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Countries all over the world except a few backward ones, backed by their governments are concerned with fossil fuel energy usage and are promoting renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, bio mass generated thermal energy etc. Ireland and other members of EU are in the forefront in this exercise. The simplest and best money saver in the long run is harnessing solar energy for water heating.

Harnessing solar energy 

Harnessing solar energy is done with three different basic methods. viz.

• Passive Method

Using various techniques that harness the sun’s energy just the way it comes for day lighting, visual aesthetic effects, heating, and also insulating and air sealing, shading and landscaping, orientation of building features etc. by the architects (whether new construction or retrofitting).

• Active Method

Active method is mainly dealing with Water Heating for domestic service or space heating. It is one of the most popular methods the world over including Europe for the purpose. The basic technique is the use of a solar collector to entrap solar energy in the medium of water (or occasionally an antifreeze) heat it and use it for a remote space heating or use it for service hot water (after sending through a heat exchanger). 

When solar energy heated water (medium) is used for both applications the system is called a solar combisystem. A system gaining popularity in low energy homes in Ireland is a solar combisystem using air as a medium of thermal energy transfer. The regulated ventilation system and the heat energy collected at the solar collector are transferred to the indoor space to be heated in a single system.

Another newer Innovation uses the collected thermal energy as a source of heat in small capacity heat pumps. 

A solar water heating system if correctly designed and installed, will easily account for 50 – 60% of the space heating requirement of an average Northern European home. 

• Photo Voltaic (PV) systems

A PV Solar system converts sun’s energy rays impinging on it’s semiconductor panels (also called modules) converting them to DC (direct current) electricity. An array or a group of solar modules are either series or parallel connected to obtain the required voltage (generally 600 VDC maximum) and the generated power is conducted to an inverter panel where it is converted to AC electricity at 230 VAC/50hz/single phase.

Where there is no grid power supply close at hand, even in Ireland, stand alone solar PV panels or arrays are used. The electrical power supply thus available at home can be used just the way low voltage grid power supply is used, including water heating, lighting, in appliances etc.

It is interesting to note that it is not necessary at all to have direct sunlight falling on the panels for the conversion of solar energy to electricity. The panels in the Northern hemisphere are always southerly oriented for optimum collection. The generation of electricity is less in the colder seasons (when the least amount of it is needed) and high in the summer (when you require it most).

A “buy back” system is in effect in Ireland now where if your production of AC power is in excess of your needs, you can feed it to the national grid for financial benefits.

According to available statistics in year 2005, there have only been 3500 Irish homes equipped with solar heating system compared to over 5 million EU households, all using free solar energy.

The technology to heat water for domestic or commercial property applications with solar energy is today well developed. The collection of solar thermal energy, heating water with efficiently, storage, distribution, minimizing losses in transit are some processes that have been fine tuned. It is also a process with low contribution to CO2 emissions in the fight against global warming.

Outdated technology

Most of the homes in the developed world still depend on millions of boilers 15 to 20 years old, designed with outdated technology. Designed and built for a bygone era when fuel prices were insignificant and concern for environment was almost nonexistent, today they cost a packet to the owners. The worst part is that they do not have the least inclination how much money they waste due to the inefficiency of the old technology.

Oversized!

To aggravate the situation the heating system is often oversized. It is depressing to note that not only money being wasted but also the systems contribute to the emission of polluting gases.

Can you check this wastage and harm to Environment?

Sure the wastage and the emission of harmful gases can be reduced. Only way however is by;

• Selecting a low temperature heating boiler

• Selecting an outdoor reset control (based on an accurate heat load calculation).

How much can you expect to save with these improvements? It is estimated that up to 30% of your annual heating cost can be saved. Simultaneously a significant reduction in harm to the environment may be achieved ( for an average Northern European home up to 15 Tons of CO2 emissions over a period of 15 years). 

Add a seamless integration type solar system to supplement the Oil fired boiler and your savings on heating fuel costs will increase by a further 60% and the CO2 emissions will reduce by a further 16 Tons approximately.

New Innovations

With the increased cost of fuel prices and also the concern for the conservation of the environment, manufacturers have developed new designs incorporating many innovations to overcome the previously encountered problems. The following is to illustrate such advancements found in Viessmann oil fired boilers, a major stake holder in this sphere.

Viessmann offers two different design series which they call (a) Vitorond 100 and (b) Vitola 200. Both these are low temperature boilers.

Vitorond 100 oil fired boiler

Innovative Heat Exchanger designs

This model incorporates a triple pass heat exchanger which is designed to achieve a higher degree of efficiency. The common single pass heat exchanger design would pass the flue gas through it once. But the three pass heat exchanger of Viessmann Vitorond 100 would send the energy laden flue gas three times through it to extract energy which otherwise would have been just released to the atmosphere as waste. 

