The importance of Renewables across New Build, Public and Private Sectors

Cameron Holroyd, Kingspan Solar Commercial Director, looks at the importance of Renewables across New Build, Public and Private Sectors and how solar thermal technologies can help meet government carbon emission targets.

Renewable energy technologies currently rank amongst the most effective measures available to reduce CO2 emissions. With every household in the UK creating around six tonnes of CO2 each year and spending approximately £1300 in the process, it’s no surprise that the demand for Renewables is now higher than ever.

With local installers still remaining the first port of call for most customers, the commercial opportunity has never been greater for professional tradesmen to ‘green-up’ on their technical knowledge and understanding of environmental legislation. A recent survey conducted by the Energy Saving Trust indicated that plumbers, above any other trade, are keen to provide energy saving advice to customers and with Renewables soon to become a must across all sectors, it’s vital that installers understand how renewable technologies will benefit their customers.

Government legislation, such as The Code for Sustainable Homes, has marked a significant growth in the use of Renewables in recent years, particularly in New Build and Public Sectors. The government has set a target of 3m new homes in England by 2020 with the added challenge of making all new homes 100 per cent zero carbon by 2016. Level 4 becomes the minimum for New Build in 2013 and to achieve this, c.20-25 per cent of the energy for a home’s space and water heating has to come from a renewable energy source.

There is also increasing levels of responsibility on Public Sector organisations to meet government environmental targets with local authorities currently paying energy bills of £1.4bn a year and producing nearly 7m tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide. They now face the mammoth challenge of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.

Although private developers currently only have to meet Part L of the Building Regulations, soon, they too will need to adopt Renewables. With the economic climate as it is, those who are not moving house, are choosing to invest in their existing properties instead to add value. Homeowners are already taking note of the benefits that renewable energy can bring.

What is not often recognised is that reducing CO2 emissions and financial benefits are intrinsically linked. Spending wisely and investing in the right technology will reduce carbon emissions and result in a real cost saving on annual fuel bills.

A good example is solar thermal water heating, which currently stands as the most cost-effective, affordable, renewable energy technology available on the market. It also reduces your carbon footprint with the promise of zero carbon emissions.

Thanks to our climate, not that long ago solar panels in the UK were not considered serious green contenders, as they had been designed for locations where the sun always shines. However technological advances have overcome the problem. We have now developed technology in Europe that is specifically designed for our Northern European climate and that can provide heated water throughout the year, regardless of the weather. Solar panels therefore now represent a genuinely efficient and cost-effective green solution for the UK.

Vacuum Tube Solar Technology
Vacuum tube solar collectors deliver an unrivalled transfer of solar energy into heat, with their vacuum-insulated tubes providing the perfect insulation and protecting the system from outside influences, such as cold, wet or windy weather. Kingspan Solar Thermomax vacuum tube collectors will provide up to 70 per cent of hot water requirements throughout the year and are up to 30 per cent more effective than traditional flat panel equivalents.

They allow energy from the sun to be collected efficiently and effectively, so that solar-heated water can be delivered in record time. The vacuum tubes are both fast and simple to install due to their unique ‘plug and play’ design and are perfect for flexible building integration, allowing for installations on sloping roofs, flat roofs or façades

In addition to Domestic Hot Water, the superior performance of the vacuum tube collectors means they can also provide Central Heating support for standard or underfloor heating, specialised industrial hot water heating for high temperature applications, as well as solar cooling.

Flat Panels
Whilst vacuum tube solar collectors are considered the premium product on the market, flat panels continue to dominate the market in terms of popularity. They provide a cost-effective solution both in domestic and commercial applications and will deliver excellent levels of efficiency and performance.

They are robust, hard-wearing and flexible in installation. ‘In roof’ installations typically take place on New Build properties. The solar panel is encased in a cassette unit, which is mounted directly onto the roof battens. The roof is then tiled up to the cassette, not only to provide a weather-tight installation, but also to maintain the integrity of the roof itself. The ‘on roof’ option tends to be favoured for use on existing properties, as the solar panel is mounted on top of the existing roof tiles, on brackets that penetrate through the roof and are bolted to the rafters to ensure a secure fixing.

The Ultimate Solar Package
The best advice when looking to install a solar system is to make sure the complete system is custom-designed to suit the specific application. We recommend the specification of a purpose-designed solar cylinder, such as the Range Tribune HE Solar unvented cylinder. These Duplex stainless steel cylinders feature twin coils. The energy input to the lower coil comes from the renewable energy heat source and when required, the upper coil acts as a top-up using input from a supplementary heat source such as gas, oil or electric boiler. These cylinders can also be used with other renewable sources, for instance heat pumps, Bio-mass or Micro-CHP.

When installing a solar system, the design aspect can be just as important as the quality of the technology. Kingspan Solar recognises this, so that right from the initial advice, through to bespoke design, installation, final commissioning and technical support – we’re providing customers with the ultimate solar solution that works best for them.

We also recommend customers use trained and accredited installers so that they can rest assured they will receive both the service and end result they are looking for. The Kingspan Solar Accredited Installer Scheme is actively recruiting solar installers who want to differentiate themselves from the competition, offer guaranteed workmanship along with the backing and support of the trusted Kingspan Solar brand. They receive expert training on solar installations, new product developments as well as customer service and are kept abreast of government regulations, grant schemes and new sales leads.