Solar thermal and solar PV: what’s the difference?

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Finding an alternative energy source to fossil fuels should be a number one priority. And here in the UK, we are slowly, slowly changing this. However, the fact remains that in 2017, only 10.2% of final energy consumption came from renewable sources – an increase from 9.2% in 2016, but still not enough. Now, the government is looking to nuclear power to lead the movement away from fossil fuels to heat our homes, provide electricity, and help keep business as usual without the damage. But some are against it.

Why not nuclear?

Nuclear power is not without its risks, like any source of energy. However, nuclear power has earned a bad reputation for being a danger to humans and the environment over the years. You only have to hear the words ‘Chernobyl’ or ‘Fukushima’, and it reminds you of the dangers that a nuclear incident can pose to the population – radiation poisoning, cancer, and birth defects for generations to come. Then there’s the waste disposal.

Traditionally, nuclear power results in nuclear waste – radioactive chemicals that can emit high levels of radiation for decades or even centuries. Disposing of this would never be easy. It’s often encased in huge steel and concrete tanks and buried. If these cases were to leak, they could pose a significant risk to human and environmental health.

Why nuclear?

On the other hand, no energy source is without its problems. Many people say look to solar energy instead of nuclear. But, solar panels create 300 times more toxic waste per unit of energy than nuclear power plants do. Also, many are quick to judge nuclear power without remembering they are judging technology from the 1960s. The construction of the Fukushima nuclear power plant began in 1967 when people still thought smoking was a healthy lifestyle choice. Things have gotten much better since then.

Generation III+ reactors are better in every way than the models from the 1960s. More efficient and less susceptible to accidents, they are being adapted to work with long-lasting, high-output, less-dangerous fuel sources like Thorium with molten salt coolants. These provide a safe, high-energy power source which is, most importantly, carbon-free.

So, do you think nuclear power is the way forward to power our homes? Or would you prefer to go down the renewable route? Either way, a step away from fossil fuels cannot come soon enough.

Until then, GOS Heating will take care of your gas and heating needs through our boiler service cover and emergency call out services. We are Gas Safe registered so if you need an installation, get in touch with us on 01772 734 966.

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It’s not only households that struggle with boiler and heating breakdowns at the most inconvenient times. For many commercial businesses, this can be an expensive problem that reduces staff productivity. They also they have the added challenge of cooling to worry about. For Contour Homes in West Didsbury, the breakdown of their office building chiller couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Chiller Breakdown

Problems with the existing chiller began months before it eventually broke down in September 2017. During the summer months, staff would complain about the heat in the office. This not only puts a strain on the managers, who were always under fire from irritated staff, but it also created a poor working environment.

Something as simple as the temperature being out of your control can lead to low outputs from staff and low staff satisfaction. This ultimately loses you money with every minute that passes. This is why it is so important to get your heating and cooling systems serviced regularly, so you avoid any unnecessary losses.

At Contour Homes, there was some difficulty replacing the damaged cooler straight away due to cost constraints. It took some time to raise funds for a new chiller. This strain on resources could have been stopped in its tracks if the chiller had undergone regular servicing. Technicians could have prevented the breakdown if they spotted the faults early. They could have fixed them before they developed into something worse. Alternatively, if it was irreparable, the technicians could have provided advanced warning. Then Contour Homes could have raised funds for a replacement before the chiller stopped working altogether.

Chiller Installation

Nevertheless, when Contour Homes needed us, GOS plumbing and heating were there to lend a helping hand. We helped install a new Mitsubishi e-series cooler between October and December. This cooler soon got the Contour Homes office back to the excellent working environment it used to be. Chiller systems have been standard in buildings for decades. However, changes are now being made to the designs of these machines to ensure they are energy efficient and cost-effective. The high energy consumption of chillers has become a concern from an environmental perspective. As a result, it is likely that low-carbon models, like the Mitsubishi design installed at Contour Homes, will become more popular.

Mitsubishi e-series

These new energy-efficient models of cooler have undergone many changes from traditional types. For example, the e-series has a unique modular approach which allows up to six individual units to be connected together. This provides a stronger cooling capacity for larger, warmer buildings. As this is the case, it may be harder to find local businesses who are fully capable of installing them. However, there are companies like us, who specialise in installing these coolers. Once it is installed, it is going to be a great, long-term investment for your business and the environment.

GOS Heating are not only masters in plumbing, boiler repair, home improvements, and providing the best service cover. We also have years of experience in providing mechanical installation services for commercial and home use. Get in touch with us today on 01772 734 966 to get a quote or find out more about what we do.

