By now you’ve probably heard about most of the steps that you can take to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Reducing your waste, being conscious about your consumption of animal products, as well as being mindful of your travel habits are all great ways to try to lower your carbon footprint.
In addition to these choices, there are also several ways in which you can make your household more environmentally-conscious. In this article you can learn more about how opting for sustainable energy sources can help you reduce your impact on the planet.
Sustainable Energy Solutions
So, what environmentally-conscious energy systems are there? Your first thought might be solar panels. But there is much more than that. The primary energy solutions that allow households to become more sustainable are:
- Biomass boilers
- Air source heat pumps
- Ground source heat pumps
- Solar energy
All these appliances generate energy for your home without burning fossil fuels, which, as we now well know, is one of the main contributors to climate change. To get a little more insight into exactly how each of these sustainable home energy solutions work, you can find a brief overview of these appliances below.
Biomass Boilers
These appliances run on wooden chips, logs, or pellets which are burned to generate heat for homes. By burning wood, biomass boilers heat up the water supply that is then transferred to your taps and radiators.
You might be wondering whether this means that you’d have to be on stand-by to keep adding fuel to your boiler. The answer is no. Not unless you choose a manually-fed biomass boiler which allows you to control how much fuel you use and when. However, there are also automatically-fed appliances which regularly add fuel to the fire without any effort required on your part.
Even though this boiler fuel type is by far more sustainable than other energy sources such as gas, LPG, and even electricity, burning wood might still not exactly be the greenest of options. Sure, it is a renewable resource, but using wood as fuel also has its environmental impact that should be considered.
Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps
Air source heat pumps are a great sustainable heating solution, as they transfer heat from the air outside into your home. The way this works is that at colder temperatures, the refrigerant of the heat pump is warmed up, compressed, and transferred to a heat exchanger that releases the warmth into the house. In addition, air source heat pumps can also be used for cooling in the hot summer months.
When it comes to ground source heat pumps, they extract heat from the ground and transfer it into your home in the form of space and water heating. This works because these appliances absorb energy from the ground, which brings the refrigerant to a boil and the gas that is produced as a result is then transferred inside to heat up the home.
Both of these heat pump types are a great sustainable alternative to conventional heating systems that run on natural gas, as well as to electricity-fueled cooling systems used during hotter weather.
Solar Energy
Solar panels and solar batteries allow you to make use of sunlight to produce electricity for your home. With the right system, you can enjoy free sustainable energy that can also supplement your heating system.
Solar panels, also known as photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert sunlight into energy when exposed to it directly. However, they can also operate in the absence of sunlight, which means you won’t have to worry about losing substantial amounts of electricity in cloudier periods.
Another way to ensure that you’re not losing electricity in adverse weather conditions is to install a solar battery with your solar panel system. This way, the energy that is produced can be stored for later use, such as in periods when your appliances get less sunlight exposure.
Investing In the Future
Before opting for any of these sustainable energy solutions, you should consider their advantages and disadvantages and whether you think they will help you make the contribution you want to the environment.
That said, a common thread across these appliances, which many people consider to be a disadvantage, is that they are all generally more expensive to install than conventional energy systems. You can certainly expect to pay hundreds – if not thousands – more for sustainable energy solutions. To determine exact figures, you will want to find out the cost of a new boiler, air source heat pump, ground source heat pump, and solar panel and battery storage system.
In addition, what might help you in your consideration of these costs is to remember that installing any of these appliances is an investment in the future of your home, and, ultimately, of the planet.
So, yes, while the initial cost of a sustainable energy system is substantial, in the long run it can help you achieve your goal of making your home greener. What is more, in many cases you will also end up saving money on your energy bills over time. With solar panels, for instance, you will notice a significant drop in your electricity expenses.
What Happens Next?
If you now have a better idea of the ways in which you can make your household more environmentally-conscious, what is left is to make some decisions that fit your situation. You will want to consider some of the following points:
- Which sustainable energy system is most feasible for your home?
- What are your energy consumption needs?
- What is your budget for installing new appliances?
- Where can you purchase your new energy systems?
- Who can help you with the installation of your appliances?
Answering all these questions might seem daunting at first. But all it takes is to check your current energy consumption habits and to consider how you can sustain them with greener energy systems.
Do you need some help with these considerations? The best thing you can do is contact a heating engineer who can offer you advice on the best course of action when it comes to making your home more sustainable. With some information tailored to your situation, you should be able to come to the best conclusion and do your part for the environment!
