Archive for the ‘Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP)’ Category
September 1, 2011
Just read an interesting article on Smart Planet titled “Greenest building in world uses no water or electricity”
It’s a pretty cool building – looks like it’s offices and residential apartments. It has solar panels all over it that provide the electricity for the building and also to power the ground source heat pump (GSHP) that is underneath. All the water that falls on the building is collected and filtered to be used inside.
I must admit, that reading it I felt like we’re not far off with our house. All of the water that falls on our roof is collected into a 5000 litre tank and is routed to the toilets, washing machine and outside taps. We’re not drinking it because I didn’t find a domestic solution that gave me comfort that it would be safe. I’m hoping to get solar panels installed which should provide enough electricity to power the GSHP and contribute to our electricity generally.
You can read the article here: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/cities/video-greenest-building-in-world-uses-no-water-or-electricity/841
Posted in Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), House Blog, Rainwater Harvesting, Solar Panels | Leave a Comment »
August 25, 2011
Today I made an application for the Renewable Heat Premium Payment Scheme. My dad suggested I looked into it, so I did. Filled in a pretty straightforward form online (see www.energysavingtrust.org.uk) answering basic info as well as GSHP details, and hey presto, I’m told I’ll be awarded £1250 as soon as my system gets commissioned!
Fingers crossed this will be any day now – the guys who installed it managed to blow up the PCB and so it’s never actually worked. Commissioning the system will be a big relief – it’s all very impressive but I want to see it working before I get too excited and also, I get my £1250 quid!
I don’t know exactly what plans are afoot for Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments which I believe will start next year, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to get something back from that too. That’s if the government’s spending cuts don’t get there first.
Posted in Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), House Blog, Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) | Leave a Comment »
September 12, 2010
It’s a funny thing about news. The Energy Saving Trust publishes an entirely factual, non-biased report showing the results of their study of 83 air-source and ground-source heat pumps. Thereafter follows a series of articles in all kinds of papers ranging from: 1) See, Heat Pump renewable technology is a load of old tosh, we told you so, to 2) See, Heat Pump renewable technology works very effectively and we must pursue it with vigour.
The truth is of course plain to see in the original publication, but wouldn’t it be boring to summarise it as follows:
Heat Pump Renewable Technology is very effective and a worthwhile investment but it must be installed correctly for purpose to get the best results. The biggest efficiency improvement is found when replacing oil or LPG
Not going to sell many papers am I?
Posted in Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) | 3 Comments »
September 8, 2010
The Energy Saving Trust, at the end of its recent report which followed a study of 83 Ground Source, and Air Source heat pumps provided a list of consumer guidelines – something I’ve been looking for, for a long time. The trouble with everything else I’ve read is that it comes from a source with a vested interest. Here’s the list:
When you should consider a heat pump
- In a well-insulated existing property off the gas network. Heat pumps have the potential to reduce running costs compared with oil, direct electric, LPG, or coal, and can provide substantial carbon savings over the lifetime of the installation.
- In new-build properties
How to get the best performance from a heat pump
- Make sure that your home is as well insulated as possible (with. cavity and loft insulation) before installing a heat pump.
- Install the heat pump with low temperature under- floor heating or properly sized radiators.
- Insist upon understandable, user-friendly controls.
What to expect from a heat pump
- Since heat pumps provide a lower temperature heating than boilers, radiators will feel warm rather than hot.
- A house with radiators may heat up more slowly.
- The heat pump will run for longer hours than a conventional boiler, but if properly controlled it will switch on and off with the heating requirements of the house.
- A properly sized and installed heat pump should be able to provide all of a household’s domestic hot water, but many systems are installed with a supplemental electric immersion heater.
What to expect from a heat pump installer
Potential customers need to ask the right questions when choosing a heat pump, as with any other heating technology. Proper installation is essential to achieve the best performance from a heat pump.
- Ask the installer to explain how he or she has determined the appropriate type and size of heat pump for your property. The installer should explain how the heat demand of your property was calculated.
- Make sure the installer explains how the heat pump will work with your existing heating system (including radiators and hot water supply).
- Ask for guidance to operate the heat pump system controls.
- Ask how often you should run the heat pump.
Finally, the Energy Saving Trust recommends that householders speak to one of our advisors before installing a heat pump. Additionally, customers should speak to MCS accredited installers and manufacturers to determine whether a heat pump is a viable option.
Posted in Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) | 3 Comments »
September 8, 2010
The Energy Saving Trust (EST) today published it’s long-awaited report which studied the performance of 83 GSHP and ASHP systems in the UK over at least 12 months. Here is the report.
