Coefficient of Performance and Seasonal Performance Factor

    February 28, 2014

When it comes to researching heat pumps, you will come across two terms constantly that you need to understand – Coefficient of Performance (often abbreviated to CoP) and Seasonal Performance Factor (abbreviated to SPF).

Understanding what these terms mean is absolutely key, since they reveal the efficiency of a heat pump. Obviously the more efficient the heat pump the better, since running costs will be lower, but also these values will have a direct impact on the amount you will receive via the renewable heat incentive!

The Coefficient of Performance of Heat Pumps

The Coefficient of Performance is a simple ratio of the heating provided by a heat pump to the electricity consumed.

In a heat pump, electricity is used to move heat from a cold reservoir to a hot reservoir in a very efficient way. How efficient? Where an electric heater converts 1kW of electricity into 1kW of heat, a heat pump converts that 1kW of electricity into 3 or 4 kW of heat.

It is easy to think that this is defying the laws of thermodynamics, but of course the heat from the pump is not being generated, it is simply being shipped from outside the property into the inside. The warmer the external heat source, the better, since there is less electricity required to get it up to a nice temperature.

The Coefficient of Performance therefore varies throughout the year – in the winter months, an air source heat pump will require more electricity to get the heat up to a comfortable temperature so the CoP will be relatively low (perhaps 2.5). In the summer the opposite is true; since the external temperature of the air is warm already, the heat pump doesn’t require much electricity to get the heat pump up to a nice temperature, so the CoP might be as high as 4 or more.

Now consider a Ground Source heat pump, this takes advantage of heat in the ground and uses a series of buried pipes to absorb the heat. Since the ground temperature has very little variation over the year, the CoP will likewise be relatively consistent.

Hopefully you can spot a problem with using CoP as the sole measure of heat pump efficiency – since there is massive seasonal variation we need a means of getting an average efficiency of the heat pump over a year, to be able to compare different heat pumps.

The Seasonal Performance Factor of Heat Pumps

As we have said, the temperature of the ground or air being used by the heat pump plays a key role in the system’s efficiency. The seasonal performance factor takes into account how well the pump works at both low and high temperatures, and is a far better reflector of how efficient your pump will be than the CoP.

It allows you to make calculations between different ground, air and even water source heat pumps, which is pretty fundamental since the variation in costs between the different units. For example we quote a guide price of £25,000 for a ground source heat pump, while an air source heat pump is far cheaper at just under £10,000. The SPF of a ground source heat pump could be as high as 4 over the year, while the SPF of an ASHP may be only just over the 2.5 mark. Depending on energy usage, this means that relatively quickly, opting for a GSHP could be a better decision based on energy savings.

Likewise, if you look at the calculation for the Renewable Heat Incentive – it takes into account the SPF, rewarding a heat pump that is more efficient through higher payments. You can see how to calculate the RHI here.

Good CoP, Bad CoP

As we have seen, the performance of a heat pump can vary wildly depending on a number of factors, but generally speaking ground source heat pumps can regularly be found on the market with a COP greater than 4. Air source heat pumps tend to be less efficient, and a COP over 3 is considered good. Comparing different air source heat pumps, it is worth bearing in mind that a heat pump with a higher CoP / SPF will cost more, and the same is true when comparing ground source heat pumps with one another.

    How to run your storage heaters efficiently using Economy 7

    February 26, 2014

[Update: As nuclear and coal stations are wound down in the UK, this could mean the death of the Economy 7 tariff. This would mean storage heaters becoming more expensive to run, and as such we no longer recommend people install new storage heaters. Read our latest advice here under ‘The future of storage heaters’.]

Economy 7 and storage heaters

To make the most of a storage heater, you need to be on an Economy 7 tariff. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know how to best utilise this and end up charging their heaters at the wrong time.

The easiest way to understand storage heaters is to visualise them as a big rechargeable battery; they require charging prior to discharging the energy contained within them. With Economy 7 tariffs, the electricity is supplied to your home at two rates: expensive ‘peak-time’ electricity and cheap ‘off-peak’ electricity. The cheapest way to ‘recharge’ the storage heater would be to do so using the cheap ‘off-peak’ electricity, but it just so happens that this is only available during the middle of the night – usually from 12 until 7 in the morning.

