Biomass consultants

Posted on 20/05/2012 by Eco 40

Biomass is derived from energy sources like landfill gasses, wood, alcohol and food processing waste and they can be used directly or can be turned into biofuel or other energy products.

Biomass is a clean, renewable energy source that so many of us are looking for to generate heat and power. Contact biomass consultants to see if they can offer a product which will enable us to do our bit to improve the carbon footprint.

The most common way to produce biomass energy is to own a biomass boiler heating system which will usually accommodate certain fuel types like logs, wood chips and wood pellets.

Wood burning heating systems are available in all kinds of shapes and sizes and are suitable for heating any room as long as there is sufficient ventilation but it has been noticed that the wood pellet stoves seem to be easier to maintain because they produce less mess i.e. ash.

A biomass boiler will fit perfectly into a commercial property because they burn wood so cleanly that there is usually no need to worry about them affecting “smoke free zones”. They are larger than gas or oil burners but this is not usually a problem in a commercial set up but it is important not to forget that the fuel must be stored in a cool, dry environment because if the wood/materials are allowed to become damp it will reduce the efficiency of the boiler and if the material was left to turn to mush it would be classed as unusable, resulting in money wastage. .

If this sounds like something your commercial property could benefit from, it is worth having a look into the many boilers on offer and what they can do to lower your energy prices. A single biomass boiler will extinguish the need for radiators and underfloor heating, gas and oil burners and the more advanced boilers are automatic so little intervention is needed: making them time efficient too.

Which type of heat pump is more suited to you?

Posted on 19/05/2012 by Eco 40

Heat pumps are used to moderately heat or significantly cool a room. They will replace air conditioners and furnaces whilst ensuring you are doing your bit for the environment.

They work much like a refrigerator does by moving heat from a cool space into a warm space; making the cold space colder and the warm space warmer.

In the summer when we are all sweltering from the heat, the heat pumps will ensure the cool air from outside is moved inside and the opposite will happen in the winter months: so the idea is to move heat around instead of generating it. This means they can provide us with up to four times the amount of energy that is consumed by transferring thermal energy.

Heat pumps are available in many types but the most commonly used pump is the “air source heat pump” which transfers heat between the house and the air outside, basically it extracts heat from the air of the surrounding environment.

This type of pump will considerably reduce the cost of heating a house compared to when using electricity, by 30 or 40%.

The second heat pump available is the “ground source” type which works in two ways. The first option is to have a pump that goes vertically into the ground and the other is a “coiled heat pump” which reaches out underneath the property spreading over two or three feet. They both work by circulating anti-freeze through the pipes which absorbs the heat in the ground, transferring it through the hot water and heating systems in the connected building.

Heat pumps have actually been around since the 1940’s so it is surprising to find that not everyone is aware of them; probably as a result of them not being mentioned in the media as much as perhaps wind turbines.

Wireless energy meter

Posted on 18/05/2012 by Eco 40

Being able to monitor energy consumption can help the household to work out where energy is being wasted. When this is known energy wastage can be avoided, and therefore household energy bills will be lowered. When less energy is used the household is then more eco-friendly. Helping the environment does not have to mean a whole lifestyle change; just making small differences to routine or using more energy saving products can go a long way to reducing the carbon footprint left behind.

The smart wireless energy meter can monitor the electricity being used; it can also show how much it is costing per hour. The large LCD display will also estimate the CO2 emissions from the home, based on the energy usage. It is also a quick and easy way to make sure that everything is turned off when leaving the house, or when going to bed. The meter can help the household to get into good energy saving habits quickly and effortlessly.

The meter comes with a stand and also with holes, making it perfect for wall mounting. The controls are easy to navigate, so changing the settings is simple. The history feature is a memory that can help the household to compare previous energy consumption information.

The meter comes in three parts: the monitor, the transmitter and the clip-on sensor. The pack also includes a helpful Energy Saving Guide booklet and a full instruction manual. It is powered by 6x AA batteries, which are not included in the pack; the use of rechargeable batteries is recommended.

