Biomass energy means energy generated from burning living or recently living organisms such as wood, as opposed to fossilised organisms (also known as fossil fuels). The energy production process is just the same as with a coal or oil fired power station. Biomass fuel is burned to heat water which creates steam which turns turbines which produces electricity. Its supporters claim that it is an effective way of reducing carbon emissions but are they right?
Solid Wall Insulation – Ins & Outs
There is a lot of media attention around Cavity Walls and the benefits of having Cavity Wall Insulation injected into the cavity gap in a property. It is regarded as one of the biggest energy saving areas that can be undertaken on a property and is the focus of many subsidised schemes and grants around the country.
Global Renewable Energy Trends
Renewable energy has come a long way from the early days, when most people thought global warming was nothing more than scaremongering and when the fossil fuel giants used their power and influence to block research and silence anyone who dared question the feasibility of our continued reliance on oil, gas and coal. Climate change (the new and more accurate term for global warming, and peak oil is now accepted as fact by most if not all governments, even the United States which has traditionally denied any link between carbon emissions and climate change.
How to be a Greener Tourist
Christmas and New Year have come and gone and it’s that time of year when we start to think about booking our summer holidays to give us something to look forward to through the months ahead.
Renewable Technologies: Ground Source Heat Pumps
You might have heard of many of the new green technologies that are starting to become better known in the UK heating systems market. Technologies like Heat Pumps, Solar panels and Renewable fuels promise to help cut not only the reliance on our limited resources of oil and natural gas, but also help to cut the utility bills of the home owner. Are these promises justified? Can the home owner save money by using these new technologies? This article aims to look at one of the most prominent of the new technologies, Ground Source Heat Pumps.
10 Energy Efficiency Tips for Winter
The long, dark days of winter are never far away, which means increased costs for your home. With the average household using more energy in winter than in the warmer months, it’s important to find ways for your family to save money and save energy. With increased daylight, the summer is the perfect time to prepare for the winter.
Desertec Solar Energy Farm
It has long been known that the Sun provides the Earth with far more energy than mankind could ever need. The problem has always been how to harness it. This dilemma was partially solved a number of years ago with the invention of solar panels, collectors which are able to convert energy from the Sun’s rays into electricity.
Feed in Tariff – The Effect on Green Energy Production
The feed in tariff, the scheme under which people who have certain renewable energy systems installed on their homes or businesses are rewarded by being paid for the energy which the systems produce, has recently had its first anniversary. The aim of the scheme was to help Britain meet its carbon emissions reduction target which currently stands at 25% by 2020. So how successful has it been and where will it go in future?
Battery Saving Eco Gadgets
In the UK we throw away around 600 million batteries a year. Just think about that number for a second. That’s enough batteries, the contents of which are of course poisonous, to stretch all the way to Australia! Another way to look at it is it’s around 10 batteries for every man, woman and child in the UK.
Free ways to Save Energy in the Home
There are lots of ways we can all save energy and therefore money around the home. Some cost thousands of pounds, like solar panels, wind turbines or double glazing, some cost a few hundred such as insulation and some, such as DIY draught proofing measures or energy saving lightbulbs, just a few pounds. These are all very well if you have money to spend but is there anything you can do that won’t cost you anything?
The Future of Nuclear Power in the UK
As recently as last October, the former Government gave the go ahead for eight new nuclear power plants to be built at sites in the UK, suggesting that the fear that arrested the development of the nuclear industry in the UK post-Chernobyl had finally subsided.
The use of Personal Solar Panels
Solar power is the cleanest, greenest and most abundant form of alternative available today. A solar panel does not need to be plugged into anything other than a battery and new generations of solar panels, also known as photovoltaic modules, are robust and sturdy.
Guide to Solar Photovoltaic and the Feed-In Tariff
With the introduction of the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) in 2010 you can now get paid generously for generating your own electricity at home using solar photovoltaic (PV). Such a scheme has existed for many years in Germany and has been introduced in the UK to help our government achieve its legally binding target of 15% of energy from renewable sources by 2020.
Measuring Success – EPC Recommendations Explained.
If you have seen a full Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) report you will know that there is more to it than just the multi coloured graph that you see on estate agent’s details. There is a report of several pages detailing more specific information such as the estimated energy use of the building, a summary of the building’s energy performance measures and energy saving advice.
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