Green your home!

Composting isn’t the only way to utilise your garden’s resources – a ground source heat pump can reduce fuel bills too

Ground source heat pumps

What is it?

A ground source heat pump extracts heat from the ground to heat water for your home. It works by circulating a mixture of water and antifreeze around a loop of pipe – called a ground loop – which is buried in the garden. When the liquid travels around the loop it absorbs heat from the ground, then uses it to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems and even hot water. Beneath the surface, the ground stays at a constant temperature, so a pump can be used throughout the year.

The CO₂ saving depend on what sort of home-heating fuel system you’re replacing. Maximum annual CO₂ savings are 7 tonnes if replacing an electric heating system, 6.5 tonnes if replacing solid fuel, 1.8 tonnes if replacing oil and 1.2 tonnes if replacing gas.

How much does it cost?

The cost of installing a typical system suitable for a detached home ranges from about £6,000 to £12,000, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Running costs to produce 100% of space heating and 50% of domestic hot water are likely to be about £540 per year, but will depend on a number of factors – including the size of your home and how well insulated it is.

Is it worth it?

A ground source heat pump will only suit your home if the ground in your garden is suitable for digging a trench or borehole to install a ground loop, and your home is well insulated and draughtproofed sufficiently for the heating system to be effective.

Given that, if you’re replacing an electric, oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or coal heating system, a ground source heating system can pay for itself quite quickly, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Annual savings can be £1,000 if replacing an electric heating system and £750 if replacing oil, for example. But if you’re replacing a more efficient gas heating system, think twice. Your savings will be smaller – maximum £410 a year – and, hence, your payback period longer.

ENER-G INTRODUCES NEW LOW-CARBON GAS ABSORPTION TECHNOLOGY

News Source : ENER-G

Low-carbon gas absorption technology – that heats and cools buildings with significant cost and environmental benefits – is available in the UK following a new Anglo-Italian agreement.

Greater Manchester-based sustainable power business ENER-G (www.energ.co.uk) has joined forces with Italian manufacturer Robur to supply gas absorption heat pump (GAHP) solutions to UK consumers.

The GAHP system can reduce costs dramatically when converting from traditional boiler technology, while significantly improving environmental performance – benefiting businesses and public sector organisations, as well as domestic consumers.

The technology works by removing energy from a low temperature heat source – the outside air – and then upgrading it in the heat pump so that it can be used to heat or cool air or water inside a building. The whole process is powered from natural gas or LPG.

The concept of absorption cooling was pioneered in the late18th century and the origins of Robur’s highly efficient gas-fired systems dates back to work carried out on domestic refrigerators for the US-based Servel company by Albert Einstein.

“GAHPs harness the properties of refrigerants to change from liquid to gas and back again in order to transfer heat. The technology provides sustainable solutions for a wide range of businesses and households,” said Andrew Hill, product manager at ENER-G.

Among financial advantages are energy consumption reductions of up to 50% and exemption from the climate change levy. Legislative benefits include cost savings relating to the new Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) and improved Building Energy Certificate ratings (EPC and DEC).

Additionally, GAHP systems means reduced regulatory costs as a result of low emissions, enabling points for BREEAM assessment, and compliance with Part L2A and Part L2B of Building Regulations.

Operational benefits comprise security of energy supply through reduced dependency on electricity, low maintenance levels, easy installation and heating and cooling provided by a single unit.

ENER-G supplies GAHP systems manufactured by Robur, based in Bergamo, Italy, that deliver heating and cooling for buildings, with up to 165% efficiency.

“Our heat pump solution, in partnership with Robur, provides a reliable, cost-effective, and constant energy source that is highly effective for industrial, commercial and residential use,” added Andrew Hill.

“This is due to the system’s ability both to save energy and increase the value of the building with its A+++ classification issued by the European Commission.”

ENER-G’s services include a free feasibility study; project design; system specification; installation and commissioning; 24-hour help desk; after-sales support; service & maintenance; and flexible finance options.

“While traditional heat pumps use a compressor to convert the gaseous refrigerant into a liquid state, absorber and generator systems transfer the refrigerant into an absorbing fluid and then liquefy it,” said Andrew Hill.

“This means that only a small supply of energy is required to pump the refrigerant solution around the fan to circulate the air, which substantially lowers both energy costs and CO₂ emissions.”

GAHPs can be used as a direct replacement for gas-fired traditional and condensing boilers due to the ability to reach temperatures in excess of 65°C and produce hot water.

ENER-G systems can be bought at a fixed cost when all the savings are realised immediately, or through a rental agreement where costs are met through savings in energy.

ENERGOS wins planning consent for Merseyside energy recovery facility

News Source : Energ.co.uk

ENERGOS has gained planning approval for a clean technology energy recovery from waste facility at Knowsley, Merseyside.