If you charge the storage heater during the middle of the day then you will be charged the peak rate and this quickly becomes a very expensive way to heat the home.

Will storage heaters leak heat?

Unlike a battery that will retain a lot of its charge until required, the storage heater will begin to leak heat almost immediately. Obviously the longer the storage heater can retain the heat, the more useful it is, and therefore companies will make you pay more for these products.

As a rule of thumb though, a storage heater will lose the majority of its stored heat over a 12 hour period. This means that if you get in from work at 7pm, the majority of useful heat will already have dissipated into the home – so the storage heater will not provide you with the temperature uplift you would expect from a traditional heating system.

Obviously this can be mitigated to a certain extent by having a really well insulated house, since the heat can’t escape the property. However any solid brick or uninsulated cavity wall home is going to struggle.

How to set up your storage heater controls

Most storage heaters have 2 key controls:

  1. Power switches – this determines whether you are using off-peak on peak electricity to charge the storage heater (remember off-peak is considerably cheaper!)
  2. Input and output controls – the input control determines how much electricity the storage heater will use to charge (and therefore the amount of available heat once the storage heater is charged). The output control controls the rate at which the storage heater emits heat into the room.

In terms of running the storage heaters in the most effective (and cheapest) manner possible, the first thing to ensure is that you don’t use the peak electricity power switch unless absolutely necessary – obviously you don’t want to get cold, but try to avoid using this unless in the middle of the winter when you need a heating boost. The idea is to make sure the storage heater only charges during off-peak hours.

During the winter you will want to set the input control to the maximum – this will allow the most charging power to the storage heater. In the summer you may get away with turning the input control right down (or even off), since you won’t need much heat for the home.

Obviously turning the output control right up will mean that the storage heater does all its heating very early in the morning, so not ideal if you want to be warm in the evenings. If you do get a new storage heater it should retain the heat until mid/late afternoon – it is then that you should turn up the output, so the house warms for when you get home.

Make sure you turn the output to zero when you are not at home or when you go to bed – there is no point releasing the heat as the storage heater charges, since this means that it won’t have any ‘charge’ for when you need it – instead, it will function more as an electric radiator.

Solar PV and Storage Heaters

Some people ask if it is worth running their storage heaters from electricity generated by solar PV. The answer to this is actually not as straightforward as you would think.

Firstly, you generally use more heating during the winter, at a time when your panels are not producing as much electricity as in the summer. Storage heaters require a lot of electricity, and if you had them on all day during the winter, rather than at night, the additional peak rate grid electricity you would need to supplement the solar panels would be prohibitive, unless you had a really big 10kW+ system (40 panels).

Solar PV Optimisers and Storage Heaters

Having said that, there are ways you can make solar and storage heaters work for you. Technology like the Apollo Gem or the Optimmersion work by utilising all the leftover unused energy generated by your solar system that would otherwise go back to the grid.

Typically this is used to heat your water, but there is no reason why you cannot connect this up to your storage heaters. It won’t be enough to meet all your heating needs, and you will still need a charging cycle at night, but you could use it to top up your heating during the day, and ensure that you have some useful heat still left when you get home in the evening.

Installing storage heaters

Need new storage heaters? We have scoured the country for the best tradespeople, so that we can make sure we only recommend those we really trust.

If you would like us to find you a local installer for storage heaters, just fill in the form below and we will be in touch shortly!


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      Is the Green Deal Worth It?

      February 24, 2014

    UPDATE: As of 30 March 2016, the government has stopped funding and the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund is closed to new applications. You can read about it here

    When the Green Deal launched in early 2013, it had set the ambition of being the biggest retrofit buildings programme since World War Two; however the recently released Green Deal take-up figures from the Government have shown that thus far, this is definitely not the case!

    Will then, the Green Deal be a bit of a damp squib and be confined to the dustpan of legislation programmes or is the sluggish start just like a longish runway before eventual take-off?

    In this blog we explore some of the most typical questions that consumers are interested in when it comes to this programme and we provide our own view of how we have seen the programme roll-out over the last year or so.

    Is the Green Deal Free?

    One of the criticisms of the Green Deal is the initial cost of getting an assessment. Unfortunately, getting independent advice from a company not aligned with a Provider is going to cost you money. There is no government money towards getting a free or cheaper assessment.