Greater Control with electronics for heating efficiency

The common practice with a boiler is to install a easy to use space thermostat. But for better control and extra saving of energy this particular manufacturer has developed their own microprocessor based control system known as Victronic system. In a conventional space heating boiler the temper of water temperature is set at a high temperature by default. One of the outstanding features of the new system is the sensing of outdoor temperature and regulating automatically the optimum indoor temperature by means of boiler water temperature control. Naturally this optimization saves you much on heating bills while making the indoor conditions more comfortable by being precise. In addition, this innovation enables it possible to run boiler at low temperature safely by protecting the heat exchanger from condensation leading to corrosions and numerous other complications. This low temperature feature would significantly contribute to energy saving and environmental protection.

Pressed for space?

The old conventional oil fired boilers and what is commonly available now in the market, are generally not concerned about space saving. They therefore in addition create problems in a retrofit when shifting to location and placing. New designs are however compact and lighter making it possible to negotiate them in narrow corridors and small machine rooms. This in turn would reduce material used and resulting in less CO2 released.

Direct vent designs

Oil fired condensing boilers with direct vent option, do not require a chimney or a combustion air supply which is a great convenience when installing new or retrofit. In addition included are full-swing doors which can have left or right sided hinges installed in combustion chamber and easy to clean flue gas passage ways would make them conveniently accessible for all maintenance work.

It is worthwhile studying Viessmann model Vitola 200 designed 40 years ago and of which there are over 2 million boilers are still in use all over the world. Don’t miss part 2 of this article that will follow.

Is the rain fall in your area 200 mm per year or more? No other source of water around? Then Rain Water

Harvesting may be your only salvation.

Isn’t there plenty of water around for every one?

Water is the cradle for all forms of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the universe as well for all we know. If your habitat does not meet the above minimum criterion, no way it would sustain life as we know on Earth. Whether it is the mild drizzle or devastating flood, what does it matter if the zillions of litres of water are not retained where it is needed most? The booming world population has brought about a crises where the consumption of water is about to overrun the available limited resources.

The irony of it is that the consumption of water for drinking and hygiene is a drop in the bucket compared to what is wasted for flushing toilets, washing clothes, cars, ponds, artificial fountains and waterfalls, irrigating your garden and lawn etc.

Trouble with utility water supply

Treated water;

Cost tons of money

Utility Authorities will recover it from you with profit. (No doubt the feeling of the dwindling purse is sure to affect your health too).

The more consumers join the procession; lesser water will be left for everyone.

The more litres of raw water needed and treated water produced, more energy will be needed for eg. For pumping water.

More energy spent means more CO2 emitted at the power plant contributing to global warming.

Global warming will lead to Ice (which is fresh water!) Melting at Polar Regions in huge proportions transforming ice to sea water.

All these will only contribute to still more irregular weather patterns (sometimes catastrophic) taking us back to square one searching for water.

All the more reason why you should consider seriously rain water harvesting.

Save rain; save money; save future

Rain water harvesting is the accumulation and storing of rain water. Where the water is in short supply you may find rain water harvesting the only option for your water supply. Rain water after the first rain will be almost potable.

Certainly this will be purer than what most third world inhabitants consume. Ground water recharging, live stock farming, agriculture etc. are large scale uses of harvested rain water. At domestic level all activities except drinking and personal hygiene can utilize harvested rain water.

If hard water is a problem in your area, rain water harvested is an excellent solution. It will lather easily and save soap and detergent. However those who live near refineries, power plants and other industries may find rain water acidic due to contaminant gases released to the environment.

Rain water harvesting is a specialty of King Group CES who may be contacted at callsave 045 838376 for further information.

Oil heaters are made up of metal columns that have hollow holes; the inside is where oil flows freely around. There is a heating element at the bottom that makes the oil hot. This heat flows around the holes inside by means of convection. The heat is collected in a type of heat reservoir that has a fairly high temperature capacity and very high boiling point.

Oil heaters have a way of becoming very hot, but still keeping a low surface temperature. They work by keeping the oil in a liquid phase for a longer time to avoid the use of a high pressure vessel. Oil heating devices are being used less within the home, but there is still a need for them. They tend to be used more for heating a single small room like a bedroom.

Oil heating systems are much easier to manoeuvre than larger devices used for keeping the house warm. Oil burners are used in the bedroom because it is not safe to use gas heating systems. Oil systems are much safer around children as well. However if there are children within the home when a heating system is being used, an adult should always be around.

Many people still use oil heating systems and they will probably be always used. The other good thing about oil burners is that they have a lower surface temperature. However the most popular heating devices used today are called pressure burners.

Wherever there are heaters being used where children live in the home then an adult should be present. Extreme caution must be taken to avoid burns that can happen very easily. However when the winter comes around we all have a need to be warmer and the only way of doing this is by having proper heating.

Some people prefer to use gas central heating, whilst others prefer to have a smaller device that they use to warm smaller rooms. It might work out cheaper in some cases to heat a room with a smaller device, but it should be noted that the rest of the home would be cold. When central heating is used then the whole house gets heated but this can be costly and might not be efficient when only one room is used.

solar power is becoming much more popular today and it is now realistic to install solar power within your home. Many people have a solar panel installed within their home. Some people have a need to keep warm outside, especially if they work outside. They might chops logs for a fire to keep themselves warm.