 The £40million plus development will be a UK and international training centre and an environmental technology showcase for the UK company’s advanced gasification process – attracting visitors from all over the world.

It will take two years to build and construction is expected to start in 2010 with completion scheduled for 2012. ENERGOS will create up to 65 local construction jobs and 18 skilled ‘green collar’ jobs and aims to set up a technician training programme  with local colleges.

The facility will convert leftover, non-recyclable waste into green electricity for up to 10,000 homes, as well as creating heat for local industry – leading to lower energy bills and carbon emissions for business and increasing job security. It will create a similar renewable power output to 15 large wind turbines.

In Europe, ENERGOS offers the only proven and commercially viable gasification technology capable of generating renewable energy from municipal waste and post-recycling residue. It provides a best practice alternative to mass-burn incineration and a commercially proven and bankable alternative to

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ENERGOS uses its own patented gasification technology, an advanced two-stage thermal treatment process that converts residual, non-recyclable waste into a gas by using the heat of partial combustion to liberate the hydrogen and carbon within the waste. Residual waste is fed into the gasification chamber, where it is manufactured into a syngas. This syngas is then transferred to a secondary oxidation chamber where it is fully combusted in a controlled environment that enables much tighter control than can be achieved in conventional energy from waste plants – resulting in extremely low emissions. The resulting heat energy is used to produce steam, which can be used to supply renewable heat and/or electricity.

On the Isle of Wight, ENERGOS has recently opened the UK’s first fully developed gasification plant to operate on a municipal waste stream. This is the first time that advanced thermal conversion technology has been applied in this way. It is part of the Department of Environment, food and Rural Affair’s New Technology Demonstrator Programme and received a 2008 Renewable Energy Award for Innovation

Said Nick Dawber, Managing Director of ENERGOS: “We look forward to making a positive contribution to the Knowsley community and can now begin detailed discussions with neighbouring businesses to supply affordable, secure heat energy from a renewable source.  This will enable them to keep costs controlled, reduce their carbon footprint and maintain their competitive edge and job security.”

Dawber added: “This is a community sized solution for local waste that would otherwise fill up landfill sites and emit damaging greenhouse gases. We offer a proven and world class gasification technology with a 12 year track record of safe operation in Norway. This can help the UK build a much needed sustainable waste infrastructure. The ENERGOS process is proven to achieve ultra low emissions that are significantly lower than the stringent safe limits required by the EU Emissions Standard.

Over the last three years, five planning applications, based on the ENERGOS technology, have been submitted and all five have received consent within 12 months of the application date. We believe this demonstrates that communities accept facilities that are appropriately sized.

“In Knowsley we have organised open days and set up a community liaison group to allay concerns and involve residents in our plans and we are totally committed to working openly with the community to bring new jobs, new skills and valuable investment to the area.“

With sun rises, Georgia can meet renewable energy mandate

News from: agc.com

At a recent congressional hearing, Public Service Commissioner Stan Wise was quoted telling Congress that Georgia cannot meet a mandate to have at least 25 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

Wise went on to say that other states would be able to meet the requirement, which may soon be imposed by new federal regulations, though he believes Georgia cannot.

With all due respect to the commissioner, he greatly underestimates Georgians’ ability to rise to this challenge and, in the process, clean up our air and create thousands of new, high-paying jobs.

Wise claims Georgia lacks the sunlight that has allowed other states to successfully generate solar energy. That assertion is just plain wrong.

Georgia averages over five solar sun hours each day, which is more than enough sun for solar to make a significant contribution to Georgia’s energy needs.

Read full press

Ground source heat pump systems do not need planning department approval

News Source: http://www.tewkesburyadmag.co.uk/news/letters/4131987.Heat_pumps/

While wind farm protesters were challenging Scottish Power outside the Pershore College conference on Thursday, February 5, I was present at the latest of many seminars I have attended on ground source heat pumps.

Was this green technology outlined to the farmers? Ground source heat pump systems  do not need planning department approval, they are inconspicuous, very reliable and cut co2 emissions by over 40%, if properly designed and installed. They are normally eligible for government funded grants towards capital costs. From small domestic systems to major, megawatt producing ones, they heat buildings and water for washing and some models can be switched to deliver low-cost cooling in summer months. In the right circumstances, and there are plenty, the technology gives the best solution for farmers, but it will not be right for every farm. Recognising when it is the best option calls for careful identification of the reasons for wanting this technology and good understanding of the implications of choosing for or against.

As with any of the renewable energy technologies, whether biomass, wind, solar thermal, solar power or heat pumps, it is not enough to scan suppliers websites, amass brochures and come to a decision based on points emerging during a few informal chats or while reading articles in popular publications. It can lead to expensive mistakes.