    Some customers who fall into certain benefit groups and those in certain postcodes, who have clear need of ECO funding towards a measure such as cavity or loft insulation, or a new boiler, could get a free assessment as part of this process, but it does not apply to everyone. You can give us a call or an email if you think you may qualify for a free assessment in this way.

    So is the Green Deal worth it?

    Having said that there is a cost involved, we think the cost of the assessment should be seen as more of an investment. Chances are you will find out about measures you can install or little things you could do that will save you many times the assessment cost in the long run. We find that customers who approach the assessment as a learning and fact finding experience get more out of their assessment. Just make sure you ask lots of questions when you meet your assessor. If they don’t know the answer, they will find out for you.

    Is the Green Deal Interest Free?

    No. There is a fixed interest rate attached of around 7-8% APR. This means that if you can afford to pay for the work up front, it will be cheaper for you in the long run. If you can’t however, the Green Deal is a one way of securing the funding before getting the work completed.

    Where can I find Providers?

    We are obligated to direct you to the Green Deal Orb, which has a list of all accredited providers, installers and assessing organisations. Unfortunately, the way the scheme works means that many companies claim to be nationwide, or say they can install any measure, because it allows them to generate leads that they can sell on.

    Want the full Green Deal, from assessment to installation?

    Book an assessment with TheGreenAge today

    This means that the providers that really do offer what you need can be tricky to find. We recommend that you ask your assessor for several local Green Deal Providers you can contact – as this can really expedite the process and ensure that the companies you are contacting really do offer the service they claim they do.

    Why can’t I Find a Company that does the energy efficiency measure that I want on the Green Deal?

    Many Green Deal Providers tend to focus on a few key measures that they can deliver, like wall insulation, or boilers. That is why it is worth ringing around to find a Provider that can help you. Unfortunately, there are some areas of the country and some measures which are as yet not covered by the Green Deal – it is really worth asking your assessor what measures are currently covered in your area and what you may have to get done privately.

    If you are after something specific, it is really worth trying to find a provider that will do the work before you go for your assessment.

    The Green Deal Favours certain Technologies

    The Green Deal is great for more cost effective measures (for example loft insulation), since it has a low initial install cost and creates big yearly energy savings.

    When we get customers ringing who are looking for something like double glazing that is not really cost effective (savings are minimal and the cost of installation is high), we will normally advise them the Green Deal may not be for them – since the amount of finance they will have access to will be negligible.

    A good Green Deal Advisor Organisation (and we include ourselves here) should give you an honest appraisal over the phone – if they promise you the earth, it is often to good to be true!

    Is it true that Green Deal cashback is set to finish in early 2014?

    The Green Deal cashback scheme is not finished yet! The government recently announced that the cashback scheme would accept applications for cashback until at least June 2014, so there is still plenty of time to take advantage.

    Be aware however, some providers are not setup to do Green Deal Cashback. It is really worth finding a Provider that does, because you can get paid up to £1,000 for installing some measures.

    The Government also announced the amount of cashback available under the Green Deal has increased – you can find more out on this here.

    Any other questions about the Green Deal?

    If you have any questions about the Green Deal, Energy Efficiency or Self Generation, please do get in touch on 0208 144 0897 or mailbox@thegreenage.co.uk.

     

      How Do I Apply for The GDHIF Cash Back

      February 20, 2014

    The Cashback scheme for the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, GDHIF, is a great way to help reduce the cost of important energy efficiency measures for your property. The process can be a little confusing though, so we have come up with a step-by-step guide as to how to go about obtaining that useful cash bonus.

    If you haven’t heard about the Cashback scheme already, it is a government incentive that is aimed at rewarding people who install energy efficient measures like boilers, insulation and windows. These measures have to be done through a Green Deal approved installer, after a Green Deal assessment has been done on your property. On the whole, a homeowner is entitled to £1,250 worth of Green Deal Cashback for the dual measured approach (although solid wall insulation has its own amount). Please check the latest blog for information on cash back amounts.

    How to Apply for Green Deal Home Improvement Fund Cashback

    There are numerous steps involved before getting your hands on the Green Deal cashback and these are detailed below.

