warming you without warming the planet
Unlike fossil fuels such as gas, coal or oil, renewable energy comes from sources such as the sun, wind, water and plant material which will never run out. By using renewable energy in your home you can avoid useing energy sources that contribute to climate change.
your options
green electricity
A number of electricity suppliers now offer 'green electricity' which is produced from clean renewable or sustainable sources such as wind power, solar energy, biomass energy and hydropower. Switching to a green electricity provider is just like switching to any other supplier and you'll find a wide choice of suppliers on the Internet.
wind power
Wind power uses the energy from the wind to turn an electricity-generating turbine. You can buy individual turbines for your home which can vary in size and power output from a few hundred watts to two to three megawatts. These work best if your property is based on a smooth-top hill with a flat clear exposure, free from large obstructions such as trees, houses or buildings. Most household sized systems are two to three kilowatts. It costs between £2,500 to £5,000 to install a system.
solar power
Solar power systems use the sun's energy to heat your domestic hot water and typically use solar panels placed on the roof of your home. They are used in conjunction with a conventional boiler which will top up the hot water on days when there isn't enough sunlight. Glow-worm will soon be offering a system called Clearly Solar which is fully compatible with existing open vent or sealed heating systems.
Heat pumps
Heat pumps use the natural heat in the earth to heat your home via a buried heating loop. As well as ground source heat pumps, air source and water source heat pumps are also available.
Biomass
Heat energy is obtained by burning renewable materials such as wood pellets or animal waste.
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