ENERGOS wins prestigious renewables award

Pioneering energy from waste business ENERGOS, part of ENER-G Plc, has won a British Renewable Energy Award for its innovative development of the UK’s first gasification plant to operate from waste.

The advanced thermal conversion project on the Isle of Wight, part of the government’s New Technology Demonstrator Programme, was judged an outstanding achievement by awards organisers The Renewable Energy Association – winning the Developer Award.

The small, community sized plant, which is set to open this July, will run alongside a recycling operation to generate 2.3MW of green electricity from residual waste, enough to power more than 3,000 homes. 

“We are delighted to receive this award and are very proud to have made available to the UK waste industry the first gasification plant on waste”, said Nick Dawber, managing director of ENERGOS. “We believe that our strategy of providing community sized energy from waste solutions that complement local recycling initiatives is the way forward.

“At the Isle of Wight we want to show how this advanced technology can be utilised at the heart of any community to provide an environmentally friendly, low emission solution to local residual waste”.

The awards judges commented: “We believe the renewable energy uses for bioenergy residues offer huge potential for contributing to both sustainable energy and waste reduction objectives. We consider that innovative new projects, such as the ENERGOS gasification plant, will make a substantial contribution and deserve recognition.”

MP Hazel Blears HELPS WRITE GREEN SUCCESS STORY

Salford MP Hazel Blears is contributing to the impressive success story of local green power company ENER-G and the business will host a visit by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on Friday 30 January to thank her for her support.

ENER-G provides renewable and energy efficient power generation and management across the globe, employing 400 people at three sites in Salford and a total of 650 worldwide. The fast growth company has doubled its turnover during the past two years and in the next financial year expects to further increase turnover by more than 30%, while creating more local jobs. 

Blears is helping the company to roll out its pioneering gasification technology across the UK, offering a clean, environmentally friendly method of converting the nation’s waste problem into green energy.

She assisted ENER-G in winning acceptance for its ENERGOS gasification process as a qualifying technology for maximum subsidies under government legislation to promote renewable energy. This gives financial viability to the company’s ambitious plans to create new generation advanced thermal conversion waste plants across the UK, providing an alternative to incineration.

What is Ground Source Heat Pump system

Ground source heat pumps provide an efficient and green way of heating and cooling buildings, making use of renewable energy stored in the ground.

ENER-G Ground Source Solutions Ltd is one of the UK’s leading installers of ground source heat pump systems. ENER-G delivers complete ground source heat pump (GSHP) solutions for the public and private sector.

ENER-G Ground Source Solutions Ltd aims to successfully deliver highly efficient renewable energy solutions to customers that exceed their expectations.

Ground Source Heat Pumps Technology

The technology is based on the stability of underground temperatures. The ground a few feet below surface has a very stable temperature throughout the year. Ground source heat pumps use a buried ground loop to transfer this heat from the ground into buildings to supply space heating and hot water, providing one of the most energy-efficient ways of heating buildings. Ground source heat pumps can be installed in most of the UK.

A heat pump system can be used for air conditioning too, by providing cooling. It does this by transferring excess heat from the building back into the ground.

There are three main elements in a typical ground source heat pump installation:

Ground loop
A closed circuit pipe is buried in the ground, filled with a mixture of water and antifreeze, which is pumped around the pipe absorbing heat from the ground.

Heat pump
The ground source heat pump is operated from electricity and extracts heat from the ground, and uses it for heating purposes. In summer the cycle is reversed and heat is transferred into the ground.

Heat distribution system
The heat distribution system is inside the building and consists of radiators or under floor heating for space heating and in some cases water storage for hot water supply.

Ground Source Heat Pumps System Benefits

• High energy efficiency – typically a coefficient of performance (COP) of between 3 and 5
• Enables clients to meet European and UK legislation applicable to renewable energy
• Significant reduction in heating costs
• Very low maintenance costs

United Utilities and Interserve select ENERGOS as gasification technology partner

ENERGOS has been appointed as technology provider to United Utilities and Interserve for a joint venture to build an advanced thermal conversion waste facility in Derbyshire.

The energy from waste plant is part of a proposed integrated waste treatment facility for Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council which have appointed the joint venture to build the facility and operate it for 27 years.

ENERGOS (www.energos.com), part of UK-based sustainable power group ENER-G, would supply its proven gasification technology which has a ten-year track record of safe operation in Norway and Germany and is now operating at the UK’s first gasification plant on the Isle of Wight.

Nick Dawber, managing director of ENERGOS, said: “Recycling is the backbone of any waste management strategy and the proposed Derbyshire gasification plant would only handle the leftover, residual waste that could not be processed through the facility’s recycling operation. This is a community-sized solution to responsibly dealing with local waste.”

