Vacuum Evacuated Heat Pipe Collector Solar Panels. They are ideally mounted at angles perpendicular to the sun, on the ground or roofs in un-shaded locations facing either southerly directions, or in east west configurations.
These units have been around for more than 20years. High demand for these products in the Mediterranean area, California, and the Far East has brought the cost benefits of mass production to this technology which means that it is cost effected in the UK at today’s energy prices (energy prices will be increasing at way above inflation for the foreseeable future Average annual price increase 2005/2008 was 19%).
SOLAR PHOTO VOLTAIC (PV)
We have been used to solar powered calculators for the last 30 years, well that same technology is now available to power our homes and work places as well.
Massive financial investment on a global scale in solar panel Manufacturing Plants means that these panels are readily available to convert daylight into electricity. The uptake of this technology is hindered by its costs, but new CIS & GIGS thin film technology promises to reduce costs significantly. The electricity generating authorities will also have to pay attractive feed in tariffs as is common in continental Europe.
HEAT PUMPS
Because a heat pump cycle compresses and then expands a gas, a heat pump is between 2.5 & 4 times more energy efficient in using electrical power to produce heat, than using electrical resistance heating directly. A heat pump actually produces heat as a waste product.
We must remember however that most of our energy is produced from fossil fuel and that the National Grid is approx 37% efficient on a good day. So using grid generated electrical energy to drive a heat pump is no more energy efficient than using natural gas fossil fuel to produce heat directly. This is why grid electricity/ kWhr costs 3 to 4 times as much as natural gas.
If Oil, or Propane Gas are the only option, then heat pumps are the most cost effective way to produce heat from grid produced electricity.
Heat pumps are not new either, most of us know them as refrigerators, and (they actually provide cooling by pumping the heat out of the fridge).
We can use heat pumps to either heat or cool our homes and work places, by pumping the low grade heat out of, or in to, the ground, or the air and upgrading it in a HEAT PUMP. We can produce the electricity required to drive heat pumps with Wind turbines, wave power, and hydro power or during daylight hours, PV Solar Panels..... Almost Carbon Neutral
