One of the most frequently asked questions about solar panels has been answered

A common solar panel query is whether the panels are effective in winter months - when the days are shorter and the sun is lower in the sky.

I happened upon a very useful post at the TheGreenAge website on this subject.

The answer?  Yes, solar panels (both solar PV and solar thermal) will continue to produce energy, but they will not provide all your energy needs in winter.

No surprise there then.  So just how much energy will they provide in winter time? The typical domestic solar PV system will produce around 75kWh of power in a winter.  Whereas solar thermal will provide 25% your hot water needs in the winter months.

Check the TheGreenAge blog post in full at "How Effective is Solar in Winter?"

A useful tip from the Energy Saving Trust website is that a wood burning stove with back boiler and solar thermal are a good combination as the stove can heat your home and provide hot water in winter and the solar can heat your hot water in the summer when no central heating is required.

Check out the House-Saver website for more information on the benefits of solar panels and wood burners.

David
www.house-saver.co.uk

Relaunch of the Green Deal - could this be second time lucky for the Government's flagship domestic energy saving scheme?

The Green Deal - a Great Concept
The Green Deal was launched in January 2013 to help households fund home improvements that will increase the energy efficiency of their home.

Home improvements delivered with the help of the Green Deal are expected to reduce your energy bills. The Green Deal lets you pay for some or all of the improvements over time through your electricity bill. The scheme is designed in a way that repayments should be no more than what you would save in your energy bills.

Initial failure to take-off
Whilst the Green Deal offers lots of benefits to households it has never really taken off.  

The scheme has received some poor publicity, its approach has proved overly complicated, and not enough certified Green Deal "Providers" and "Installers" have been recruited to implement the scheme on the ground.

The Relaunch
A key element of the Green Deal is its ability to let homeowners earn money from their energy efficient home improvements to offset the cost of having the work done.  However this aspect of the Green Deal has proven to be over-complicated.  The Government is seeking to tackle this problem.

The new Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) launches on Monday 9 June 2014 in England and Wales. A similar scheme called the Green Homes Cashback is being launched in Scotland.

The Government expects that the relaunched scheme, which is more user-friendly and which offers more generous terms than the previous Green Deal "cashback scheme", will encourage more households to take up the Green Deal.

The Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey has described the scheme as:
“The best way for households to take control of their energy bills is to use less energy."

The Climate Change Minister Greg Barker has also lauded the new scheme:
“The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund is another way the Government is making it simpler and cheaper for people to stay warm and improve their homes.  

I want households across the country to benefit from more energy efficient homes and reduced bills through the Green Deal, and that is what the new home incentive fund will do.”

The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund - at a glance
The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) is a new incentive scheme open to all householders in England and Wales wanting to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Under the GDHIF households that install energy efficiency measures such as solid wall insulation and new heating systems can earn up to £7,600 to help cover the cost of the energy efficiency improvements.

The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund - in detail
Under the GDHIF householders can receive:

• up to £1000 for installing two measures from an approved list; and/or
• up to £6000 for installing solid wall insulation; and
• up to £100 refunded for their Green Deal Assessment.

The scheme also entitles those who have bought a property in the 12 months prior to application to qualify for up to an additional £500 if they carry out energy efficiency improvements.

Householders will be able to receive GDHIF funding for solid wall insulation and/or any two of the following energy savings improvements:

• Condensing gas boiler (on mains gas)
• Double glazing (replacing single glazing)
• Secondary glazing
• Replacement doors
• Cavity wall insulation
• Floor insulation
• Flat roof insulation
• Room-in-roof insulation
• Replacement warm air unit
• Replacement storage heaters
• Flue gas heat recovery units
• Waste water heat recovery systems

GDHIF is designed to work alongside Green Deal Finance and householders have the option to use Green Deal Finance to help fund some of the upfront cost of the installation.

How can I claim the GDHIF payment?
Your Green Deal "Provider" and "Installer" will help take you through the process of making a claim. In summary, you will need to take the following steps to apply for and claim their GDHIF payment:

• have a valid Green Deal Assessment Report or Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which must have been carried out in the two years prior to application;
• apply for measures as recommended on their  Green Deal Assessment Report or EPC;
• register for their GDHIF voucher;
• once they have received their voucher, householders must have the improvements installed by a registered Green Deal "Installer" or "Provider" within six months;
• once the work has been completed, submit their voucher – countersigned by the Green Deal Installer or Provider – with copies of the invoice, PAS2030 Claim(s) of Conformity, and their Green Deal Assessment Report invoice; 
• Once the GDHIF administrator has validated the voucher, you will receive payment in ten working days.

