The RHI and biofuel, the answer to oil bills??

Pincher

Moorlander wrote: »

Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom on the renewable heating initiative, and how it will apply to bio fuels. How will it work? How does one find a supplier? How does it compare to an air source heat pump? Any recommendations?

You want something concrete?

Solar Thermal panel. They will insist on you using the cartel of qualified installers, so you can qualify for £400 of subsidy, having spent £1,600 of your own money. You will then pay £150 less per year for hot water. Break even will therefore be about 11 years.

Heat Pump. They will subsidise your switch over from oil to ground source or air source heat pumps. You will not want to spend £10,000 for ground source, so it will be air source. You will spend £4,000, and get £1,000 subsidy. You will then use £1,200 on heating instead of £2,000 per year, and the pay back is four years.

The catch is, the money will run out in 5 minutes.

jonewer

Moorlander wrote: »

We spent over £2000 on oil last year. it's not good for the planet

But better for the planet's people than burning their food. Which is in turn better for the planet.

daveyjp

Been to a seminar today about this. Bottom line is at the moment retrofitting alternative energy sources to existing properties isn't cost effective. Solar PV is the best at the moment due to the £2,000 p.a Govt kickback, but this doesn't provide heat. Thermal solar is good for hot water as long as you have a water tank. ASHP are OK, but not so good in winter when most heat is needed so you need backup as older properties aren't thermally efficient.

The presenter (who didn't manufacture or promote any products, they are sustainability consultants and gave facts about different methods) was backing micro CHP systems, but these are a few years away.

albyota

daveyjp wrote: »

Been to a seminar today about this. Bottom line is at the moment retrofitting alternative energy sources to existing properties isn't cost effective. Solar PV is the best at the moment due to the £2,000 p.a Govt kickback, but this doesn't provide heat. Thermal solar is good for hot water as long as you have a water tank. ASHP are OK, but not so good in winter when most heat is needed so you need backup as older properties aren't thermally efficient.

The presenter (who didn't manufacture or promote any products, they are sustainability consultants and gave facts about different methods) was backing micro CHP systems, but these are a few years away.

Solar hot water is a waste of money unless in a residential care home or school where lots of hot water is used.....not in a standard house.....not here in the UK.....47 year payback.

Solar PV if you can afford to have it installed will give you ROI at between 8 and 12% but you have to lock away £16k - £18k to get 3.9kw/p for 25 years for an annual payment of around £1,600 + £53 export.

You would not install an ASHP in a draughty uninsulated house.
ASHP in a well insulated, cavity wall insulation, double glazed existing property on oil, LPG, (not mains gas) can reduce the running costs by 30% or more, if specified correctly and properly installed, will provide all the heat and hot water you need, and they are gauranteed to operate as low as minus 25, without any back-up.

Combined heat & power are still being trialled by Npower on a large housing estate, and for what little electricity they provide for the cost of purchasing/installing are not likely to payback for a good 12 years.