The Solar Home Power Station

Posted on 17/05/2012 by Eco 40

The Solar Home Power Station is a complete kit that can help the household towards becoming self-sufficient. Harnessing the power of the sun in order to run the electric in the home is a great way to save money and help the environment too. All the energy collected is stored in a 12V battery and can power 240V of electricity into the home.

All the parts are included in the kit in order to be able to get off the mains electricity supply and produce enough power to run all the standard household appliances. The reduction in carbon emissions is very eco-friendly and it is really easy to install. The Solar Home Power Station is also great for outbuildings, where mains power is not available or would be too expensive to link up to the grid. Detached garages, stables or even summerhouses can all benefit from the use of solar power.

Choosing the right location to place the solar panel is also easy. It needs to be placed on a flat surface, such as a roof or somewhere in the garden, and pointed south. This is the best position for collecting rays from the sun. The power collected is stored in the battery and the battery cable is run into the building where it is connected to the inverter, which will convert the supply. An extension cable can then be run from that. The extension cable is the only thing not included in the kit and therefore should be purchased separately.

Renewable Heat Incentive

Posted on 16/05/2012 by Eco 40

Applications can now be made for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), although currently they are only being accepted for commercial, not-for-profit organisations, the public sector and industries. The domestic version of this scheme is not expected to be launched until 2013. This scheme is designed to encourage more businesses to take up renewable energy heating systems. The subsidy is made to the owner of the heating system in regular payments over the course of 20 years. The payments are made directly by Ofgem, which cuts out the middleman and any potential delays.

A variety of heating systems can qualify for the scheme, even if it is a retrofit of an existing system. Ground source heat pumps – not air source – will be eligible, as will solar thermal systems and biomass boilers. The heat produced must be for a legitimate reason, such as to heat water or as a space heater to warm a room.

The subsidy payments are tiered and so each application may receive a different amount to the next. It is based on kW output, which is measured by a meter that is approved by the scheme. The meter readings are supplied every quarter to Ofgem. Ofgem will then make their payment. Receiving a subsidy payment like this means that the heating system could pay for itself in as little as five years.

Installers may also have to meet certain requirements for the system to qualify. Heating systems under 45kW need to be installed by engineers with MCS certification; over that output is at the discretion of Ofgem.

Coping with a hosepipe ban

Posted on 08/05/2012 by Eco 40

With news of a hosepipe ban affecting large parts of the UK, many people can be wondering how to cope with it and keep their gardens in tiptop condition at the same time. One of the obvious solutions is the use of grey water in addition to the collection of rainwater, which is a popular option with many householders.

Grey water is water that the householder has already used in some format. It is usually bath or shower water, or even water that has been used to clean dishes. It can be harvested and used to water the garden, fill the toilet, or even wash the car.

In its simplest form, this recycling is easy. The water can simply be left in the bath and scooped out as needed. However, to make the whole process easier, there is the WaterTwo valve, which allows the water to be transferred from the waste pipes as it drains from the bath into a water storage butt.

There are a few things to remember when recycling water in this way. Water from toilets and dishwashers should not be recycled and any water that has detergents or bleach in should never be used on the garden. If watering fruit and vegetables that are to be eaten later then grey water should be avoided and fresh water only should be used. In addition, the water should be used as quickly as possible after collection, as it can begin to develop bacteria; using it within 24 hours is a good idea.

Wind up and solar powered radio

Posted on 04/05/2012 by Eco 40

Wind up and solar powered equipment is not just great for the environment; however that is one of the biggest draws to owning them. Energy savings are also a big plus, and the fact they are so convenient makes solar powered and wind up utilities a must have in the home.

The wind up, solar powered radio is handy to have in the home in case of a power cut.it is entertainment on an evening for times when there is no access to television. Being solar powered means it is also great outdoors. Camping trips can be enjoyed with a little music or a few radio programmes without the need to be making sure there is a big enough supply of batteries to keep going to the whole trip.

