Installing some of the newer 'sustainable energy' technologies - any advice?

Hi there,
We are moving into a newly built house soon which already has oil central heating installed, an electric immersion, and "normal" ESB electricity.

We've been thinking about the idea of installing some of the newer "sustainable energy" technologies - wood pellet boiler, solar panels, wind turbines, etc.

I know very little about this area and the information available seems very confusing.

Can anyone give me the low-down on these? Pros / Cons / approximate cost etc.

Is anyone else using any of these technologies?

Thanks,
Tazaro

Re: Sustainable energy? Help?

Hi Tazaro, there are many threads on these topics already. Have you used the search facility to search this forum? I remember quite a bit of discussion relating to wood pellet boilers, try this search. From memory I don't recall much in the way of direct feedback from anyone actually using solar. The site might also contain something of use.
Leo

Re: Sustainable energy? Help?

Thanks Leo.

I did do some internet searches and looked on the SEI website, though I was finding it all very technical & confusing. I really just wanted someone to explain it in simple english!

Is it the case that with the wood pellet boiler, you need electricity to pump the heated water round the heating system and in the event of a power cut, it would overheat unless you shut it down? So in the event you were out at the time....?

Tazaro

Re: Sustainable energy?

The search link I gave was to previous posts here on AAM, you may get some information there.

I don't have one, but I'd presume a power cut should not cause problems for any boiler built to current standards.
Leo

Re: Sustainable energy?

Tazaro; I'm in a similar situation; but I haven't yet built my house.
So, I'm on the lookout for solutions. I will definitely be putting in solar panels.
Wood chip? I won't be doing it. I was told the price of wood-chip has increased by 40% in last year (a plumber friend informed me).
I'm looking at the geo-thermal option.

Re: Sustainable energy?

we are in the same position - house already built. Was loking at geothermal but was advised that it is effectively a waste of time. the heat output wouldn't be enought to heat the house through existing rads and there is no point in ripping floors at this stage! We were advsed to use wood pellets. not sure about cost yet though - waiting on a guy to call me back - typical story!

Re: Sustainable energy? Help?

Tazaro said:

Is it the case that with the wood pellet boiler, you need electricity to pump the heated water round the heating system and in the event of a power cut, it would overheat unless you shut it down? So in the event you were out at the time....?

Click to expand...

A wood pellet burner/boiler works in exactly the same way as an oil boiler, an electric fan is used to provide oxygen for combustion and an electric pump is used to circulate the hot water to the rads. No electricity means no heating - that goes for oil, pellets, gas.

If you have the money and the opportunity to put in a wood pellet heating system now instead of an oil burner it’s a “no brainer”. Maybe not next winter but coming to a winter near you soon people burning oil/gas will be turning down their thermostats and fretting about the heating much the same way people did 20 years ago about the immersion because of the cost.

Solar panels for hot water are also a good thing. Look at the number of companies in the UK supplying them (where the grant has been in force for years). It isn’t a big con, it works, bite the bullet. Some people spend 3,000 on a timber floor or a sofa but wouldn’t spend the same to invest in something that is going to give a pay back.

The wind turbines are more debatable owing to their cost and site requirements, but imagine the satisfaction of having your lights on, heating working and TV on next time there is an outage like I remember a couple of years ago in my area and affect some people all the time. One of the main reasons people save money when they get the turbine is that their whole attitude to electricity changes and they invest in the AA machines, light bulbs and other electricity saving tricks but of course this is something we all can do without the turbines.

i know a fella who got Italian vacuum tube solar panels in and he swears by them...and he got an austrian wood pellet boiler in and finds it works grand..once the thermostatic levels are right... i'll try to find out the company names and get

In simple English: reduce your energy demand as far as possible.Insulate. Then you can go for the smaller/cheaper type of any heat energy delivering system. This saves money. And the environment.