    Step 1

    The first step is to get a Green Deal assessment – TheGreenAge carry out Green Deal assessments across London with prices starting at £110 (exclusive of VAT), you can book an assessment directly by clicking here or calling us on 0208 144 0897. Alternatively you can use an EPC. However, seen as you get £100 back from the green deal assessment if you end up getting the GDHIF, you may as well go for the green deal assessment.

    Step 2

    Look at the Green Deal Report (provided by your assessor), and decide exactly which measures you are interested in installing.

    Step 3

    Once you have got the quotes from the Green Deal installers, who are PAS2030 qualified and you are happy that you want to commence with the install, you need to fill in an online application form – it is really important that this is done prior to any work being done, otherwise you won’t be able to claim the Green Deal cashback.

    The online application form can be accessed by clicking here.

     

     

    Step 4

    All you need to do is select the relevant measures, or measure if it is solid wall insulation, and select the installer from the drop down menu. Don’t worry, you can change installer after you get the voucher if needs be, and getting the voucher doesn’t mean that you are obliged to get the work done.

    Step 5

    After you get the work done, simply follow a link sent with the original voucher and upload all documents.

      Should I get a wood burning stove?

      February 19, 2014

    Wood burning stoves have become incredibly popular over the last few years, and it’s easy to see why. With spiralling energy costs, people are really keen to find ways to save money and not only do wood burners save money, they also make a great looking feature in a room and as a result have become very desirable for many households in the UK.

    Whilst stoves can be used as an alternative for the main heating system in a home, they really are an excellent supplementary system. In cold periods when the central heating isn’t enough, or you don’t want to turn it on full blast, the stove can be used as a supplement, and this proves particularly cost-effective compared to the cost of electric room heaters.

    How much do wood burning stoves cost?

    A typical stove will set you back around £700-£1,500, depending on the model. If you include installation costs – preparing the chimney and installing the stove, this figure can double. So they aren’t necessarily a cheap piece of kit. Even so, you could potentially see a return on investment in just 5 years.

    Why install a wood burning stove

    People in the UK tend to spend most of their time in one room – the living room, and as such a lot of the heating costs are focused here. Therefore, if you can use a cheaper form of heating in just this location, then the costs of the central heating and additional heating should fall considerably.

    How much cheaper is it? Well the cost of wood logs is obviously variable, depending on your source and where you live. Some people have access to free wood from gardens and the local area, which is fantastic – this essentially means once you have installed the wood burner, you can heat your home for free.

    The majority of people will not be so fortunate though, having to source seasoned logs from suppliers and typically the cost of this works out about 4p / kWh (therefore in line with gas central heating systems).

    If you are using electricity to heat your home, getting a wood burner is a lot cheaper – so it really is a no brainer if you have somewhere to put it! Remember electricity costs 15p / kWh, so installing a word burner, with fuel costs of just 4p / kWh is about 3-4 times cheaper.

    The other thing to consider is that a wood burner is a carbon neutral way to heat the home. While the tree grows it absorbs the carbon dioxide, which it then uses for growth. When the tree is burnt, it releases this carbon dioxide – so the whole process means there is no net increase in the amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere, thus wood burning stoves are considered to be environmentally friendly.

    Does a stove fan increase the efficiency of a wood burning stove?

    Yes, stove fans are a great way to get the most out of your stove. They sit on top of the stove and move the hot air around the room, which would otherwise rise up to the ceiling.

    >>> READ OUR REVIEW OF THE VALIANT 4 BLADE PREMIAIR STOVE FAN <<<

    Stove fans do not require any power to run, as they utilise the temperature of the stove to power a motor which in turn circulates the air.

    Seasoned or unseasoned wood?

    Wood used in a wood burning stove needs to be seasoned, which effectively means it needs to be dried. Freshly chopped wood has a moisture content of between 30 – 60%, while properly seasoned wood has a moisture content of less than 20%.

    Seasoning wood for log burner

    Burning unseasoned wood means that much of the energy released is devoted to evaporating this moisture. In dry, seasoned wood this is not the case, and as a rule of thumb for every 1% of moisture lost, there is a 1% increase in useful heat obtained from the wood. In addition, since so much energy is required to evaporate the moisture when unseasoned wood is burnt, true combustion is inhibited, meaning the resulting combustion gases contain more particles which can settle on the flue or chimney stack potentially leading to chimney fires.

