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Updates On Solar Training Courses For 2010
By Jason Kendall | February 24, 2010
In a nutshell, ‘Green Energy’ utilises natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat to provide our daily energy requirement. ‘Green’ basically means that all the energy is renewable. It is easy to think that we may be travelling back in time when we think of items such as wind power and windmills. Overall, this is the method of using modern techniques to provide eco-efficiency and planet friendly options.
The home environment, for example, encompasses a range of energy ideas – including Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating solutions. It is equipment such as Photovoltaic Panels (PV’s) that develop electricity through suitable roof-panels. Then there are Stoves that burn Bio-Pellets – which make up the subject commonly known as Biomass Energy. There is also the ground heat from the Sun – now known as Ground Source Heat Pumps. Not all ‘Green Energy’ is new – by considering Wind Power and Hydropower we are looking at some of the oldest forms of energy production.
Thermal Energy Systems: Typically referred to as Solar Energy this is mainly made up of two types of Solar Panels – each using different methods to achieve similar results. Firstly, there are elements that absorb energy from the sun and create hot water – known as Solar Water Heating Collectors. Furthermore, there are the Solar Electrical Panels (more correctly known as Photovoltaic heat collectors) which transform solar radiation into electricity. Across the board, Solar Panels should be mounted on a south facing roof, at an angle of 30 degrees away from horizontal – and to some extent away from blocking trees, surrounding buildings and chimneys.
For the UK, this is often considered the most popular form of ‘Green Energy’. Solar Water heating systems can provide over 50 percent of a household’s hot water requirement during the year. There are two options to fit these items. The first is to get a professional fit and the second is a DIY system, the first will cost around 2-5k and the second between 500 and 1500 pounds.
Biomass Energy Systems – This is a ‘capture all’ phrase which includes all natural materials. e.g. Wood, straw and poultry litter – but nowadays also includes modern ‘Energy Crops’. Considering its ability to produce energy in the form of heat and electricity, this type of energy is extremely flexible. Furthermore, within the European Markets, the UK is one of the central producers of Biomass fuels. It should be borne in mind that the whole process is designed to produce energy without an impact on CO2. Because the system often involves one tree being planted as another is felled, many wood crops are deemed to be sustainable sources.
Fast growing trees such as Willow and Poplar (under the banner of Short Rotation Coppice ‘SRC’) help to meet the need for ‘Energy Crops’ within the UK. Perennial grasses also produce a high yield of dry matter. Other less known materials within this field are Agricultural and Municipal Waste. Under normal agricultural activity, agricultural waste is a natural by-product. Municipal Waste such as food or wood can also be utilised as a biomass product.
Geo-Thermal Energy: Both warm water and electricity can be produced as by-products of the natural heating of the Earth by the Sun. Heating or cooling properties in the UK can be achieved using the ground source heat temperature of around 12 degrees centigrade. These heat pumps do need some power to operate; but for every one unit of energy they use, they generate four units of energy in return. Heat source pump energy can go one step further (by gaining a 100 percent return) if the energy to power them comes from items such as wind turbines or solar electrical panels.
Wind Energy: The use of wind as a source of energy has been going on for thousands of years, especially in milling grain and pumping water. Whether to your home or to a local grid, when the energy has been generated it must be delivered to a point of usage – and cannot be stored. To be fair, the UK has the highest level of wind generation within Europe. For the fact remains that, within the UK, we have the ability to generate 10 percent of our requirement from Wind Production – as opposed to the current value of only 1 percent. Rather than electricity production running at 2-10 p per kWh, it could be run at 2p per kWh. The financial recovery process takes around 6-9 months.
Then there is Hydropower – something within Europe that the UK excels in. The ability to utilise energy from moving water, much like wind power, has been going on for thousands of years. It is this type of energy production that could meet 2 percent of all the UK’s demand.
A hydropower system transforms the kinetic energy of the moving water into another type of energy by means of a turbine. It is by either water ‘drop-offs’, or Natural River runs, that turbines can work through this process. ‘Micro-Hydro’ however utilises old outdated sluices and dams. Having been reviewed recently, this form of electricity supply could provide 200mW of the UK capacity. Between 200 pounds and 3k per KW of energy output, is a good estimate of the overall cost of a project such as this.
Because of the energy need of the Western World, we are now seeing a rapid rise in ‘Green Energy’. To be fair, the UK domestic market is actually leading the resurgence, with a variety of schemes.
With the bulk of development work in the domestic area, both Plumbers and Electricians are set to capitalise in this area. With EEC and UK recognition of renewable energy getting ever-higher on the political agenda, the grants and financial aid for introduction of these systems can only increase. Getting the right qualifications can often provide job security in a new field such as this. Look for combined electrical and plumbing training, with a key emphasis on practical green systems and installation.
(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Look at Green Engineer Courses or Green Engineer Training.
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