Further Information on the GDHIF 
The Government has published an advice sheet on the GDHIF which can be downloaded at www.gov.uk.

Information about certified Green Deal "Providers" and "Installers" can be found on the Green Deal Oversight Body website.

David
www.house-saver.co.uk

What would happen if Mr Putin turned off the taps?

This blog explains the benefits of the Government's recently launched Domestic "Renewable Heat Incentive" or RHI.

By seeking to reduce the UK's reliance on gas to heat our homes, the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, is a landmark scheme for the UK domestic energy sector. 

... and its introduction is very timely.

Trouble on the other side of Europe
UK households are heavily dependent on gas to heat our homes.  

Up until the early 2000s the UK was a net exporter of gas. However, we are securing less and less of our gas supply from the North Sea. The UK is becoming much more reliant on the international gas markets and is now highly vulnerable to fluctuations in the world gas prices.

Ukraine may be on the other side of Europe but what is happening there could have major impact on our gas prices.

This is where the Renewable Heat Incentive comes in.

Government spin
The Domestic RHI was launched 9 April 2014 and is open to homeowners, private landlords, social landlords and self-builders.

The RHI is the main scheme of the Government's Heat Strategy.  The Government has hailed the RHI as "the world’s first long-term financial support programme for renewable heat."

How does the Renewable Heat Incentive work?
The RHI is a financial incentive scheme to encourage households to install renewable heating in their homes.

The RHI pays participants of the scheme that generate and use renewable energy to heat their homes. By increasing the generation of heat from renewable energy sources, the Government expects the RHI to help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

How much will the Renewable Heat Incentive pay participants?
The RHI will pay you a "tariff" per unit of heat generated for the first seven years.

The tariffs are paid per kWh of renewable heat generated based on the following rates (typical annual payouts in brackets):
air source heat pumps 7.3p/kWh (£850)
biomass boilers and biomass pellet stoves with back burner 12.2p/kWh (£2,000)
ground source heat pumps 18.8p/kWh (£850)
water source heat pumps 18.8p/kWh (£850) and
solar thermal (hot water solar panels) 19.2p/kWh (£400)

The above rates will rise annually in line with inflation. The tariffs are paid quarterly.

If you opt for a metering and monitoring package, you will receive and additional payment of £230 per year for heat pumps or £200 per year for biomass boilers.

Does my home qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive?
If your heating system was installed after 15 July 2009 you may qualify.

You must use an approved system that has been fitted by an installer who is MCS certified or equivalent (for example, Solar Keymark) and a member of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC).

The Ofgem website provides an up-to-date list of approved systems.

Before applying for the RHI you will have to have a Green Deal Assessment.  You will be expected to install loft and cavity wall insulation if this measure has been identified in your Green Deal assessment.

How do I apply for the Renewable Heat Incentive?
You can apply online at the Ofgem website. 

You will need the following documents to hand:

• the MCS certificate that comes with your new heating system (this will be given to you by your installer), and
• your Green Deal Assessment (including the Energy Performance Certificate that forms part of the Green Deal Assessment).

Is the Renewable Heat Incentive worth it?
Households that are off mains gas and that install any of the approved systems could save on their energy bills plus receive a quarterly payment under the scheme.

Households that use mains gas will benefit from greater energy security and will be protected from fluctuations in gas prices.

The cost of installing many of the approved systems is likely to be substantial (A good biomass boiler can cost in excess of £10k).  However, you may qualify for financing through the Green Deal to help cover the upfront costs. 

Where can I get further Renewable Heat Incentive Advice?
Check out the Ofgem domestic RHI factsheet which has been prepared for people considering or intending to apply.

David

www.house-saver.co.uk

Technical Guidance on Wood Burning Stoves

Wood Burning Stoves are growing in popularity.  People are looking for an alternative to the ever-rising energy bills being imposed on us by the UK's major energy suppliers.  Modern wood burners offer the warmth and homeliness of traditional log fires whilst providing greater control and requiring less effort to maintain.  Some technologies can even provide an alternative to a home's central heating system. It is no wonder that wood burners are now so popular.