Masonry cavity walls in existing or new constructions can be easily filled with blown in glass mineral wool fibres, polystyrene beads or polyurethane foam. While all material have their advantages, glass mineral wool fibre is one of the most popular still among users and builders of homes. One reason may be that the insulation material is a non petroleum byproduct and therefore more eco friendly.

The popular construction method with dual walls in the envelope is wide spread in the dwellings in the northern hemisphere. Ironically most existing buildings are devoid of any insulation except for the air gap. Where ever there is insulation, the cheap material could have settled down losing it’s efficacy or else perished due to moisture and vermin. With the skyrocketed energy prices you would have been paying unnecessarily for your home heating

all these years unknowingly due to this. With the EU directives for energy rating of homes such as BER system of Ireland it has now become essential to have retrofitted (or new) cavity wall insulation in existing and new houses.

While cavity wall insulation can be applied in slabs or batts with excellent door and window seals, none is convenient and time saving as the blown-in insulation.

Equipment used and method

The cavity wall insulation of glass mineral fibre is fed into a purpose made blowing machine and injected in to the cavity under high air pressure through a flexible hose fitted with a tapered nozzle. Evenly distributed holes of size 22mm to 25mm dia will be drilled through the outer wall first to gauge the condition and properties of the existing insulation (in a retrofit).These same holes will be subsequently used for the new insulation fill.

A built in pressure transducer will sense the density and compactness of the fill to the desired settings and cut off the flow of insulation fibre and the pressurized air flow accordingly.

An important requirement is to carry out a survey before everything else and to determine the Insulation status (if any), position of flues, air vents, etc. Critical ventilation inlet/outlets such as those providing combustion oxygen or under floor ventilation, and all flues that run in the cavity wall, need to be checked and sleeves provided or else redesigned to prevent obstruction by the insulation being blown in.

An approved cavity barrier is inserted as necessary to isolate terraced or semi-detached properties and also to close all open cavities. A pattern of 22 or 25mm diameter holes are drilled in accordance with the approved code of practice as mentioned earlier. 

In new constructions, holes are generally drilled through the inner leaf (wall) to the cavity and the insulation blown in, prior to plastering. In existing buildings, holes are generally drilled through the mortar joints in the external leaf and are made good with mortar and finished to match the existing finish.

Exercise caution

A cavity wall insulation should not be considered a DIY project unless you yourself are a skilled person. In Ireland there are expert contractors who are registered with the authority SEAI (eg. Kinggroup.ie etc.) who can be employed for such projects. There are several grants for retrofits while a BER is mandatory for your new buildings. If you are keen on obtaining any of these a contractor listed with SEAI is a must.

Is it really possible to learn how to make a solar panel at home? Discover secrets that you should find out before you make home made solar panels.

Before you get started and take a trip to your garage and attempt to make a solar panel at home it is essential to discover how solar energy functions.

solar power is generated by the suns energy and makes electricity most people know, however there are essential details to ascertain to gain a full understanding to how solar energy functions.

The system of solar energy is pretty straight forward to understand, it is just a question of harnessing the suns power and accumulating it into batteries that are rechargeable.

Converting power from DC to AC is a process that has to be completed in order to use solar power for our electrical appliances. The explanation is that home appliances function on alternating currant referred to AC power.

Let's look first at the appliances that we use on a daily basis. Freezers, fridges, washing machines, dishwashers, cookers all function on AC power.

The truth is it is possible to purchase appliances that are designed to run on solar energy. If you choose this option then the cost of replacing all your appliances in your home can prove to be expensive at first.

When we contemplate the possibility of solar power it is a long term investment; the mere fact that solar cookers provide a free energy source, and are maintenance free is why after the initial outlay this can be financially appealing.

The facts are you can have similar benefits on a solar oven as you can on a normal oven. It is possible to bake, roast, and steam food just like a conventional cooker but it does take more time. When you consider the positive and negative points of view there are defiantly more positives, the savings you can make on your electric bill can be quite substantial is the obvious one.

The use of solar power is here to stay but it is still in the early stages of development. In the last five years or thereabouts a considerable amount of products have arrived on the market place for instance: mobile phones, radios, flat screen television just to name a few.

The facts are solar power is going to be our future energy source that cannot be denied. Numerous folks are discovering how to make a solar panel at home and the general point of view is, it is a fairly simple task.

The many do it your self experts say it is just question of discovering a few simple techniques. Discovering techniques to how to solder and attach the panels. Calculating how much power a single solar panel is able to generate. The process of making stringers, these are just a few simple techniques that many people are learning when they want to make homemade solar panels.

Surprisingly enough many folks are converting their homes using solar energy even in locations in the world where the sunlight is limited for example, the UK and parts of Europe.

The facts are the moment we discover the procedure of utilizing the power of the sun we will always have a source of energy. The benefits are fantastic due to the incredible savings we can achieve on our electric bills plus we are saving our environment along the way.