Energy Efficient Heating That Doesn’t Cost the Earth

The time to act is NOW when it come to reducing our carbon footprint, cutting down on Co2 emissions and using alternative methods to create the energy we need to use everyday appliances and heat our homes.

There are a number of different ways to make a difference that can be seen below. This includes the available options that Aquaserve offer as parts of its service, the regulations and costings that are involved plus some usueful links to websites that are clearly flying the flag for a greener planet.

Solar Thermal Panels

The Facts

Solar thermal panels, along with a condensing boiler, most often represents the best green investment for all types and sizes of buildings.

They can heat 100% of your hot water in the summer and save at least 60% of the annual fuel cost for heating hot water (that’s just the hot water part of your fuel bill – not the total fuel bill). For homes with high levels of insulations, solar thermal panels can also be used to support your heating system.

Solar panels can absorb direct and indirect energy from the sun even on dull days and convert it into heat.

Panels are easily connected together, to generate the right amount of hot water for your building – or swimming pool! For a domestic installation (without a pool), a rule of thumb is 0.8m2 of solar panels per person in the household.

The panels are connected to a hot water cylinder, which has 2 coils. The solar panels are connected to the bottom coil & the boiler to the top coil. Sensors ensure that when there is insufficient solar energy to heat the water, the boiler fires to take over.

Solar panels are usually quite straightforward to install, but mistakes can be made and with temperatures reaching 180’C, badly installed solar panels can be dangerous.

Flat plate collectors (such as the Vitosol 200-F ) should ideally be sited on a south facing, pitched roof facing between SW and SE.

Tube panels (such as the Vitosol 200-T and Vitosol 300-T ) offer more flexibility in siting, as the individual tubes can be rotated towards the sun, to maximise absorption. There is also the option to install tubes on flat roofs and vertically on walls.

Tubes tend to be slightly more expensive than flat panels, but they offer higher efficiency levels, especially in colder times of the year.

Another advantage of tubes is that they are much easier to lift onto the roof, as the tubes and components can be carried up individually, rather than one heavy unit.

It’s also easy to replace a tube, should one get damaged, thanks to the patented click-system. (Vitosol 200T)

Where flat panel installations are an option, the panels can either be mounted on top of the roof tiles, or integrated into the roof. The Vitosol 100F has optional colour coded edge strips, to match to the roof tiles.

A domestic installation can cost around £4,000 - £5,000, with a payback on fuel bills that could be as little as 9 years. The good news is that research has shown that solar panels for hot water can add up to £10,000 to the value of a house.

Grants are available for solar panels, but the different schemes are subject to change. Go to www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk for the latest information.

Viessmann and Solar Thermal

Viessmann has been selling solar panels worldwide for decades and already has the largest UK* and European market share of solar panels. Viessmann has always led the way in the design, development and manufacture of solar panels and the result is the Vitosol range of high quality, durable products for domestic and large scale commercial installations. All Viessmann renewable energy products are designed to be totally compatible with Viessmann boilers, cylinders and controls for easy installation and maximum efficiency.

Heat Pumps

The Facts

Ground source and heat pumps extract solar energy stored in the ground, using either ‘slinky’ pipes buried just 1-2 metres below ground or vertical probes.

Water to water versions can also extract heat from surface and underground water.

The pipes contain an anti-freeze solution, which absorbs low-grade heat energy and carries the energy back to the heat pump. Here the refrigerant circuit transfers – or pumps – from low-grade to high-grade heat, via a compressor.

These Ground Source and Water Source Heat pumps generally use only 1kW of electricity to generate 4kW of heat output, often much better levels are reached.

Heat pumps are unsuitable for some older houses, because the maximum heat output is limited by single-phase electricity (ideal for running underfloor heating, but not for supplying energy for the entire heating & hot water requirements of an energy inefficient household). Higher output heat pumps are available from Viessmann but these require 3 phase electricity.

Ground source heat pumps are impractical for some domestic installations, because of groundwork and access issues. Slinky pipes require an area of land approximately twice as large as the total floor area of the house, in order for them to collect sufficient heat, without freezing the ground. If a large area of land is not available, bore holes would need to be drilled.

