Can home energy generation help save the planet?

As awareness of climate change grows, people are asking what changes in their personal lifestyles will make a contribution to combating the threats that mankind’s voracious energy usage. For many years insulation and double glazing have been seen as sensible courses of action and more recently consumers have been able to purchase their electricity from suppliers who guarantee that it has been generated from renewable energy sources. But are such steps enough? Voices are now being raised saying that home owners should be considering direct investment in renewable energy sources for their properties both to limit their fossil fuel energy consumption and to protect themselves in the longer term from spiralling energy price increases.

Renewable energy options

Renewable energy comes from environmentally friendly sources that are continuously replenished and won’t run out. For domestic-scale purposes there are a range of options for generating your own heat or electrical power which can meet a range of budgets and situations. Sources can include the Sun (solar power), wind power, and water in the form of rivers or streams (hydro power). Wood fuel (or biomass) is also classed as renewable energy, along with heat pumps (either ground or air source).

Choosing a renewable energy source

Finding information on renewable energy and making sense of it has been a significant problem for home owners in the past, as the technical issues can be complex. An independent website www.GreenEnergy360.org, which has been developed in association with experts from Loughborough University, cuts through these problems by providing a ‘one-stop-shop’ for high quality information. It also contains a unique and simple 3 step survey to ascertain the best renewable energy for your home. Asking simple questions about your property and its energy profile, the survey analyses the most appropriate renewable energy system for your needs, gives an idea of the capital cost and returns from the technology, and details the carbon saving that can be made from the project. A key advantage of the www.GreenEnergy360.org web site is that it enables you to get a good picture of your needs from an expert and reliable independent source before engaging with installers. Once you have identified the possibilities and issues you can then be referred to reliable installers from the site knowing exactly what it is that you are looking for.

Ursula Dickenson from Staffordshire installed solar hot water panels on her home in 2007 and is very positive about her experience. “It’s too early to tell what the cost savings will be. We’re not too bothered about how long it takes to get our money back – although we know we will,” she says. “The collector temperature can register 80 degrees while the outside temperature is only 14 or 15 degrees. I wish that governments would look at the economics of building nuclear power stations versus helping householders to invest in renewable energy.” She would whole-heartedly recommend anyone to investigate ecological ways of running their home: “It’s an entirely positive experience.” she says, “With the right help and knowledge you can make a huge difference to your personal satisfaction and to helping our planet.” 

Simon Calvert

www.GreenEnergy360.org

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