Blair Marriott, Joint Venture Project Director added: “We are pleased to be working with ENERGOS which offers a world class, low emission technology and a proven reputation for excellence. Our proposed state-of-the-art waste management facility points the way forward for UK municipal solid waste management and is a viable and environmentally friendly alternative to landfill and incineration.”

ENERGOS uses its own patented gasification technology – an advanced thermal treatment process that converts residual, non recyclable waste into a gas by using the heat of partial combustion to liberate hydrocarbons. Complete oxidation of the gas in a finely controlled environment enables much tighter controls than can be achieved in conventional energy from waste plants – resulting in extremely low emissions. The heat produced is recovered to produce steam and electricity.

The proposed gasification plant will export some 8MW of green electricity from 140,000 tonnes of fuel produced from Derbyshire and Derby City’s residual waste.  This is sufficient to power 14,000 homes.

The energy from waste facility would create 38 full-time jobs.

The ENERGOS gasification process is the first in the UK to qualify for Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs). The technology was pioneered in Norway where ENERGOS operates five community facilities in tandem with recycling operations and has a proven track record of extremely low emissions. A further plant in Germany brings the company’s total operating experience to 400,000 hours.

ENERGOS, which recently won a British Renewable Energy Award, will start construction of a further two 80,000 tonne plants in Norway and Irvine, Scotland, in 2009. The company has recently submitted a planning application to build a further facility in Knowsley, Merseyside. This would process 80,000 tonnes of residual waste, generating enough electricity for over 10,000 homes as well as producing heat for use by neighbouring industries.

Your guide to CHP

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of usable heat and power (usually electricity) in a single process. Through the use of an absorption cooling cycle, trigeneration or Combined Cooling Heat and Power (CCHP) schemes can also be developed.

CHP is a highly efficient way to use both fossil and renewable fuels and can therefore make a significant contribution to the UK’s sustainable energy goals, bringing environmental, economic, social and energy security benefits.

CHP Technology
(CHP) is a well-proven technology, recognised worldwide as a cleaner alternative to traditional centralised generation. Its long-term future in the global energy markets is secured by CHP’s ability to provide a multitude of financial, operational and environmental benefits from a single unit of fuel.

CHP Systems
CHP systems can be employed over a wide range of sizes, applications, fuels and technologies. In its simplest form, it employs a gas turbine, an engine or a steam turbine to drive an alternator, and the resulting electricity can be used either wholly or partially on-site. The heat produced during power generation is recovered, usually in a heat recovery boiler and can be used to raise steam for a number of industrial processes, to provide hot water for space heating

Benefits of CHP

Financial Benefits: – Reduce your Primary Energy costs by up to 50% with the outright Capital Purchase of an ENER•G Cogeneration system.

• Reduce your Energy bill by up to 20% without Capital Outlay through an ENER•G Finance Scheme. (Discount Energy Purchase (DEP) / Optima) Contract.

• Release capital for core activities by using one of ENER•G’s range of funding options for Energy Plant from CHP to services infrastructure and energy saving equipment.

• Stabilise the risks associated with rapidly rising electricity prices in your business over a fixed period.

• Minimise the impact of the Climate Change Levy (CCL) with Good Quality Cogeneration schemes and allow ENER•G to manage the CCL process for you (UK).

• Catalyst to the entitlement Grant funding in certain project categories. E.g. Community Energy Fund, EEC, Transco Affordable Warmth.

Operational Benefits:- Improve the security of your Electrical supply to the site by utilising the Cogeneration unit as a standby generator at times when the electricity grid fails.

• Improve the security of your Heat supply to the site by utilising the CHP unit as a standby boiler at times when your boilers are out of service for any reason.

• Limit the need for investment in replacement or new boiler plant by meeting the base load thermal requirements of your site with CHP.

• Eliminate the need for expensive electrical connection upgrades by displacing electrical demand directly or through an ENER•G trigeneration system where the plant produces Electricity, Heat and Cooling simultaneously.

• Through its state of the art technologies and vast experience, ENER•G can operate and maintain the plant over a long term, enabling you to benefit from the rewards of Cogeneration or other Energy plant and focus on your core business.

Environmental Benefits: -Contribute to the global environmental improvement by reducing fossil fuel usage. Operating Cogeneration plant at point of use to generate primary energy improves energy efficiency and reducing the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions, in particular carbon dioxide CO2.

• Lower SOX emissions with the use of natural gas as a fuel.

• The use of CHP fuelled by Biogas or Landfill gas offers significant environmental advantages. It eliminates the need to flare large amounts of Biogas containing methane, which is significantly damaging to the global environment.

• Through lowering carbon emissions CHP can help you meet your Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) targets.