    Leaving wood to dry, or buying wood that is already seasoned is a must.

    You can buy unseasoned wood a lot cheaper than seasoned, so if you have the ability to season yourself, it could make for a really cheap way to heat your room. For this though you will need a decent sized store or woodshed – something you could put in your garden.

    Can I use a wood burner in a Smoke Free zone like London?

    The Clean Air Act limits what can be burnt in some areas of the country. This does not mean you don’t have options though. There is a DEFRA approved list of stoves that qualify as ‘cleanburn’ stoves. This means that you can use them in a Smoke Free zone. Unfortunately the cost of these burners is much higher, and they typically retail around £2,000. Some stoves can also be modified to meet the DEFRA guidelines, but we recommend speaking to the manufacturer to make sure this is the case before investing.

    The alternative is to use alternative smokeless fuels rather than logs. This will obviously be more expensive, but still cheaper than using electric heating, so could be a viable option for some homes.

    Is there any funding?

    Unfortunately there is no funding available for wood burning stoves (biomass boilers on the other hand are part of the Renewable Heat Incentive, and offer a very attractive return on investment).

    Biomass Boilers or Wood Burning Stoves?

    Firstly, let me point out the difference between the two. Wood burning stoves simply burn wood and heat the room as a result. They generally only heat one room. Biomass boilers burn the wood (or other forms of biomass) and use this to heat water, which can form part of a central heating system and be used for hot water.

    Biomass boilers are much more expensive, but are eligible for the RHI payments from the government and are a great option for some properties looking for a new heating system.

     


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        What is a Passivhaus?

        February 17, 2014

      Put simply, a Passivhaus is one that is extremely well insulated, and uses superior design to maximise the efficiency of the property. They typically use just a fraction of the heating of the average home to stay warm.

      To maintain a constant temperature in a property, you need to ensure that heat entering the property via sunlight (solar gain) or transmitted with the heating system, is equal to the heat leaving the property, (usually via the loft, walls, floors and draughts).

      So of course, if there is less heat leaving the property, then less will be required to maintain the temperature. But Passivhaus ideas are not just about increasing efficiency; they are also about using natural light and ventilation to create a more comfortable property. A super insulated and draught proofed home can actually be very stuffy and not that pleasant. A Passivhaus uses ventilation in combination with heat recovery systems to ensure a well ventilated but also a super-efficient property.

      How does this compare with the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH)?

      All new build properties in the UK must meet a certain code for sustainability (even those properties qualifying as Passivhaus), typically level 3 on the CSH scale. Passivhaus has much higher standards than this in terms of energy efficiency, but it does not consider sustainability of the materials used, longevity, or carbon emissions.

      This is one of the main criticisms of the Passivhaus ideal, that it takes a very narrow view of a home and energy efficiency. Of course, as all homes must be built to the CSH code anyway, it may be a slightly moot point. If you want to add a solar system to meet the CSH code, you can. If you want to use a sustainable source for your building materials, you can. The standard simply underpins the efficiency of the property.

      The new Level 6 CSH code that is expected to become mandatory in 2018 will move even further towards ultra-energy efficient properties like Passivhaus, as well as include other demanding sustainability requirements. CSH however, does not consider air tightness and thermal comfort in the same way as Passivhaus, (CSH uses SAP methodology, which tends to excludes some aspects of air tightness and the building fabric) so there is definitely something to be said for the Passivhaus standard.

      Do you need to heat a Passivhaus?

      Most Passivhaus properties do not have a conventional heating system. The heat demand of the property is so low that it is not necessary. The best properties take advantage of the heat given off by appliances, lighting, and even the human body, to help minimise any heating that is required. Usually a small air heating unit or heat pump is used to provide heating during the coldest parts of the year, but this is absolutely minimal.

      What materials are used in a Passivhaus?

      Triple glazing comes as standard, whilst highly energy efficient composite doors are also used. There is a big focus on natural light, meaning that large glass windows and walls are often used. Every aspect of the property, from design onwards, focuses on efficiency – something that is not normally seen with British properties.

      How much does a Passivhaus cost, and how much will I save?

