An Analysis Of Renewable Energy Courses (UK)
February 24th, 2010
‘Green Energy’ is the use of resources such as wind, tides and geothermal heating to provide us with our everyday energy requirement. They’re all considered naturally able to replenish - and thereby ‘Green’. Often, by going back in time, we can see the value of wind power and windmills as modern energy sources. However, it is the result of eco-efficient and planet friendly options that this process is maintained.
The home can use a range of new ideas to help with energy usage - including Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating Collectors. To gain electricity from roof panels you would need solar electrical panels (PV’s). Biomass Energy is the next phase, and this involves Fuel, Pellets, Stoves and Boilers burning Wood. Then we have the ancient energy of the Sun and the heat that comes from it - now called Ground Source Heat Pumps. Considering items such as Wind Power and Hydro Turbines, we are finally getting to very old forms of energy production.
Solar Energy Systems: Often commonly referred to as Solar Energy, this is primarily captured by two types of solar panels; each of which utilises different technologies for the process. To begin with, we have the concept of drawing energy from the Sun to heat water - known as Solar Water Heating Collectors. Solar Electrical panels or Photovoltaic heat collectors transfer solar radiation into electricity. To get best results these panels need to be situated 30 degrees from the horizontal, on a south facing roof and obviously free from blockages such as trees and buildings.
For the UK, this is often considered the most popular form of ‘Green Energy’. Solar Water heating systems can provide over 50 percent of a household’s hot water requirement during the year. There are two options to fit these items. The first is to get a professional fit and the second is a DIY system, the first will cost around 2-5k and the second between 500 and 1500 pounds.
Biomass Energy Systems - This is a ‘capture all’ phrase which includes all natural materials. e.g. Wood, straw and poultry litter - but nowadays also includes modern ‘Energy Crops’. Considering its ability to produce energy in the form of heat and electricity, this type of energy is extremely flexible. Furthermore, within the European Markets, the UK is one of the central producers of Biomass fuels. It should be borne in mind that the whole process is designed to produce energy without an impact on CO2. Because the system often involves one tree being planted as another is felled, many wood crops are deemed to be sustainable sources.
‘Energy Crops’ trees such as Willow and Poplar play a major part in the process - under the banner of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC). Of equal importance is the production of perennial grasses - because of their yield of dry matter. Equally significant within this practice sit Municipal and Agricultural waste products. As a by-product, Agricultural Waste is simply part of the farming process. However, waste derived from food or wood is another biomass entity - called Municipal Waste.
Geo-Thermal Energy: Both warm water and electricity can be produced as by-products of the natural heating of the Earth by the Sun. Heating or cooling properties in the UK can be achieved using the ground source heat temperature of around 12 degrees centigrade. These heat pumps do need some power to operate; but for every one unit of energy they use, they generate four units of energy in return. Heat source pump energy can go one step further (by gaining a 100 percent return) if the energy to power them comes from items such as wind turbines or solar electrical panels.
Wind Energy: The use of wind as a source of energy has been going on for thousands of years, especially in milling grain and pumping water. 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. To be fair, the UK has the highest level 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. Rather than electricity production running at 2-10 p per kWh, it could be run at 2p per kWh. The financial recovery process takes around 6-9 months.
Within the UK, Hydropower suits the energy generation model. Although new in its approach, the act of harnessing energy from water has been going on for a long time. 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. It is by either water ‘drop-offs’, or Natural River runs, that turbines can work through this process. ‘Micro-Hydro’ however utilises old outdated sluices and dams. Having been reviewed recently, this form of electricity supply could provide 200mW of the UK capacity. Between 200 pounds and 3k per KW of energy output, is a good estimate of the overall cost of a project such as this.
Because of the energy need of the Western World, we are now seeing a rapid rise in ‘Green Energy’. To be fair, the UK domestic market is actually leading the resurgence, with a variety of schemes.
Electrician and Plumbers are thought to be key in providing expertise during domestic installations. Grants and financial aid is also set to increase within the EEC and the UK - as ‘Green Energy’ gets ever higher status. This is a new industry - but getting the right certification can only improve job security and opportunities for the future. Electrical or plumbing training that incorporates green technology could be very useful for the future.
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