We need to heat our houses and we need hot water for domestic use, keeping ourselves and our surroundings clean. Instead of relying on expensive power to do this there are several alternatives to obtain cheaper power while reducing the carbon footprint of the energy user.
Most building heating is provided by hot water being circulated through radiators in the building, the water needs to be heated. There are several alternative ways to to do this.
Wind power or PVA solar panels.
To heat a home a substantial output would be required and this would mean substantial investment in hardware.
There is the considerable cost investment that will take many years to recoup, yes everyone says you can sell your spare electricity to the utility company but will you have any to spare ?
Wind power is variable as the wind does not always blow so no power and sometimes it is too windy in which case there is no output either !
The same goes for electricity generating solar panels as the output would vary according to season, with less amounts of sun and shorter days for many months of the year, just when the power is needed most.
The initial investment in equipment and installation is very high, additionally expensive battery packs are needed to ensure a reliable source of energy when its not generating anything. Maintenance costs have to be considered as well, all this expensive equipment has to be out in all weathers. Batteries don't last for ever, and will need replacing sometime, just like a car or mobile phone battery. So unless you can commit to a substantial investment you will still have to depend on mains power to some extent.
Solar panels or heat transfer
With water heating solar panels or heat transfer once again a considerable investment in purchase and installation has to be made that will take many years to recoup. Once again maintenance is an issue with expensive and complex pumps likely to go wrong when needed most !
The same goes for solar panels as the output would vary according to season, with less amounts of sun and shorter days for many months of the year, just when the power is needed most.
Our researches showed that users of these systems are not pleased with the inability of these systems to provide hot water of an adequate temperature and that they take a long time, usually days to get to maximum temperature. And they need electricity to run them, due to the need to have heat exchangers.
For any of these expensive solutions, an energy expert on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 said that 27 years was considered to be the payback period on all these technologies, in other words you won't get the initial costs and running expenses back until at least 27 years of use !
Wood
Another solution that comes to mind is to continue burning something to generate heat. The alternatives being discussed here are meant for a rural environment where wood is readily available and is generally cheap or even free if the homeowner has wood on their land. This might not seem to be a viable option for environmental reasons but burning wood only releases the carbon dioxide stored in the wood during growth, so helps reduce the carbon footprint of the home being heated.
The choices here are either wood pellet boiler, log feed boiler or a back boiler on a traditional open fire. The pellet or log feed boilers are expensive and complex which will make future maintenance an issue once warranties run out. Pellets are an expense, and anyone with wood on their land would not appreciate having to buy someone elses wood, processed into pellets at a cost to the environment. Log feed boilers can be fussy with the size of the logs and will only burn well seasoned wood. There will be expense in the careful preparation of the wood.
As for a back boiler, great in winter but who wants a roaring fire in their living room in the summer - we still need hot water in the warmer months. Will need regular attention, go out for an hour and come home to a cold fire. Open fires can cause smoke indoors as well as drying out the air indoors, not great for anyone with a respiratory complaint or allergies. The back boilers can only supply limited amounts of hot water. Messy log piles in the house, with regular trips outdoors to bring more wood and bugs in. Ash to dispose of and general mess. Cheaper than the other solutions, easier to maintain but what a hassle !
The Good News !
Many months of research and hard work have provided us with the ideal solution to our personal heating needs. We believe it is a practical and affordable solution for our heating needs, easy and cheap to run and maintain, reliable and long lasting.
In fact we are so impressed with it, and the positive comments from other rural home owners that we have decided to manufacture and offer our new heating solution to other rural businesses and home owners.
In short this is what Eco Celtique is all about, offering a product that will save money, give you all the hot water you need and will reduce your carbon footprint !
© 2010 Eco Celtique Ltd