      There are around 30,000 Passivhaus properties around the world, including both new build and retrofitted properties. And whilst they can be more expensive than a normal home, they also offer a level of unprecedented comfort. They should save you lots of money on heating as well – if a typical modern home costs £100 a month to heat, a similarly sized Passivhaus should cost £10. You can see that initial costs to construct will probably be recovered through the savings in heating costs.

      So how much more does a Passivhaus cost?

      The general consensus is that they cost around 20% more as a new build project compared to a standard construction property. Retrofit costs will vary depending on the initial construction. You must remember to factor in accreditation costs and testing and evidence gathering, which could add up to several thousand pounds.

      Going on to build a Passivhaus can really be worthwhile however; as the added comfort and savings will be experienced for years to come. In addition, looking at energy prices over the past 10 years or so, that have risen on average 10% per year, you would think that energy prices will follow a similar trend going forward, therefore the yearly savings should be considerably larger even in the near future.

      Lifestyle is important too

      It is important to note that whilst Passivhaus will cut heating costs drastically, it will not in itself cut appliance use. Behaviour plays a very important role in cutting energy use, and only so much can be technologically based.

        Consider insulating your home before installing a heat pump!

        February 13, 2014

      A well insulated house is key prior to installing a heat pump

      With the launch of the renewable heat incentive fast approaching, we are getting more and more interest in heat pumps.

      Put simply a heat pump works by transferring heat from an (external) air or ground source into the home. There is no fuel burnt in a heat pump and therefore the efficiency losses in operating this technology are relatively small.

      How does a heat pump work?

      The science behind heat pumps is pretty similar regardless of whether the heat comes from the ambient air, the ground or even a water source. In the first instance a refrigerant liquid contained in the pump’s pipes is heated up by the heat source (even just be a few degrees), which causes it to evaporate and turn into a vapour.

      This vapour is then fed through a compressor, which further drives up the temperature. This then travels through a heat exchanger, which transfers the heat from the refrigerant to water in the home. This heated water can then be used in the home for heating and hot water.

      Water temperature versus traditional heating systems

      In a traditional central heating system the water is heated when gas is burnt, which can very easily create boiling water, hence radiators can feel scalding to touch and showers can be too hot to stand under.

      Conversely the majority of heat pumps currently in the marketplace are best suited for low temperature systems – so for example underfloor heating – 30-450c and radiators that operate at a maximum 550c.

      In the case of ground source heat pumps, where the temperature under the ground is relatively consistent all year round, this is really no problem – the hot water can be produced to 550c even in the middle of winter at relatively high efficiency.

      For an ASHP, where air temperature varies, this creates a problem. In the middle of the winter when the most heat is needed in the home, the Air Source Heat pump will have to be working very hard to get the water up to temperature – in fact, at this time of year, the Coefficient of Performance (CoP) of an ASHP in the winter can be less than 2, that means that for every one unit of electricity put in to power the heat pump you are getting 2 units of useful heat (an 85% efficient gas boiler has an equivalent CoP of 0.85, but gas is a quarter of the price).

      The Key to getting the best out of a heat pump is a well-insulated house

      This is a pretty simple idea, but essentially since a heat pump is going to be working at a low temperature, before you even consider installing one, you need to address the state of the insulation in the home.  Basically you need to improve it so the heat loss through the walls, roof and floor is minimised, therefore the fact the home is heated to a lower temperature is no issue.

      Loft insulation is a pretty easy one to get started with – ideally you are looking to install 270mm of wool insulation in the loft to get the required u-value of 0.16W/m2k. As a DIY job, this should cost you about £5.50 per m2, but getting someone in to do this could cost between £9.00 and £15.00 per m2.

      Cavity wall insulation – if you home was built since 1935, chances are it will have cavity walls, which are really easy to insulate – they simply drill into the walls and inject them with insulation – this will require professional installation, but should cost approximately £8.00 per m2 of wall.

      Solid walls are more problematic; homes with this type of wall construction need to be clad on the outside with insulation or have the insulation attached inside. This is a costly procedure and may cost upwards of £15,000. There is financial assistance to get this type of property insulated in the form of the ECO grant and also you can use Green Deal finance and the (early adoption cashback) to cover the costs of this.