The EST is an impartial body so we can be pretty sure that their results are presented without ulterior motive. Some of the key findings include:
- There was a wide variation in the performance values
- Air Source Heat Pumps (mid range COP = 2.2) give only slightly worse performance that Ground Source Heat Pumps (mid range COP = 2.3)
- The householders reported good levels of satisfaction with their systems
- The heat pumps reduced energy bills, particularly when replacing oil or LPG
- The more simple installations performed better
- A major cause of poor COP is inappropriate installation in terms of lifestyle and property as well as poor training for users in how to manage the system.
- The best performing GSHPs had a COP of 3.2 (4 out of 54, or 7%)
Interesting snippet: “a heat pump installed in 2010 produces 9% less carbon dioxide than an average gas boiler and 28% less than an average oil boiler do per unit of heat. The potential for carbon savings will increase in future under the UK Government’s plan to decarbonise the electricity grid”.
Posted in Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) | 3 Comments »
July 20, 2010
There’s a very interesting article at http://carbonlimited.org/2009/08/11/heat-pumps-emit-more-carbon-than-gas-boilers-so-why-will-they-get-the-renewable-heat-incentive/. Basically it says that because electricity from the grid is partly generated by fossil fuel power stations and that getting this electricity to your house is inefficient, the CO2 output is actually greater if you run a GSHP system than if you run a gas boiler. The author then questions why there should be government incentives to install these systems.
This might be true, but if you power your heat pump using solar panels at your property (or buy your electricity from a green-energy-only supplier) then surely this isn’t true in that instance.
Furthermore, electricity has to be the fuel of the future (as fossil fuels run out, energy has to be sourced more and more from renewable facilities which means electricity) so it must be a good thing that people are installing these systems now.
Posted in Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) | 2 Comments »
July 8, 2010
Last night I learned about Drain Heat Exchangers – they work just like Ground Source Heat Pumps, but rather than extract heat from sun-warmed earth, they extract it from warm drain water. I need to look into prices and their efficacy, but on the face of it they sound great. We should be able to harvest the drain-water for re-use in the garden, cisterns etc, and also take the heat from it. How cool is that?
Posted in Greywater Harvesting, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) | 1 Comment »
July 7, 2010
Despite popular belief in the UK, China is starting to invest heavily in Green Technologies, understanding that they need to value their environment if they are to remain a sustainable global powerhouse.
For example, in a new suburb of Turpan, electricity will be generated by PV power, heating and cooling will be provided by ground source heat pumps, coupled with natural ventilation and natural light in the buildings.
Addressing climate change and developing a low carbon economy have been included into China’s economic and social development plan. Hu Jintao, President of People’s Republic of China, promised at the United Nations Climate Change Summit that China will be reducing carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 2020. Furthermore, Zhou Shengxian, Minister of Environmental Protection, said “China sets environmental protection as the basic national policy and takes sustainable development as a national strategy so that environmental protection can be transformed”.
Encouraging stuff indeed, let’s hope there’s plenty of action to back it up…
Posted in Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), Solar Panels | 1 Comment »
July 6, 2010
Good grief – we weren’t expecting there to be so much kit that we were going to need to dedicate an entire room to the pumps, tanks and pipes that make up the Ground Source Heat Pump system. Pompidou Centre watch out!!!
Come and have a go...
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July 5, 2010
According to an article in the Telegraph, Prince Charles has installed cutting-edge equipment to heat rooms, and provide hot water, at his Gloucestershire estate. Old Charlie Boy isn’t necessarily the best ambassador for this sort of technology (or anything else for that matter) as he comes across to many like a bit of a twerp, but he’s on the money in this case and it’s great to see someone who can afford it take these sensible steps and lead by example. It reminds me of Heather Mills when the Lib Dems wheeled her out as their celebrity endorsement. What were they thinking??? I wonder if he’ll be eligible for the government’s renewable heat incentive scheme?
Did you like the low energy heating darling?
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July 3, 2010
I received quotes from Ice Energy yesterday for the heating system. Interesting reading – they put plenty of details in which gives some confidence that they know what they’re doing and that they’ve done it before. They’ve recommended 2 heat pumps for some reason which I hope will become clear when I quiz them. The sums are quite eye-watering and I must admit a bit confusing. They price for the kit (pumps, piping, underfloor heating etc) and another price for installation. It’s not clear whether or not this includes digging the trenches for the ground source pipe work, and there are other pieces of work that they expect your main contractors to undertake.
There appear to be grants available (£3k for two heat pumps) as well as what appear to be generous government payments as part of the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI). No doubt there will be schemes to borrow the capital required with government paybacks as your security.
Posted in Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), House Blog, Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) | Leave a Comment »
July 2, 2010
Sweden achieved a 44 percent score for energy production from renewables in 2008, the highest in the EU, according to the Swedish Energy Agency. Biomass, hydro power and wind account for the majority of its clean energy supply. The UK, by comparison achieved 2.3% from renewables (5.5% from green technology, whatever the difference is). Sweden’s target for 2020 is 50% compared with the UK’s 15%. Given our coastline, wind and financial resources (do we still have these???), you’d think the UK could do better.