Of course, the fact that batteries are not needed is where it becomes environmentally friendly. Even by using rechargeable batteries, it does cut down a little on the environmental impact, but when those batteries are recharged it uses up energy. This can become costly as the rechargeable batteries over time do not hold the power quite so well and recharging becomes more regular.

The Cheetah wind up and solar radio is AM/FM can also be charged from a computer with the provided USB cable, or optionally from the mains with an AC charger. One minute of winding gives around 20 minutes of radio play time, when fully charged using the direct sun light which can take around 20 to 30 hours initially (charging from completely flat) then a full 7 hours of radio play time can be enjoyed.

The water powered alarm clock

Posted on 04/05/2012 by Eco 40

If you are looking for a very unusual gift that has a positive environmental effect and message, the water powered alarm clock is a great option. This has a number of functions and will show the time, date and alarm details on the screen, and is simply powered by water from the tap. In addition it is able to tell the user the external temperature and there is no need for any standard batteries. This is a great product to give to a child as a stocking filler gift, as they will be fascinated by how it works. All the user needs to do is add water to the H2O battery. A display on the screen will indicate when it is coming to the end of its life and then the battery can be replaced with another H2O battery.

Batteries for this clock typically last for around two years and should be refilled with water every few months.

All the user needs to do to get the different displays and functions on is to rotate the clock by 90 degrees. It will stand up no matter which side it is sitting on and the screen will turn as the clock turns. Water power is a great option for those who are concerned about the environment. Standard batteries are thrown away in their millions and they are expensive to recycle, so many of these end up in landfill, which can be hazardous. Disposal of old H2O batteries can be done with household waste, as there are no harmful elements.

The benefits of an eco-kettle

Posted on 03/05/2012 by Eco 40

It is estimated that one of the most energy consuming gadgets that we have in our homes is the kettle. We all need them as it can be difficult to go without that essential cup of tea, but there are options for a much more environmentally friendly version. An eco-kettle makes it so much easier to simply boil the water that is needed, rather than overfilling and boiling water that will not be used. This saves both energy and money.

An eco-kettle is able to reduce the amount of time that it takes to boil the water and will be using less energy to begin with. This in turn reduces the electricity bill received and will help towards reducing a carbon footprint. It is estimated that if all kettle users had an eco-kettle, the energy that would be saved would amount to 1,270,000,000 kWh of electricity. This is enough energy to power 75% of the UK’s street lighting each year.

The eco-kettle has two sections to it. The central section can be filled right to the top and this will then feed to an outer section. There is a button on the top of the kettle that should be depressed to feed water to the outer section. This way the user can send just the right amount of water to the outer section for boiling.

The kettle is cordless and is fitted with a number of safety features, such as boil dry protection and steam control. The lid locks for additional safety.

Solar security light

Posted on 13/04/2012 by Eco 40

Security lights are the perfect addition to any home for the owner’s peace of mind. However, they can add to the electricity bill if we are not careful. The obvious solution is solar powered lights that store power during the hours of daylight and draws on this at night. As with a standard security light, it has a motion sensor so it only switches on if it detects movement.

As the light is solar powered, it can be placed anywhere and there is no need to worry about a power connection. The batteries on the security light are charged during the day and these are powerful enough to light the 36 top quality LED lights to ensure maximum brightness.

The solar panel does not have to be sited with the light, so the light can be placed in an area of shade if wished. The solar panel will work up to five metres away and the panel itself is a strong 1.5W panel, although owners are able to upgrade to a 2W panel if they wish. The motion sensor detects when motion stops and will switch off automatically. This can be set to switch off between 10 and 80 seconds afterwards. The light will only be activated from the hours of dusk onwards.

The batteries are included and the whole kit comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. Installation is simple; it is just a case of placing the unit where it is needed and there is no need for the installer to have any kind of electrical knowledge.