News On Renewable Energy Certification
Posted by Jason Kendall in Uncategorized, tags: advice, career, education, hobbies, home, money, self improvement, shop, Uncategorized, workIt is by using natural resources such as tidal or wind energy - collectively known as ‘Green Energy’ - that we could meet our daily energy needs. They’re all considered naturally able to replenish - and thereby ‘Green’. When considering elements such as Wind Power and Windmills, in many cases we are looking back at the history of energy production. However, it is the result of eco-efficient and planet friendly options that this process is maintained.
The home environment, for example, encompasses a range of energy ideas - including Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating solutions. Next on the list you would find the actual solar electricity Photovoltaic Panels (PV’s) - which basically generate electricity through roof-installed panels. Following on from this is a process known as Biomass Energy - which includes Boilers burning wood and other fuels. We now also have Ground Source Heat Pumps - which draw out the heat left by the Sun. Considering items such as Wind Power and Hydro Turbines, we are finally getting to very old forms of energy production.
Thermal Solar Energy - By using different technologies, Solar Energy is effectively made up of two types of solar panels. Initially, there is the process of obtaining hot water from the Sun via Solar Water Heating Collectors. Furthermore, there are the Solar Electrical Panels (more correctly known as Photovoltaic heat collectors) which transform solar radiation into electricity. Solar Panels themselves need to be away from all light blocks, and should be on south facing roofs at angles of 30 degrees from the horizontal plane.
With Solar Power being so common within the UK, it’s Solar Water Power that is most often used. Solar Water heating systems can provide over 50 percent of a household’s hot water requirement during the year. Getting a professional fitting will cost around 2-5k, however, doing the job yourself could make it as low as 500 to 1500 pounds in total.
Biomass Energy: Historically, this has come from plants and animals, though nowadays this also includes new genetcially engineered ‘energy crops’. It is extremely useful - in that it can produce a range of power sources, including heat and electricity. It is interesting to note that the UK has some of the largest quantities of Biomass material to generate electricity within Europe. Considering all this, and the relative lack of C02 produced, makes the whole process highly green overall. Having a tree planted in place of another (that is felled for energy production) helps overall.
A process called Short Rotation Coppice (SRC), utilising trees such as Willow and Poplar, is used to meet the demands of such ‘Energy Crops’. Of equal importance is the ability to produce dry matter - and perennial grasses are very good for this. Other less known materials within this field are Agricultural and Municipal Waste. Agricultural Waste is naturally formed as a by-product of conventional agricultural activity. Of equal importance is Municipal Waste, which comes from recycyled wood and food.
Geo-Thermal Energy Systems… By naturally heating the Earth, the Sun has the potential to generate both warm water and electricity. Heating or cooling properties in the UK can be achieved using the ground source heat temperature of around 12 degrees centigrade. With four units replaced for every one unit of energy used, these heat pumps are very effective. By using energy from solar electrical panels or wind turbines to power them, heat source pumps can be almost 100 percent renewable in energy production.
Wind Energy: In use for milling grain or pumping water, wind energy has been with us for a very long time, although its modern uses are complex. Where the local power grid demands it, energy can be diverted and sold there. In fact, the UK has the largest wind resource within Europe. Potentially, we can produce 10 percent of our annual energy needs through wind power, although at present within the UK we still only use 1 percent. Instead of producing electricity at a rate of 2-10p per kWh, we could be generating at 2p per kWh. Recovery of the cost involved is somewhere between 6-9 months.
Finally, we have Hydropower; an area in which the UK does well within Europe. Having said that, the art of using energy from moving water (just like wind power) is very traditional. Interestingly enough, this type of energy production meets around 2 percent of the UK electrical total demand.
By using a turbine, a Hydropower system can transfer the kinetic energy of moving water into another form. Turbines use either a water drop (e.g. through a dam) or by a natural ‘run of the river’ - thereby having no water storage reservoir. It is by using the eroded national distribution systems, that allows for outdated sluices and dams to be used by techniques known as ‘Micro-Hydro’. Although a lesser known form of electricity output, this process could supply 200mW of UK demand. A micro-hydro system like this would be expected to cost between 200 and 3,000 pounds per kW of the energy.
It is the growing worldwide energy requirement that is causing the growth in ‘Green Energy’. The UK remains one of the main beneficiaries of this technology.
With the bulk of development work in the domestic area, both Plumbers and Electricians are set to capitalise in this area. Not only in the EEC, but also in the UK, ‘Green Energy’ is rapidly gaining ground as the way forward - and a range of financial incentives are in place to support this. Getting the right qualifications can often provide job security in a new field such as this. To that end, it may be worth thinking about combined training. You can then get plumbing or electrical training along with green knowledge.
(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Navigate to www.electricaltrainingcourseuk.co.uk/Solar-Power-Courses.html or Solar Training Courses.
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