Posted in Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), Solar Panels, Wind Turbines | Leave a Comment »
June 30, 2010
The idea of insulating the walls has exposed a flaw in the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme: the more energy you require to heat your house, the greater your potential returns (assuming you use a renewable heat source such as GSHP). This is counter-productive, as we should be encouraging home-owners to insulate heavily first. For example, say it costs £10k for me to insulate the walls through internal cladding. This reduces the size of the heat pump required, which means I get less payments from the government, over 23 years, possibly losing me £40k in revenue. If my increase in heating costs is £20k because I chose not to insulate, I’d still be financially better off. Of course, it’s not just about the financials, but it’s what drives most people’s behaviour, so if the government want to see a reduction in energy consumption, they’d do well to revise their ideas.
Posted in Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), House Blog, Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) | Leave a Comment »
June 29, 2010
A brilliant episode of Grand Designs showed a family bring a 12th century castle back to life. At times it seems impossible and I had to hide behind the sofa. The result however is fabulous and a testament to what is possible. One part of the show that had always left me wondering was the Ground Source Heat Pump – how effective had it been for them? Installed throughout, the system was to be used to provide the hot water and heating (there was no gas and they wanted to avoid oil, just like us). I was delighted then to find a video of Francis the owner talk about his experiences of living through 2 winters with the GSHP. Running a bed and breakfast there’s clearly an important demand for decent heating and hot water, and he claimed the GSHP did an admirable job providing these. You can see the video here: http://www.iceenergy.co.uk/hellifield-peel—c4-grand-designs-winner-_238/. This is just the kind of comfort I need before finalizing the heating system…
Hellifield castle uses a GSHP
Posted in Grand Designs, Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), House Blog | 1 Comment »
June 18, 2010
So here’s the dilemma. The house is old, badly insulated and without many options to improve it. Will a GSHP with under-floor heating be sufficient to warm the house in a cold winter? Or should we design in an auxiliary system – a traditional central heating system? There’s no gas in the area, so it would need to be oil presumably which I know is very expensive and rather out of sync with our goal of making an old house as environmentally friendly as possible.
We’d rather not have radiators all over the place, and like the idea of relying solely on GSHP (with the pump powered by our solar panels) but are we going to find ourselves freezing cold? We’ll have a few wood-buring stoves downstairs, so these rooms should be OK. But what about upstairs? My dad’s going to have a go at some sums. Anyone know how we should approach this?
See the oil tank? Alas, it's empty 
Posted in Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), House Blog | 1 Comment »
May 27, 2010
I’ve not heard much about their plans, but I sure hope the new government introduce loads of incentives for people to purchase their green technologies. It’ll support green industries, creating much needed jobs and help reduce our CO2 emissions. Don’t let us down Clegg and Cameron – give us solar panel grants. Give us Ground Source Heat Pump grants. We might even like you then!
Posted in Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), Solar Panels | 2 Comments »
February 5, 2010
A friend’s dad is building a eco friendly house in Farnborough. He has the advantage of doing it from scratch and so he’s got the place extremely well insulated (first rule of eco house building it seems). Anyway, he introduced me to the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme that the government is proposing. Due to launch in April 2011 this guarantees you healthy returns on any investment into renewable heat sources like Ground Source Heat Pumps. Let’s hope the upcoming general election doesn’t result in any changes – this is a great opportunity for the UK to make major in-roads to its CO2 emissions targets.
Posted in Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), Solar Panels, Wind Turbines | 3 Comments »
November 24, 2009
The house I bought is dilapidated and is in a conservation area, and an “Area of Outstanding National Beauty” in South Oxfordshire. It is of red brick construction and was built in the 1830s. The walls are solid brick (no cavity), the windows are single glazed and rotten. There is almost no insulation (though this is academic – there is no heating!). It is south-facing, though has limited south-facing roof area. There’s loads of garden with it.
This Old House - How Can I Reduce Its Impact on the Environment?
As I understand, the main opportunities for me are to install:
- a Ground Source Heat Pump which will provide underfloor heating
- photo-voltaic solar panels
- hot water solar panels
- rain-water harvesting
- as good insulation as possible
- double glazing
Posted in Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), House Blog, Solar Panels, Wind Turbines | Leave a Comment »
October 3, 2009
I’ve started my research into green solutions that we can put in place. I know we’ve not bought it yet but can’t help but get excited and do a bit of dreaming. PV cells, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), insulating like crazy… Exciting times…
Posted in Green Blogs, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), Solar Panels | 2 Comments »