Before bore holes are drilled the ground will need a geological survey to determine the required depth. The rate at which energy is transferred depends on the type of geology. Rock is the best for transferring heat, unlike sandy soil, which may require several deep bore holes. This is one of the most critical issues when considering this type of technology and must be done for a site-by-site basis.

Air to Water Heat Pumps

The Facts

Air/water heat pumps extract heat from the ambient air, even with temperatures as low as -5°C
they can achieve flow temperatures of 35°C.

Collectors do not need to be buried and bore holes do not need to be drilled – so no expensive groundwork

They are larger units then the equivalent ground sourced machines but they can be installed indoors or, more advantageously, outdoors.

The Vitocal 350 is currently only available for 3-phase electricity, but more units will become available, as air/water heat pumps represent an important renewable energy technology for the future. The UK enjoys a relatively mild winter climate and therefore air to water heat pumps can be considered for all the heating and hot water needs.

Energy Towers
Energy towers represent the future of domestic heating.
About the size of a fridge freezer, they combine different heating technologies, along with DHW storage into one unit, for the ultimate in convenience an efficiency.
They are particularly easy to install and very easy to connect to solar panels, with all the controls already built-in.
The three main options for heating towers offer combinations of the following:
Condensing boiler plus DHW storage plus solar connections
Ground source heat pump plus DHW storage plus solar connections
Heat recovery plus DHW storage plus solar connections.

The first of these is now available from Viessmann and is known as the Vitodens 343.

The Vitodens 343 benefits from all the quality components of the Vitodens 300 condensing boiler, including the unique, 100% corrosion-free heat exchanger, the MatriX-compact modulating burner
The Lambda Pro Controls have been developed to constantly monitor and match the gas & air ratio, to give optimum combustion regardless of the quality of the gas – another important ‘future-proof feature.
With all the solar connections and controls built-in, it is very easy to connect the heating tower to solar panels, to take advantage of free, renewable energy.

Funding for renewable technologies

Grants for the United Kingdom

For solar thermal

Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP):

Phase One Stream 1 for householders allows grants of up to £400 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower

£2,500 grant cap per household but a mixture of technologies can be applied for

3 months to complete installation

More information is available at the website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

For ground source heat pumps

Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP):

Phase One Stream 1 for householders allows grants of up to £1,200 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower

£2,500 grant cap per household but more than one technology can be applied for

6 months to complete installation

More information is available at the website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Grants for Scotland

For solar thermal and ground source heat pumps

Scottish Community Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI):

Funding for householders set at 30% of the installation cost up to £4,000

Residents in Scotland can chose to have a SCHRI or a LCBP grant

Applications limited to one grant per technology from either of these programmes

More information is available at the website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Website for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Grants for Northern Ireland

Action Renewables

The Action Renewables website offers advice and grant programmes and is a lead partner in the Renewable Energy Installer Acadamy (REIA) which is a training and registration body.

Reconnect Programme

The Reconnect Programme offers grants to householders. The householders can apply for additional technologies through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme if it’s not the same technology. Installers registered through the Renewable Energy Installer Academy or the LCBP must ne used.

Action Renewables website

Greenbook - BRE approval numbers transferred from Clearskies

Solar collectors

Worcester Greenskies FK240
Code: ST1088
Listed as: Solar Diamant (Worcester Bosch)

Worcester Greenskies FKC 1-S
Code: ST1120
Listed as: Solar Diamant (Worcester Bosch)

Worcester Greenskies FKC 1-W, FKT 1-S, FKT 1-W
Code: ST1132
Listed as: BBT Thermotechnik GmbH

Cylinder for ground source heat pumps

Worcester Greenstore 180, 280 cylinder unvented
Code: SC2113
Listed as: BBT Thermotechnik GmbH

Ground source heat pumps

Worcester Greenstore System 6, 7, 9
Code: GSHP6073
Listed as: Worcester (BBT Thermotechnology UK Ltd)

Worcester Greenstore System 11
Code: GSHP6118
Listed as: Worcester (BBT Thermotechnology UK Ltd)

Worcester Greenstore with integral hot water storage - combination 6, 7, 9, 11
Code: GSHP6119
Listed as: Worcester (BBT Thermotechnology UK Ltd)

Greenbook website

VAT

All professionally installed renewable technologies, including solar thermal and heat pumps, qualify for a reduced rate of VAT (5%). This reduced VAT rate applies to components and installation costs.

