Considering Renewable Energy Training In The UK
It is the use of tides or wind to deliver our daily energy needs that form ‘Green Energy’. They are considered ‘Green’ because they are environmentally friendly. When considering elements such as Wind Power and Windmills in many cases we are looking at the history of energy production. This option is preserved by the use of technology, eco-efficient options and planet friendly alternatives.
Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating Collectors are examples of what can be used in the house as part of renewable energy technologies. Equally there is the basic electricity generated through roof-installed panels. Following on from this is a process known as Biomass Energy which includes Boilers burning wood and the fuel they burn on. Then there are the Ground Source Heat Pumps which is simply the old form of heat from the Sun. Not all ‘Green Energy’ is new – by considering Wind Power and Hydropower we are looking at some of the oldest forms of energy.
Looking at each area in turn we will consider some of the skills needed by those who want to train in this field. Thinking about the issues already, this is definitely of interest to those in the field namely Plumbers, Electricians and Gas engineers. Certainly by getting information from many sources we can look at the career potential for Electricians, Gas and Plumbers. If you want to come back to check out links and adverts for training organisations then you will need to bookmark this page by using CTRL-D.
Solar Energy Systems: By using different technologies, Solar Energy is effectively made up of two types of solar panels. Making hot water from solar energy is the first stage and is known as Solar Water Heating Collection. Secondly, Photovoltaic heat collectors – often simply referred to as Solar Electrical Panels – which transform the solar radiation into electricity. Solar Panels themselves need to be away from blockages, be on south facing roofs and finally be at angles of 30 degrees from the horizontal plane.
As a result, Solar Water Power is often considered the most common form of Solar Energy in the UK. Solar Water heating systems can provide over 50 percent of a household’s hot water requirement during the year. Getting a professional fitting will cost around 2-5k however doing the job yourself could be as low as 500 to 1500 in total.
Biomass Energy: Is a capture all phrase including all natural materials e.g. wood, straw and poultry litter but nowadays also includes new items such as ‘Energy Crops’ Due to its adaptability it can produce a range of energy forms from heat and electricity through to combinations of both. Indeed within the European Markets the UK has some of the leading levels of Biomass material at hand. The lack of C02 given out by this form of energy is another positive element in the whole process. Often it is the process whereby C02 is reduced, by having a tree planted in place of another that is felled for energy production that helps overall.
Growing fast elements such as Willow and Poplar under the banner of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) helps to meet the need for ‘Energy Crops’ within the UK. Of equal importance is the ability to produce dry matter and perennial grasses are very good for this. Other less known materials within this field are Agricultural and Municipal Waste. The natural offshoot of agricultural work is often called Agricultural Waste. Because it comes from food or wood Municipal Waste is also considered a useful biomass product.
Systems Using Geo-Thermal Energy – This is primarily the heating of the Earth (mainly from the sun) and can be utilised in electricity and warm water production. Heating or cooling properties in the UK can be achieved using the ground source heat temperature of around 12 degrees centigrade. Whilst these heat pumps require energy to operate their rate of return is excellent being four units kept for every one unit of energy used. By creating energy from forms such as solar electrical panels or wind turbines, heat source pumps can be almost 100 percent renewable in energy production.
Systems Based On Wind Energy: When you consider the milling of grain and pumping of water it is easy to see how long wind energy has been with us. However, in more recent times there’s been the option to recover the energy for its own sake – and deliver this either to a home unit or to the local power grid. With regard to wind generation it is the UK that has the highest production within Europe. The fact remains that in the UK there exists the ability to realise 10 percent of our electricity requirement from wind power as opposed to the current value of 1 percent. Although electricity is still being produced from between 2-10 p per kWh it could be generated from as little as 2p per kWh. Due to this we are looking at 6-9 months in total to cover the costs.
Hydropower is a subject that suits the UK energy production system. The ability to utilise energy from moving water, much like wind power, has been going on for thousands of years. Interestingly enough this type of energy production meets 2 percent of the UK electrical demand in total.
The method of transforming the energy of moving water into another type with the aid of a turbine is known as a Hydropower system. By using a dam or a natural river process these turbines do not require water storage. ‘Micro- Hydro’ However, uses the dam and sluice systems that have been made redundant by the larger national distributions. Whilst considered a small form of electrical output this system has been thought to be able to give some 200mW of capacity to the UK. The expected cost of installing a system such as this would be between 200 pounds and 3k per kW of output.
‘Green Energy’ is growing mainly due to the demands of the Western World. Needless of this the UK remains one of the main beneficiaries of this technology.
Once again it is the Electrician and Plumbing trades that are set to capitalise on the domestic installation process. With EEC and UK recognition of renewable energy getting ever-higher on the political agenda, the grants and financial aid for introduction of these systems can only increase. Gaining installation certification across these areas can only provide further opportunity and job security to anyone already in related fields or looking to retrain. To cover both ends you could consider blended training with electrical or plumbing training along with green systems.
(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Pop over to www.plumbingcourseuk.co.uk/Solar-Courses.html or Green Engineer Careers.
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