ConfusedAboutEnergy.co.uk

+++ Newsticker requires javascript +++

Investing in Renewable Energy

There is a range of renewable energy technologies that are now available for domestic use which can help you meet your energy requirements. These make use of the sun, wind or renewable fuels to generate heat and electricity. But how reliable are these technologies? How much energy can they actually harness? What are the costs and most importantly what is the payback time on your investment? This section provides an overview of the different technologies available and gives an impartial view on the benefits and costs of each.

Solar Photovoltaic’s

The terms solar energy and solar power are often used to describe technologies which collect the energy of the sun and redistribute it for our use. These terms are however a little ambiguous. For example, solar energy effectively drives our whole planet, wind, wave and fossil fuels could ultimately be regarded as solar energy. For the purposes of this site our only concern is for solar energy that can be collected directly by our dwelling and used to, for example, heat water or to drive our electric devices. For this article only Solar Photovoltaic power generation is considered. Please follow the link to take a look at Solar hot water.

Solar Hot Water

What is Solar hot Water?

The terms solar energy and solar power are often used to describe technologies which collect the energy of the sun and redistribute it for our use. These terms are however a little ambiguous. For example, solar energy effectively drives our whole planet, wind, wave and fossil fuels could ultimately be regarded as solar energy. For the purposes of this site our only concern is for solar energy that can be collected directly by our dwelling and used to, for example, heat water or to drive our electric devices. For this article on solar thermal hot water is considered. Please follow the link to take a look at Solar Photovoltaic’s

Site Search

Main Menu

Technical Zone

Site Symbols

Icons are also used throughout the site to indicate the level of saving or the relative cost implications associated with an choice you might make, or a tip you read or related to how your house is currently configured. These icons below.

	pence	lowest priority
	£ 10+	Think twice, perhaps you should focus elsewhere first
	£ 100+	Worth doing
	£ 1000+	Focus your effort here to save as much money as possible

In some areas there are some substantial investments you may choose to make, in sections describing these we indicate with two icons, thumbs up or down, if the investment is a good one. Payback in less than 15 years is regarded as reasonable, but longer that that poor. These icons are below.

	less than 15 years to payback investment
	More than 15 years to payback the investment

Best Investment table

			Lagging
			Loft Insulation
			Cavity Wall Insulation
			Underfloor Insulation
			Heat Pumps
			Double Glazing
			Wind Power
			Solar Photovoltaics
			Solar Hot Water

World Power Production

This is the best world enery graphic and simulation tool we have come across so we have put it on the home page! Wish we had done it.

world power generation graph coal oil gas solar wind nuclear biomass

Site Guidance

All calculations on this site are based on current fuel prices they are checked regularly and were last updated on:-
28^th December 2008
All calculation using current fuel prices are coloured red

The costs calculated for energy use based on these fuel prices should be regarded as 'good estimates' given that there are a variety of different fuel prices on offer in the country.

The calculations in the site also have different levels of accuracy depending on the nature of the calculation. For example calculating the energy use of a known power output TV is very easy compared when to calculating the effect on household costs with insulating your cavity walls.