic or agricultural products. It falls into two categories, woody and non-woody biomass. Biomass is a carbon neutral process that can also contribute to waste management.
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