However, many people do not realise just how complicated the installation of a modern wood burning stove can be.  A poorly fitted wood burner will not just lead to problems in its operation, it is also likely to be highly unsafe.

Last year the Energy Saving Trust published A Buyer's Guide to Domestic Wood Fuelled Heating.  This guide provided a useful introduction to wood burning stoves, but provided only limited advice on their installation.

Now, finally, we have an authoritative guide to the installation of wood burning stoves, courtesy of the gurus at Local Authority Building Control (LABC).

The LABC Guide to installing solid fuel stoves (Technical guidance for homeowners and trade) is aimed at trades people who intend to install a wood burning stove in an existing property.

The Guide highlights the following 10 key points for an installer to consider:

1. Check the existing chimney for condition and obstructions
2. Ensure components comply with the relevant British Standards
3. Where possible, adopt a minimum internal flue size of 150mm diameter
4. Check that the flue outlet is positioned sufficiently high above the roof surface?
5. Make sure you isolate the flue from any combustible material
6. Ensure the stove is positioned on a proper non-combustible hearth
7. Check you have a sufficient air supply for combustion
8. Provide carbon monoxide alarms
9. Provide proper permanent notices about the appliance in the property
10. Ensure you have all formal permissions before starting work

The Guide emphasises the importance of employing a trades person with sufficient skills to undertake the work. Although qualifications are not compulsory, any person fitting a solid fuel stove must be competent to do so. The Guide advises on 2 options for employing an installer:

Option 1: Employ a Competent Persons Scheme certified installer
Some installation companies are registered with the Government’s Competent Persons Scheme. This allows them to install and ‘self-certify’ the stove without having to make a formal application to the Council under the Building Regulations.  The largest Competent Persons Scheme provider is HETAS. Make sure the installer provides you with a certificate of compliance at the end of the job.  You will need this certificate should you come to sell your property.

Option 2:  Employ a knowledgeable trades person and have the job inspected by your Council's Building Control Service
If you appoint a trades person who is not part of a relevant Competent Persons Scheme, then you will need to submit a Building Regulations application to your local Council.  The Council's Building Control Officer will then come out and inspect the job to ensure that the wood burner has been installed safely. If satisfied with the work, the Council's Building Control Officer will issue a completion certificate. As with Option 1, you will need this certificate should you come to sell your property, so do not pay the final bill to your installer until you have this piece of paper in your hands.

Considering installing a wood burning stove?  We would suggest that you start by getting in touch with your local Building Control Service to make sure that your property is suitable.

David
www.house-saver.co.uk


                                                                       

Biomass Boilers

UK energy prices are very topical at the moment.  Independent experts expect further above inflation rises in energy prices this winter.  If you don't trust the politicians to sort it out the problem then a biomass boiler could be for you. Biomass boilers offer a potential way to reduce your reliance on big energy companies and of keeping a lid on your energy bills.

How do biomass boilers work?
Biomass boilers can be used in place of a standard gas or oil boiler to provide hot water and heating in your home. Biomass boilers work by burning the wood fuel and then storing the heated water produced, which then feeds into the central heating as required.

"Biomass" refers to living or recently living material such as logs, wood pellets or wood chips.  Some biomass boiler types are fuelled by logs but they are more typically fuelled by wood pellets.

How much energy will a biomass boiler generate?
A domestic biomass boiler generates around 15kW of energy.  This is easily enough energy to heat the water and provide central heating throughout a large home.

What are the advantages of biomass boilers?
A biomass boiler is an ideal technology if you do not have access to mains gas.  A biomass boiler can save you nearly £600 a year compared to electric heating.

Are there any constraints?
The main constraint is space.  Wood and wood pellets are cheaper if bought in bulk. However, you will need space to store the material.   Biomass boilers are typically larger than traditional boilers, so will also require more space.

Whist they may save you money on your energy bills, a good biomass boiler is much more expensive to buy than a conventional boiler.

The market for wood fuel is still in its infancy.  The cost and quality of wood and wood pellets can fluctuate greatly.

Biomass boilers need to be manually feed, log burning boilers in particular will require regular 'topping up'.

What consents will I need before fitting a biomass boiler?
Planning permission is not normally needed when installing a biomass boiler in a house if the work is all internal.

Biomass Boilers will have to comply with the Building Regulations.  Your installer should take into account factors such as ventilation, noise and general safety. The installer should be suitably qualified, preferably one who belongs to either the Microgeneration Certification Scheme or a relevant Competent Person Scheme.

