More and more people are deciding that they will fight climate change and rising energy prices by generating their own, clean power. You can do this several ways, and new government grants make it more attractive than ever to go down this route.
Heating and Hot Water
There are 3 main options here, all of which are tried and tested:
- Solar Hot Water - solar panels on your roof can supply around 50% of your annual water heating, using only the sun's energy. These work on cloudy days, and have been used now for over 20 years. Find out more what they can save you and how you get one installed...
- Wood-burning (Biomass) Heating and Hot Water - modern boilers that burn wood pellets work just like conventional heating systems, and load themselves automatically. The big difference, however, is that they don't contribute to Climate Change because they don't burn fossil fuels. A good alternative to conventional boilers, especially if you're not on mains gas. Find out more...
- Ground Source Heat Pumps - use the earth's natural heat to heat your home using far less energy than conventional systems. Best installed with underfloor heating, these are a good option if you have outside space, and are thinking of renovating your home. Find out more....
Generate Your Own Clean Electricity
You can generate all the electricity you need for your home, completely pollution-free, from both solar or wind. By doing this, you can stop several tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere each year. Plus it can also mean the end of electricity bills. In fact, if you generate more electricity than you need then you can get paid for this by selling your excess electricity back to the grid - and recently announced 'feed-in tarrifs' from the government mean that you can earn back a good return. The choice of which technology you choose depends to a large extent on where your home is.
- Small Wind Turbines - best in rural areas that experience average or above average wind, where the turbine can be sited away from buildings. These do NOT work well in built-up areas, fixed to your roof, despite some recent claims by manufacturers. We give you the lowdown....
- Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Panels - that generate electricity straight from the sun. These are suitable for built-up areas and can supply all of your annual electricity needs direct from the sun. Find out more......
'Green' Power Tarrifs
Many power companies also advertise 'green' electricity tarrifs that imply you are helping to fight Climate Change by signing up. However, most of these are just marketing hype, and make little or no contribution to reducing greenhouse gases. We tell you why, and which tarrifs are the best...
