In a nutshell, ‘Green Energy’ utilises natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat to provide our daily energy requirement. They’re all considered naturally able to replenish – and thereby ‘Green’. It is easy to think that we may be travelling back in time when we think of items such as wind power and windmills. Generally, this is the result of using up to date ideas, specifically those that are planet friendly and eco-efficient.

The range of renewable energy technologies utilised within the home environment includes both Solar Thermal, and Solar Water Heating Collectors. For electricity created through roof-installed panels, you would need Photovoltaic Panels or PV’s. Then there are Stoves that burn Bio-Pellets – which make up the subject commonly known as Biomass Energy. What shouldn’t be forgotten is the heat stored in the ground from the Sun – often simply referred to as Ground Source Heat Pumps. At the end there are two of the most mature forms of energy production in the UK – albeit renamed now to Wind Turbines and Hydropower.

Solar Thermal Energy – By using different technologies, Solar Energy is effectively made up of two types of solar panels. As a first strategy, we have Solar Water Heating Collectors – which basically creates hot water from solar energy. Added to this is the generation of electricity from solar radiation – known as Photovoltaism, or more commonly Solar Electrical panels. To get the best results these panels need to be south facing at an angle of around 30 degrees from horizontal, and away from blockages.

As a result, Solar Water Power is often considered the most common form of Solar Energy in the UK. Solar Water heating systems can meet the need for more than half of all hot water needs in the domestic market. The average cost of installing this type of equipment is expected to range from 500 to 1500 pounds for a DIY system, through to 2-5k for a professionally installed system.

Systems Utilising Biomass Energy: This term encompasses all forms of natural products – such as plant and animal material. It is extremely useful – in that it can produce a range of power sources, including heat and electricity. The ability to generate electricity is one of the UK’s main green strengths – as it has one of the larger Biomass legacies within Europe. One of the main factors of this style of energy is the result without the impact on C02. With a new tree being planted as each is felled, you can see how the C02 produced during heating is minimised – and why the system is deemed sustainable.

By the growth of Short Rotation Crops (SRC), the UK is able to maximise the ‘Energy Crops’ return overall. Perennial grasses are also responsible for large quantities of dry matter. Municipal and Agricultural waste products are both little known, but essential materials to this field. Under normal agricultural activity, agricultural waste is a natural by-product. Whereas Municipal Waste is derived from wood or food – and can be used for biomass energy.

Geo-Thermal Energy Based Systems – Basically this is the warming of the Earth from the Sun – and is often used in the manufacture of warm water and electricity. By using the ground source temperature of approximately 12 degrees, we can either heat or cool buildings within the UK. Heat pumps are recognised as a very good form of power generation, generally giving back four units of energy for every one used. The energy generated by a heat source pump can in fact be considered 100 percent renewable, if the power to operate the pump comes from solar electrical panels or a wind turbine.

Wind Energy – An Update On Old Technology: When you consider the milling of grain and pumping of water, it is easy to see how long wind energy has been with us. Whether to your home or to a local grid, when the energy has been generated it must be delivered to a point of usage – and cannot be stored. The UK is considered as one of the best sources of wind generation within Europe. For the fact remains that, within the UK, we have the ability to generate 10 percent of our requirement from Wind Production – as opposed to the current value of only 1 percent. Frankly, electricity can be realised from as little as 2p per kWh – as opposed to the current level of 2-10 p per kWh. Due to this, we are looking at 6-9 months in total to cover the costs.

Finally, we have Hydropower; an area in which the UK does well within Europe. Just like a thousand years ago, we are utilising the energy from water. Interestingly enough, this type of energy production meets around 2 percent of the UK electrical total demand.

A hydropower system transforms the kinetic energy of the moving water into another type of energy by means of a turbine. By using a dam or a natural river drop, these turbines do not require water storage. 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’. Having said that, this process could still generate 200mW of the National Capacity. The capital cost of installing a micro-hydro system can run between 200 and 3000 pounds per kW of energy output.

The demand on ‘Green Energy’ continues to develop – in light of the energy demands worldwide. The UK is very well placed to provide most of the schemes set out above, and the UK domestic market again is one of the key beneficiaries of this technology.

It is the drive for installations in the domestic sector that looks to favour jobs such as plumbers and electricians. It is the political view of this type of energy generation that results in grants and financial aid becoming ever-more prevalent. It is important to gain the correct qualifications to install these items. You could consider either plumbing or electrical training programs that highlight green installation.

Copyright Scott Edwards 2009. Browse around Solar Energy Training or www.electricaltrainingcoursesgb.co.uk/SolarEnergyCourses.html.

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