How much does a biomass boiler cost?
Biomass boilers are more expensive than traditional boilers. Expect to pay around £10,000 to £12,000 for a good quality, automatic, wood pellet burning biomass boiler.  This price includes installation. Manually fed log boiler systems will usually be cheaper.

Are there any grants or other funding support available to help pay for a biomass boiler?
The Green Deal scheme may be able to help you pay for the upfront costs of the installation through Green Deal financing.  The installation costs will then be paid back over time, with interest, through your electricity bill.

Your new biomass boiler could earn you money under the Government's Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

Summary
• If you do not have access to mains gas and have sufficient space, it is worth considering a biomass boiler.
• You could earn money from your new boiler through the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

Further Information
The Energy Saving Trust website provides advice on finding an installer to meet your requirements.  The Energy Saving Trust recommends that a biomass boiler is installed by an MCS (The Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certified installer.


David
www.house-saver.co.uk

Wood burning stoves with back boilers

Wood burning stoves cover a range of technologies, from old fashioned pot belly wood stoves through to state-of-the-art wood pellet burning stoves.   

This Blog focuses on stoves with back boilers, which provide heating and hot water to the home.  Are these systems just a fashionable new technology to show-off to your friends?  Or do they really stack up as a cost effective way of providing energy for your home? What are the pros and cons of the different types?  This Blog helps answer these questions.

How do wood burning stoves with back boilers work?
Wood burning stoves burn logs, wood pellets or wood chips to power central heating and hot water boilers.

The back boiler works in the same way as the traditional back boiler connected to an open fire.

Wood burners typically burn logs, but more sophisticated versions burn wood pellets and will usually feature automatic ignition and pellet feeding systems.

How much energy will a wood burning stove with back boiler generate?
Depending on type of system installed, wood burning stoves with back boilers can be used in support of your existing heating system or, in many cases, to fully power your heating and hot water.  The typical system can generate 10 - 15kW of energy, which is more than enough to provide hot water and heating throughout your home.

Log burners Vs pellet burners

The advantages of log burners:

• Log burning stoves provide a great way to dispose of (and recover energy from) surplus wood and timber.
• If you are lucky enough to have your own wood source you could become self-sufficient in providing heating and hot water to your home.
• Log burners require less maintenance than the more complicated pellet burners.
• Log burners tend to be less expensive than pellet burners. 
• Log burners can provide that special cosy feeling inside, just like the traditional open log fire.
• Contemporary ceramic wood burning stoves can provide an attractive feature in a living room.

The advantages of pellet burners:

• They are more efficient as the wood fuel is drier and denser.
• Wood-pellet stoves provide for greater convenience and control than a log burner, with the majority of pellet burners featuring automatic ignition.
• Pellet burners offer greater control over the temperature of the room in which the stove is situated.
• Pellets are denser than logs, which makes them easier to transport and reduces the amount of storage space needed.
• Pellet burners need to be topped up less often than log burners as they are denser and will usually have an integral hopper.
• Pellet burners are cleaner, produce less ash and are generally easier to look after than log burners.

Are there any constraints with wood burning stoves?

• You will need space to store the wood, logs or pellets.
• The market for wood fuel is still in its infancy in the UK.  The cost and quality of wood fuel can fluctuate greatly.
• Stoves need to be manually fed, log burners in particular will require regular 'topping up'.
• You will either need to upgrade your existing chimney for fume extraction or install a separate flue
• The chimney / flue will require regular cleaning.
• If you are using your own wood source, the wood will need to be "seasoned".  This means it needs to be stored to dry it out (Freshly cut trees have a high moisture content which makes them less suitable as a wood fuel).

What consents will I need before fitting a wood-fuelled heating system?
Planning permission is not normally needed when installing a wood-fuelled heating system in a house if the work is all internal. 

If the installation requires a flue outside it will not need planning permission if the conditions outlined below are met:

• Flues on the rear or side elevation of the building are allowed to a maximum of one metre above the highest part of the roof.
• If the building is listed or in a designated area it is advisable to check with your local planning authority before a flue is fitted. Listed Building Consent is also likely to be needed for internal alterations.
• In a conservation area or in a World Heritage site the flue should not be fitted on the principal or side elevation if it would be visible from a highway.

