Renewable Energy – one application is all hot air, but another is down-to-earth!
Renewable energy - we hear this expression a lot and how important it is for the future of the planet, but do we know how this translates to our everyday lives and what it it means for those in the construction industries, especially those training to be a plumber, gas fitter or electrician.
Renewable energy is a source of energy that can never be exhausted. We can obtain renewable energy from the sun (solar energy), from the water (hydropower), from the wind (wind turbines), from hot dry rocks, magma, hot water springs (geothermal) and even from firewood, animal manure, crop residues and waste (Biomass).
The urgency of finding alternatives to fossel fuels and developing realistic, renewable energy sources. This is now considered the single most important global issue of concern today. The practical results must very quickly lead to the implementation of workable and affordable technologies for all of us to use at home and in the workplace.
In response to increasing enquiries, prompted by the Government initiative to reduce the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, AbleSkills has unveiled a brand new Energy Saving Training Centre to provide the now, very necessary ‘green energy’ training, City & Guilds approved - from Energy Assessment to Solar Energy and both Air and Ground Source Heating installation.
Most recently, two ‘green energy’ sources have become popular as a most efficient method of heating the average domestic dwelling : Ground Source Heat Pumps and Air Source Heat Pumps. They reduce fuel bills, cut down on wasted electricity and save space.
Ground Source Heat Pumps - use pipes buried in the garden to extract heat from the ground. Beneath the surface, the ground stays at a constant temperature, so a ground source heat pump can be used throughout the year - even in the middle of winter. This is usually used to warm water for radiators or underfloor heating systems. It can also be used to pre-heat water before it goes into a more conventional boiler. The only energy used is electricity to power the pumps, delivering 3 or 4 times as much thermal energy (heat) as is used by electrical energy to drive the system.
Air Source Heat Pumps - absorb heat from the outside air. They can be fitted outside a house or in the roof space and generally perform better at slightly warmer air temperatures to warm water for radiators or underfloor heating systems, or to warm the air in your home. The system is quickly more cost effective if it’s replacing electricity, or coal heating and are much better at powering underfloor heating systems or warm air heating than radiator-based systems.
