How do I know which Renewable energy option to choose?
Heat pumps rely on the efficiency of the heat emitters as they need to work on lower flow temperatures. Underfloor heating (UFH) is by far the best option as a partner for your heat pump. However, radiators can also be used – and will just need to be sized correctly in order to deliver the right amount of heat to the rooms (or rooms) at a lower temperature.
Biomass boilers work on a higher flow temperature than Ground or Air source heat pumps, therefore many radiator layouts and sizes will be adequate without the need to change them.
With this information in mind which you choose may be dependent on whether you are looking at options for an existing property or new build (including a large extension). The other factor you may need to take into consideration is your budget, as the upfront costs of installing a heat pump or biomass boiler are likely to be higher than for a traditional heating system using gas, oil or LPG.
Can I consider heating my home with renewable energy if I am on a tight budget?
Residents living in the UK currently have the option to consider any of these products and save money on the installations, because they are available through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme – the scheme is a government funded programme which subsidises the cost to install through regular payments over 7 years.
This is a great way to assist in paying towards your renewables installation but a lot of companies will sell the financial savings of your product based on the RHI subsidy and offset that total against the true running cost of your system. We believe this distorts the actual running costs to the client.
It’s our opinion that the RHI tariff is not therefore a permanent solution, but more of an opportunity to kick start the industry and lower the cost of the products as time moves on. So we’d recommend you look carefully at the savings figures and understand what they really mean, in terms of true savings, before committing to an installation paid for on the RHI scheme.
Although this scheme is incredibly helpful to those on a budget, the key to choosing the right product is not what the Government will pay you but more importantly what better suits your property both in product and design.
The design of your renewable energy heating system is key
An area often overlooked when planning a heating system run by a renewable heat source is the flow rates. Depending on the size of the building (your home), and whether using under floor heating (UFH) or radiators, flow rates are key to the system running efficiently and effectively. The failure to understand the importance of flow rates has played a major part in the bad publicity of renewable energy in the home, with a number of poor installations and unhappy customers being highlighted.
AIR SOURCE HEATING – Recommended by Clarity Heating
Other options available:
GROUND SOURCE HEATING
BIOMASS SOURCE HEATING