Wood burning stoves will have to comply with the Building Regulations.  Your installer should take into account factors such as ventilation, noise and general safety. The installer should be suitably qualified, preferably one who belongs to either the Microgeneration Certification Scheme or a relevant Competent Person Scheme.

How much does a wood burning stove with back boiler cost?
Expect to pay upwards of £4,000 for a good quality, pellet burning wood burner with back boiler. This typical cost includes installation and the cost of basic upgrades required to your existing chimney or the cost of installing a flue.

Wood pellets will cost up to £200 per tonne.  Expect to burn at least 10 tonnes of pellets a year.

For log burners, the price of logs fluctuates widely, but you may be in the fortunate position of being able to source your wood fuel for free.

Wood burners are viewed by many energy analysts as a smart long term investment.  Using local wood fuel to heat your home will reduce your reliance on oil, gas and electricity, prices of which are projected to continue to rise over the coming years.

Are there any grants or other funding support available to help pay for wood burning stoves with back boilers?
The Green Deal scheme may be able to help you pay for the upfront costs of the installation through Green Deal financing.  The installation costs will then be paid back over time, with interest,  through your electricity bill.

Your wood burning stove with back boiler could earn you money under the Government's Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

Summary

• If you have a reliable, local log, wood chip or wood pellet supplier, or even better, if you have you own wood supply and space where the wood can be dried out, then a wood burning stove with back boiler could dramatically reduce your energy bills.
• Your wood burning stove with back boiler could earn you money through the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
• A top tip from the Energy Saving Trust website is that a wood burning stove with back boiler and solar heating are a great combination as the stove can heat your home and provide hot water in winter and the solar can heat your hot water in the summer when no central heating is required.

David
www.house-saver.co.uk

Renewable Energy Options for your Home

Last week I profiled the Green Deal as a way to fund home improvements that will reduce your energy bills. This week I'm staying on this theme by explaining the options out there for generating your own energy.

Most of us will be aware of domestic wind and solar power technologies, but I want to feature some of the other domestic energy generation technologies that are available.  The majority of these technologies have been around for a number of years and have proven to be robust and highly efficient.  But for whatever reason, they have not been embraced in the UK to the extent that they have elsewhere.  This is a great shame, because there are some really superb systems out there that can greatly reduce your energy costs.

micro combined heat and power systems
The first technology I would like to profile is micro combined heat and power (also called micro-CHP or cogeneration) systems.  Micro-CHP systems generate both electricity and heat, using natural gas as a fuel.  Whilst not strictly a renewable energy generation equipment, these systems deserve attention as they are highly efficient and will substantially reduce your energy costs.

Industry experts expect Micro-CHP systems to supplant the domestic boiler to become the norm in our homes in the coming years.

When my boiler has come to the end of its life I will definitely be looking to replace it with a Micro-CHP system.

biomass boilers
Staying on the boiler theme, the second technology that I would like to highlight is the biomass boiler.   This is basically a wood burner connected to a home's central heating or boiler.  Biomass boilers work by burning the wood fuel and then storing the heated water produced, which then feeds into the central heating when required.

Your biomass boiler could also earn you money under the Government's Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

ground or air source heating
Ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps operate by extracting heat (either from the ground or air around your home) and turning it into hot water in a water cylinder. The generated hot water can then be used to heat your home.

A great benefit of heat pumps is that they double up as cooling devices, and can be used to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home on warm summer days.  Heat pumps are also highly efficient and require little maintenance.  Heat pumps can be used in tandem with underfloor heating to dramatically reduce your heating bills.

home hydroelectric systems
Hydroelectric systems (or Hydropower systems) convert running water, usually a nearby river or stream, into electricity.  Installation costs can be high (expect to pay £25,000 or upwards!), but maintenance costs are low as hydro systems are highly reliable.

Not many people can say that they have an HEP source at the bottom of their garden.  So these devices may be expensive but they make a great status symbol! If I had the money, and lived next to a river, I would certainly be looking into installing one.

further information
The purpose of this piece is to highlight that there are options out there beyond solar panels and wind turbines.  Over the coming weeks I will be assessing these technologies in greater detail.

I will also be flagging up the potential sources of funding (beyond the Green Deal) to help pay for their installation.

The regularly updated House-Saver website will also continue to be a great source of advice on domestic renewable energy and energy efficiency home improvements.

In the meantime if you have any comments on these technologies, or if there are any renewable energy technologies that I have not mentioned that warrant attention, please let us know.

David