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Renewable energy is our future. There is no doubt about it. With the population increasing at the rate it is, and our energy consumption growing at an even higher rate, it is impossible to go on using our current, non-renewable sources of energy.  Our central heating, hot water, phones, tablets, cars, and everything else that needs energy, will need to be powered by something other than fossil fuels. For those in need of a little more information, allow us to explain.

What is renewable energy?

The definition of renewable energy is ‘energy from a source that is not depleted when used’. For example, solar power comes from the sun, which will always be there – at least until it burns up in around 5 billion years. The sun is a renewable source of energy because we will not run out of it. There is also wind power. We can’t run out of wind either. Other examples include hydroelectricity, or geothermal energy, all of which use sources that can provide an endless supply of power.

What is non-renewable energy?

These types of energy sources are those which will eventually run out, like fossil fuels. These contribute vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution into our environment. This has devastating impacts on human, ecological, and environmental health. Fossil fuels, i.e. coal, oil, and gas, all formed millions of years ago when the earth had the perfect conditions to turn organic matter into these carbon-rich, high-energy substances.

We are extracting and burning fossil fuels at a rate where they will never be replenished. Scientists estimate we could run out of these energy sources within 100 years. It may seem like a long time, but your grandchildren will be the ones suffering the effects.

Another non-renewable energy source is nuclear. It uses a rare type of uranium mined from rocks to produce energy. The production of energy this way is dangerous due to the potential for explosions and radiation poisoning of people and the environment. There have been many disasters as a result. Nuclear power also creates toxic waste. This is often buried or put in the sea. This waste takes thousands of years to decay and is extremely dangerous to all life if it leaks.

Why are we not all using renewable energy?

Renewable energy usage is at an all-time high in the UK. Despite this, it only makes up 25% of the UK’s energy consumption. This low usage comes down to a few key influencers. Firstly, the UK was the leader in the industrial revolution. The whole country has been designed to function through the use of fossil fuels. Everything we have built since the industrial revolution has been developed with this in mind. Changing the infrastructure is not a simple task. Therefore, there are not enough renewable energy sources in place to meet demand yet, which is only increasing.

Secondly, the massive fossil fuel companies are among the most influential companies in the world. They make it very difficult to move away from fossil fuels despite the destruction they cause. Moreover, governments should make it easier for renewable energy to become the norm. However, in the UK, there is still a bias towards fossil fuels. For example, the government recently cut subsidies to homeowners looking to install solar panels on their home. This only reinforces the fact that green energy is more expensive to the consumer than fossil fuels.

GOS Heating believes in a sustainable future. We are green deal approved meaning we can install energy efficiency improvements to your home. We also will provide you with the best service cover for your boiler, central heating, and plumbing. To find out more, give us a call on 01772 734 966 or visit our website.

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There are no two ways about it. Certain resources on our planet are running out. Science and technology industries, most notably Tesla, are paving the way for renewable sources of energy, and new ways to reduce environmental damage. One of these new directions comes in the form of the electric car.

The first commercially available fully-electric cars were produced in 2008 by Tesla Inc. Since then, you’ll have noticed charging ports popping up here and there. But what impact are electric cars actually having on the environment?

Electric cars: are they good, or bad?

Electric cars reduce harmful pollutants in the air as they produce zero exhaust emissions. This is a huge step forward. Car emissions can be responsible for up to 90% of pollution in urban areas. So, by eliminating the emissions completely, air pollutants should drop. But, and there’s an always a “but” with these things, the electricity must come from somewhere.

The issue with electric cars is that electricity is not wholly a clean energy source. In the UK, electricity is still created through coal, gas, and nuclear power. So, by hooking up your electric car to a charging port, you may think you are pollution free. Yet, the source of that energy is still harming the environment.

Charging points

However, electric car companies are pushing for renewable charging ports. Should charging ports begin to rely on solar power, then electric cars are going to start making a massive difference. Recently, the UK went a whole three days where no power came from coal. Instead, it relied on more environmentally friendly sources. The more time goes on, the clearer it appears that renewable energy sources are the future of energy.

At the end of 2017, there was a total of 3.1m licensed vehicles in the UK. If we push for an increased production of electric vehicles, and an increase in solar-powered charging points, the impact will be astronomical.

Electric cars aren’t just environmentally friendly, but they’re much more cost-effective than their petrol-powered alternatives. An electric car costs up to one-third of the cost per one hundred miles when compared to petrol cars. Also, as manufacturers are starting to use recyclable, bio-friendly, materials, they become cheaper to buy. Recent studies have even discovered that the construction of electric cars makes them safer. They are more durable in collisions and less likely to roll over during a crash.

As we fight for environmental health, electric cars provide a commercially available road for us to drive in the name of the future. Renewable power is the way of the future. Providing solar-powered electricity to power our cars could not only save your wallet but save the world.

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