      Most new homes built since the late 90’s will already have more than adequate insulation, therefore a heat pump becomes an easy decision since these homes will retain the heat much better and be much better suited to low temperature heating systems.

      Final Points to remember on heat pumps!

      Below we have listed a few take home messages from this blog.

      If you are based in London and want to get a heat pump installed, we can help you through the process to ensure that you get a quality system installed by an MCS installer, as well as all the necessary documentation to get your hands on the Renewable Heat Incentive, so if you would like to know more, call us on 0208 144 0897.


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          Is shale gas the right answer for the UK Economy?

          February 12, 2014

        Shale gas and the ‘potential’ it has to drive a new energy revolution in the UK has once again been dominating the news headlines in recent weeks. The process of ‘fracking’, which is the drilling for gas trapped inside rocks deep in the ground, has been championed by No.10 and the Treasury.

        The PR drive has been based on the fact that shale gas will push a big reduction in the amount you and I are paying for our energy. However, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne speaking at the Economic Affairs committee, admitted that this actually is probably not going to be the case.

        What did George Osborne say about fracking?

        For the first time, he admitted that the reduction in energy prices for consumers had been overplayed – instead the reason for the ‘Shale Push’ is actually all do to with economic growth, job creation and perhaps most importantly higher tax receipts.

        So bearing in mind there was uproar in the autumn when the ‘Big Six’ energy companies announced their price rises, why is fracking still so high on the Government’s agenda. This is while the role of renewables and energy efficiency, which both have a genuine role to play on lowering peoples bills, have taken a back seat?

        In this blog we are going to look at both sides of the fracking coin; the reasons that fracking appears attractive to some, and also the reasons why others feel it should be avoided.

        What are the Reasons for Fracking?

        Fracking has been good for the American Consumer’s Pocket

        Up until now we have looked ‘enviously’ across the pond to the US, which has seen serious energy price decreases take place due to the mass extraction of shale gas.

        These price drops, as much as 40% in some areas of the country, are genuinely helping households get out of fuel poverty. In addition, it has also led to 10,000 jobs being created and has helped lessen the US dependence on fuel imports.

        Shale gas will bring us energy supply to cope with closing power stations

        In the UK, the current peak electrical demand is about 65GW, with the installed capacity at 78GW. However, this installed capacity is due to decrease over the coming years as power plants reach the end of their useful lives and coal power plants shut as a result of an EU directive on emissions.

        Gas power plants can be built relatively quickly, and allow us to cope with spikes in electricity demand. This is because they can be fired up pretty quickly, in response to changing conditions of demand, unlike coal and nuclear power stations.  Shale gas could power these new plants and help reduce our demand on importing fuel from Norway and the Middle East. Since the fuel is coming from inside the UK, fracking could also potentially ensure that we never faced the issue of disrupted gas supply, which will become key in preventing energy blackouts in the future.

        Shale gas output will bring about a tax windfall and help with our balance of trade

        For a number of years the UK has struggled to generate more income as a country than it annually spends on imports. It has commonly been bailed out by inward foreign investment (foreign property investment, etc) and Government deficit spending. This is not sustainable in the long term – however Shale gas has the potential to change this, because once again the UK could become a major exporter of this gas – a bit like when we benefitted from North Sea oil reserves back in the 1980s.

        Fracking technology has moved on leaps and bounds

        Fracking is the process of pumping highly pressurised liquids and chemicals into the ground, so that oil or gas can be released back up to the surface.

        Until relatively recently, fracking would simply not have been technically feasible. However, the vast technological improvements witnessed over the past few years have not only made it possible, but also (at least in the US) economically feasible. It has allowed the exploitation of natural gas from an entirely new source – no longer are we completely reliant on traditional oil wells.

        Fracking is safe

        The technology proponents distance themselves from the previous techniques used decades ago, which were known to pollute local ground water and cause environmental destruction.

        Jobs, Jobs and more Jobs

        Fracking is an entirely new industry here in the UK, so with it will come lots of new jobs, which in a recovering economy can only be a good thing.

        See page 2 for the cons of fracking

        Pages: 1 2

          Review – British Gas Hive Active Heating

          February 7, 2014

        Is British Gas Hive Any Good?

        There have been a lot of adverts on television at the moment regarding Hive – the new Active heating kit from British Gas.

