Renewable Energy Friendly Solutions for Efficient Living

Whatever French region you live in, renewable energy solutions can make life easier and a whole lot cheaper by cutting down on your home’s running costs. They range from wood-burning stoves, solar thermal panels, and wind turbines to ground-source heat pumps and combined heat and power.

The Appeal of Wood-Burning Stoves

Wood-burning stoves are becoming increasingly popular, not only because they are efficient but also because they look good. Typically, their heat outputs range from 6 kW to 12kW. Larger, 15kW models fitted with a back boiler can be harnessed to provide hot water and central heating. Their downside is that you’ve got to store the fuel – logs, wood chips or wood pellets – and, of course, clean them out.

The Rise of Small-Scale Wind Systems

Small-scale wind systems (or microgeneration) suitable for individual domestic installations seem set for a significant surge. Units ranging from 600 watts up to 15 kilowatts are already on the market. These have generally been pole-mounted in the back garden, but roof-mounted models are in the pipeline.

The cost of a small-scale wind turbine is around £1,000, excluding fitting and commissioning, which an expert must do. The estimated payback period is around 5 years, though technological developments may shorten it. A 2.5-kilowatt system will deliver around 4,200 kilowatt hours per year at a wind speed of 5m per second for a modest house. The average home uses 4,700 kilowatt hours per year.

Exploring Solar Energy Options

Solar energy comes in two forms: thermal panels that provide hot water and photovoltaic (PV) panels that generate electricity.

Straightforward solar thermal panels help you run a central heating and hot water system much more efficiently. They deliver water already warmed, so the boiler uses less energy to raise it to the required temperature.

PVs convert the sun’s energy into electricity that can be used throughout your house for lighting and power. Installed in a new home, they can be very efficient from the outset, but retrofitting a 750kW system on an existing roof can cost up to £7,000, so payback is likely to be many years and may even exceed the system’s anticipated 30-year lifespan!

The Benefits of Ground Source Heat Pumps

If you are making significant alterations to your French home and will have a mechanical digger on site, one system you’ll definitely want to consider is a ground source heat pump (GSHP). This uses a coil of large-diameter pipe work buried vertically or horizontally sufficiently deep in the garden to collect geothermal energy – natural heat from the earth.

The hot water generated can be passed through a heat exchanger, making a significant contribution to saving money on heating and hot water costs.

France is one of a handful of European countries where GSHP technology is really surging ahead, so there should be lots of highly efficient permutations from which to choose. And, possibly, a grant or two to be had!