The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity in the 21st century, where we’re already seeing record temperatures, unprecedented weather events and soaring pollution levels. This is a direct result of modern human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels for energy. It is clear that the time to invest in sustainable living has arrived, where a transformation of our energy infrastructure is now underway, both on a nationwide and individual level.
If you’re looking to move towards a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, then there are numerous technologies and installations that can help you to achieve this. Your home is a great place to start when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint, where domestic solar panels, heat pumps and EV charging points can all help you to cut your emissions and your energy bills. Read on to find out more about how you can embrace renewable energy in your daily life.
How Renewable Energy Benefits The Planet
A widespread switch to renewable energy will have a noticeable positive impact on our planet. Renewable energy sources are those that are not depleted by human consumption, where these include wind, solar, geothermal and tidal power. These are naturally replenished and emit little or no greenhouse gases when harnessed for their energy output.
In contrast, the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil does release harmful emissions into the atmosphere, which contribute to global warming. These resources are finite, meaning they will eventually become scarce and will need to be replaced by renewable alternatives. Investing in renewables also helps the UK to diversify its energy supply, meaning we can generate power on our own terms without depending on international fuel imports. This minimises the risk of power shortages and rising costs, all whilst benefiting the environment.
Renewable Energy Sources
Today, you can choose from a number of renewable technologies to generate sustainable energy for your home, where these harness the planet’s natural resources and convert them into electrical and thermal power. Some popular renewable energy sources include:
Solar Panels
Solar panels have increased in popularity in recent years as an unobtrusive way of generating power for your home. These can be installed on your roof or outbuilding, preferably on the side of your property that receives the most sunlight. Solar technology involves the use of photovoltaic panels to convert the sun’s energy into electricity. This can be used to power your home, where any leftover energy that you don’t use can be fed back into the national grid. Solar panels are also built to generate electricity in winter and on cloudy days, meaning you can always be producing power for your property.
Solar Heating
The sun’s energy can also be used to heat water for your home. This is achieved by using solar thermal panels known as collectors, which can also be fitted to your roof. These panels are designed to capture thermal energy from the sun which can then be used to heat stored water within your property. You can then use this water whenever you need it, where this could be your primary source of hot water for your household or a supplementary system that can contribute to your water usage.
Air Source Heat Pumps
Air source heat pumps are used to transfer heat energy from the external air into your household heating system, where this can be used to produce hot water or to heat your home. This system consists of a fan unit that is fitted outside your house, where this operates using very small quantities of electricity. Air source heat pumps can also be used for cooling and air conditioning your home, meaning this technology can be incredibly useful all year round. These pumps are quick and easy to install, so it won’t take long for you to start benefiting from their energy saving features.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
This alternative heat pump option is designed to transfer heat from the ground into your home. Ground source heat pumps utilise buried fluid-containing pipes that are designed to absorb underground heat, where a compressor and heat exchanger will then transfer this thermal power to your heating and water systems. Underground temperatures tend to remain more steady than outdoor air temperatures, even in the winter months, meaning these systems can be more efficient than an air source heat pump.
EV Charging
Electric vehicles have become increasingly popular in recent years, where hybrid models have helped to bridge the gap between traditional fuels and sustainable alternatives. If you’ve purchased an all electric car, then it can be helpful to install an EV charging point at your home, where this allows you to charge your vehicle overnight. Switching to an electric vehicle can help you to drive more efficiently, where this technology allows electricity to be converted directly into motion, compared to a diesel or petrol vehicle which wastes heat energy through combustion.
How Renewable Technology Benefits You
Switching to renewable power sources has clear benefits for the planet, where you can contribute to nationwide efforts to reduce carbon emissions and tackle global warming. Beyond reducing your carbon footprint, investing in renewable energy can also result in numerous benefits for you, where these include:
Financial Incentives
The main financial incentive that comes with investing in renewable energy is that you will save money on your energy bills. This is because generating your own energy is cheaper than purchasing it from the national grid. Also, if you’re making more power from your solar panels than you need, then you can sell this back to the grid at a profit. Other financial incentives may include government grants for EV charging points and heat pumps, where additional retrofitting initiatives can help you to make your home more energy efficient at an affordable cost.
Another popular financial incentive is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). This grant provides homes and non-domestic buildings with the support to install biomass boilers and heat pumps. You can apply for up to £7500 off the cost and installation of these solutions, with over £450 million of grant funding available between 2022 and 2023.
Boost Property Value
Investing in sustainable technology for your home can also help to boost the value of your property. This is because renewable energy is only going to become more popular over time, so fitting your house with this infrastructure is a great way to attract prospective buyers and compete in a busy property market. The energy efficiency rating of a property is becoming an increasingly important factor on the housing market as bills continue to rise. As such it can put you at an advantage if your property is run on renewable power sources.
Future Proofing
There’s no time like the present to invest in renewable energy sources for your home. These installations will help to future proof your property from increasing energy and fuel prices, where you will be able to benefit from current government incentives that encourage homeowners to upgrade their properties. Additionally, if power cuts and fuel shortages become more common in future, you’ll already be prepared to keep the lights on. Adding this infrastructure now also prepares you for future technological updates, where your home will already be built to run on sustainable energy when the latest tech is rolled out.
Elite Renewables: Renewable Energy Technology Experts
At Elite Renewables, we can install a range of sustainable technologies for your home, including solar panels and electric vehicle charging points. Our engineers will assess your suitability for a renewable energy installation, where we will closely manage the entire process from start to finish. We can advise on which technologies are best for your home, as well as offering industry specific insights into the kinds of financial incentives you can expect.
Our experienced team can also consult on retrofitting your domestic or commercial property to promote energy efficiency. Get in touch today to find out more about our full range of renewable energy products.