        Included in your Hive Active Heating Kit is a thermostat (wireless), a hub that plugs into your broadband router, and allows you to control the wireless thermostat, and a receiver that gets installed close to the boiler (by a qualified engineer).

        The Hive app, brings this all together allowing households to control their heating from (in theory) anywhere in the world. So if you happen to be out and about and want to get home to a toasty warm house, then you simply log into the software on your phone – both Android and iPhone, and turn up the heating.

        Why is Hive Active Heating necessary?

        When we are talking to customers, a lot of people don’t fully appreciate the need for a thermostat. If you set about insulating your home to the recommended levels, for example 270mm of loft insulation, cavity or solid wall insulation, draught proof the property and put double glazing in, then you could save your self a lot of money on your heating bills.

        The only way you are going to see the savings though is by putting down the heating, otherwise you are going to spend a great deal of money, and your home is just going to get very warm. The whole point of energy efficiency is allowing you to live life the same, but using less energy to do so. So in the home, that means the temperature needs to stay the same as it was prior to installing the insulation and as a result of the insulation, you will need less gas (or other kind of heating) to maintain the temperature.

        A thermostat allows you to do just that, and a wireless thermostat is even better – since you can move it around the home to the most effective place. For example positioning a thermostat in a corridor by the front door means that every time the door opens, cold air will rush into the home and fire up the boiler, when potentially this is just not needed.

        Furthermore, British Gas have enabled homeowners to control this thermostat from anywhere via 3g on their phone and the Hive Active Heating App. This gives the household unprecedented control over the heating of their home.

        Forgot to turn the heating off, just as you arrive at the airport for a two-week holiday?

        No problem! Simply log in, and turn the thermostat down. No more wasting energy unnecessarily.

        How could Hive be improved? Click page 2 below to find out!

        Pages: 1 2

          The First Tidal Lagoon Power Plant in the World!

        The World’s first Tidal Lagoon power plant in Swansea Bay

        Some good news for the renewable energy sector today, with the news that plans have been submitted to produce the world’s first tidal lagoon power plant.

        Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay Ltd are proposing the construction of an £850m, 8.5km u-shaped sea wall located just off Swansea docks.

        Once built (by the end of 2017 if their timelines are met), the tidal lagoon power plant would produce enough electricity to power 120,000 homes in the Swansea area.

        Proposed Tidal Lagoon Power Plant

        Better still, since it is a tidal power plant, the electricity production is 100% predictable – and so for 14 hours every day, the tidal power plant would produce 100% renewable electricity. The predictability of tidal energy is one of its major advantages over more traditional renewable energy sources, for example Wind turbines only produce energy when the wind blows, but tides are predictable decades in advance.

        In fact, it is estimated that 98% of sea level variations are predictable, with the other 2% of unpredictability arising mainly from storms and the odd natural disaster (like an earthquake), therefore the ability to harness 100% clean energy from tides is key to our country becoming less dependant on fossil fuels.

        You can learn more about tidal energy here.

        The Severn Barrage Tidal Power Plant

        I really hope that once built, the Tidal Lagoon power plant in Swansea Bay becomes a blueprint for future larger scale tidal power plants. For years there has been murmurings about the Severn Barrage, and we here at TheGreenAge are really big supporters of this. The potential to produce 5% of the UKs energy in predictable and 100% clean way is not something we should be turning our noses up at.

        I am fully aware that there are some environmental impacts of building such a thing, in terms of birds being forced to feed elsewhere, but surely the benefits outweigh the negatives. I know the project in Swansea has the potential to power 120,000 homes, but the Severn Barrage could power 3,000,000 homes every day!

        Why can’t the Government pick a sensible Infrastructure project!

        As a final point, I just want to have a quick moan at the Government.

        I know they have a tough job, but clearly strapped for cash (we hear about it every day with these austerity measures), they are still willing to fork out £43bn on HS2, a train line that will help shave an hour off a journey to Manchester and just 32 minutes off a trip to Birmingham (I get delayed on my normal commute by half and hour a day and still survive).

        Surely they could redirect this money to projects that are actually going to provide real value – like securing our energy future.

        Hopefully a successful tidal project at Swansea bay will make these kinds of projects more attractive to invest in going forward!

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