We went to a demo on alternative heating systems. The wood pellet heating system requires a boiler and a hopper (the size of a grain feeder), the minimum delivery of wood pellets is 3 tons and they have to be stored in a waterproof container (otherwise they revert to sawdust). The size of the container was 6ft x 6ft and the cost was €2500. Our conclusion was that a double garage would be required with a side entrance to house all the necessary items. Solar panels did not fare much better. The guide is one panel per person in the house. If you do not have a south facing roof, double the amount of panels. It only provides 10% of water heating in the winter with the south facing option. The solar panels are very large! The hot water tank is also large, the one on display was at least 6ft and would not fit in your average hot press. The cost savings are impressive but the logistics seem to be a nightmare.

That doesn't sound very encouraging. .. .i would be interested in the solar panel myself. How can they be proposing a hot water tank to householders if it doesn't fit in the average hot press - sounds crazy.

The average Irish house build to Irish standards is not suitable to be heated with alternative energy. Full stop.
But the domestic warm water demand can be very well covered with solar power. Why using panels instead of evacuated tubes,Summer? A 6'' tank does fit into a hot press.Meassure it out. And no one says that a storage tank has to be fitted into a hot press. It could be fitted anywhere into the house, even under the roof.That would free the space taken up by the hot press and increase the value of your home according to the gained space, by 1-2 %. This pays for the entire installment of the solar power system, provided you aren't ripped off by the salesmen overcharging you. Never sign a sale agreement or a contract on a fair.
Relying on one company for advice on their product doesn't represent the real market situation.Would you buy your next car based on the information of ONE salesman?

heinbloed said:

Why using panels instead of evacuated tubes,Summer?

Click to expand...

Are you suggesting that efficiency of tubes is sufficiently greater than panels to warrant the extra cost? Is that based on opinion or some studies or payback calculations?

It is based on scientific research and economical experience.
In China solar heating systems are now standard for those who can afford a bathroom, the evacuated tube system is THE most commonly used method to gain thermal solar energy. So it is in Turkey as well. You get more out of it for less investment.
For a good European quality standard try www.amk-solac.com
or similar products.AMK has a new type of collector developed which includes a small photovoltaic cell and a small pump.The stronger the sun shines the faster it pumps. Making most previous controll gear installment work obsolete. Just connect the pipes. Like an alp-horn, efficient and made in Switzerland(smiley).I heard something of 20 years guarantee, no roof manufacturer would give you that.

Hi Heinbloed,

I am open to any form of alternative energy source when it represents good value. Do you know the cost of these tubes to buy and install (including the cost of the tank - regardless of where it is placed
Also what size are they please?

We were quoted €8,000 for the solar panels, which would only supply 10% of our water costs in the winter.

Thanks
Summer

Sorry, I thought the amk link had an English direct link. Here, try this one http://www.amk-solac.com/downloads.php
From there you go to "Prospekt OPC 15 Edition EU 21" at the center colum of the page and there you click on "Englisch" where you'll find the specs in English. Or try this link direct
http://www.amk-solac.com/doku/opc15_21_falter_eu_en.pdf
I'm not trying to sell here something, I just found the concept of this technic convincing. The price? I don't know. Give them a call or contact them via e-mail.
There is also a link for "pricing on demand" that might work, to be got in the same colum. Click on "Preisliste EU auf Anfrage".
Apparently amk does entire packages incl. tank etc., they might have a plumber available in Ireland as well who could install the system.

Thank you.
Summer

I am very interested in this as well and I think there is a lot to be said for looking at suppliers based abroad and especially on the continent where they have been doing this sort of thing for longer than we have (wouldn't be hard).

I would suggest consulting an energy consultancy. I have dealt with them before and the two I dealt with seemed to be on top of the game. It is not too expensive and they can call out to your house and size it up and explain the pro's and cons to you specific to your dwelling. This is much better than reading them off a thread where many of them will not apply. Also the energy consultancy I went with had details of various different suppliers and so could recommend more than one.