Solar panels, ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps and controls for central heating and hot water are included in the list of products qualifying for lower rates of VAT.

If the installer is VAT registered, the scheme works as follows:

The installer purchases the equipment from the merchant who will add VAT

The installer recovers the VAT from H.M. Customs & Excise in the normal way

The installer charges the customer 5% on the supply and installation of the qualifying equipment

The installer pays 5% to H.M. Customs and Excise

The net cost to the installer is nil

Visit HM Revenue and Customs website to find out more about reduced VAT on energy-saving materials.   é

HM Revenue and Customs website

Planning permission

From 6th April 2008 new Government legislation rules that, unless within a conservation area or on a listed building, the installation will not require planning permission and will be classed as a permitted development.

More information is available at the website for Communities and Local Government and the Energy Saving Trust website.

Website for Communities and Local Government

Website for Energy Saving Trust

Building Regulations

Building Control supervision may be required for some types of roof, particularly where load-bearing capacity is in question or where considerable ageing of structure is evident.

Further information - the Energy Saving Trust

The Energy Saving Trust offers free, impartial, expert advice about home energy efficiency and local grant schemes.z

To contact your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre call 0800 512 012 or visit their website.

Energy Saving Trust website

Worcester’s Greenskies solar water heating and Greenstore ground source heat pumps

Worcester’s Greenskies solar panels

Worcester’s Greenstore ground source heat pumps

Worcester’s Greensource air source heat pumps

Energy Saving Tips >

There are many ways you can start to save energy around the home.  These tips can help you to save money, save energy and lower your carbon footprint in one go!  If you follow these simple steps you can save over £300* a year off your fuel bills, that's almost £3 billion across the UK if we all take action.

One of the most important things you can do is consider replacing your boiler if it is over ten years old, with one that is more efficient. This will have the benefit of lowering your heating bills and reducing your impact on the environment.  However there are plenty of things you can do straight away to save energy and lower your bills.

Also by following the energy tips below means you will be lowering the energy you use from fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These are the gases that cause climate change - follow these tips and we could all save 13million tonnes of CO2 a year.*

Don't leave appliances on standby >

If you leave your television on standby, it's still using electricity even though you think it's switched off.  By turning it off at the switch you could save money - the average household wastes £37 a year by leaving appliances on standby (source: energywatch, the gas and electricity watchdog).

Replace your old boiler >

If your boiler is over ten years old you might want to replace it for one that is more efficient.  Replacing your old boiler with a high efficiency condensing boiler as well as a full set of heating controls could save between £190 and £230 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Only boil as much as you need >

When using your kettle you could save energy by only boiling the water that you need.  An easy way to do this is fill the cup you are going to use and then pour this into the kettle.  Make sure you add a bit to allow for evaporation and be sure to cover the element if you use an electric kettle.

Turn the thermostat down >

By turning your thermostat down by 1oC you could cut your heating bills by up to 10 per cent (source: Energy Saving Trust).

Use energy efficient bulbs >

Energy efficient bulbs last 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs. energywatch estimate that for every energy efficient bulb fitted could lead to an annual saving of £9.  They believe that if every UK household installed just one bulb we'd save over £80 million per year and enough energy to supply all the street lighting in the UK!  And don't forget to switch off lights when you leave a room too.

Tumble dryer >

Not using your tumble dryer during the warmer months of the year could save you around £10* a year.

Hot water tank >

Lag your hot water tank and insulate hot water pipes. Tank jackets cost from just £12*, they're simple to fit ad could pay for themselves in 6 months.

Insulate your loft >

Why not top up your loft insulation? Did you know that the recommended depth is 270mm? Cavity wall insulation and topping up your loft insulation in your home will not only reduce the heat escaping from the roof and walls - it could also save you up to £180* per year.

GO GREEN TODAY!