Eco friendly bungalows adapt to the green revolution with innovative heat pumps
to overview
A development of bungalows in Emsworth, Hampshire, has deployed the latest green technology from global heat pump manufacturer, Stiebel Eltron.
Churcher Road Development, part of the Hyde Group, is made up of five new build bungalows for the retired and over 55s. Each home has been equipped with a Stiebel Eltron exhaust air heat pump. Heat pumps extract energy from the air, ground or water to produce heat for a property. They were installed to keep heating bills to a minimum for the new residents and create an energy efficient place to live.
South East specification manager Neil Jimpson of Stiebel Eltron explained how the technology works: “The exhaust air heat pumps will extract warm air from the kitchens and bathrooms and utilise the latent air to create heat for hot water, central heating and the under floor heating.”
Tom Savine, of PRS Plumbing of Winchester, which installed the green technology, said: “We are delighted with the unit due to its ease of installation and performance. Stiebel Eltron has provided a lot of support during the development. It has an established track record in the green energy sector so gives the property owner the confidence they need to install the green technology products.”
Mark McManus, managing director of Stiebel Eltron, highlighted the importance of housing associations using green technology.
“Meeting the UK’s 2020 and 2050 carbon reduction targets will require a major contribution from green energy heating,” he said. “Housing associations such as the Hyde Group are a shining example of how to go green in new build developments. The Government’s two new schemes, the Feed-In Tariff and the Renewable Heat Incentive will be a major boost for any property owner or developer wanting to gain a financial return on a green investment. From April 1 property owners who install low carbon electricity technology such as solar panels will be paid for the electricity.” (See background)
Stiebel Eltron will undertake a free energy efficiency report for any property in the UK.
Background
Feed-In Tariff
The Feed-In Tariff (FIT) scheme will pay people for all the renewable power they produce from this April 2010. The scheme guarantees a fixed payment to the user for every unit of renewable energy
generated over a period of 10-25 years. A recent public opinion poll by YouGov showed 70% of UK homeowners would be interested in investing in domestic renewables under the scheme, if they felt the returns were attractive enough. With interest rates at a current historic low, the 5-8% under the FITs offers a better investment than leaving money in the bank. At the same time investors can cut carbon, help to build a successful UK industry and enjoy protection from unpredictable future energy price rises. While new to the UK, the ‘feed-in Tariff’ approach is currently used by over 40 countries. FIT supports the following renewable electricity technologies up to 5MW in size; solar PV;
wind; hydro-electric; biomass electricity; Anaerobic Digestion of organic wastes.
Renewable Heat Incentive
In February the Government published detailed consultation proposals for the world’s first Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which will pay people for the heat they generate themselves. The scheme, which is due to start in April 2011, is expected to lead to a rapid increase in the number of homes and offices heated by woodfuel, biogas, solar thermal, heat pumps and waste-to energy technologies.
This will be driven by the RHI guaranteeing that the average household will be paid well over £1,000 for the renewable heat they generate themselves.
Today, renewable heat technologies meet just 0.6% of UK heat demand, but by 2020 the Government aims to meet 12% or more of the UK’s heat demand through renewables. Demand for heat dominates energy use in the UK and is responsible for half UK energy use and half of UK Carbon Emissions.
The RHI offers long-term, fixed payments based on the type of installation. There will be payments also for every unit of renewable gas fed into the gas network. This “biomethane” is chemically identical to North Sea gas.
