Description
Book SynopsisThe Renewable Energy Home Handbook is biased towards the practical, and covers the installation of all leading types of alternative domestic energy sources - from ground- and air-source heat pumps, PV solar electricity generation and solar water heating, to bio-mass domestic heating systems and wind turbines. Discussing the pros and cons of each technology, it also provides you with a clear overview of what's genuinely required and the benefits to be gained from each system. The author, Lindsay Porter, is best known for his books on motor vehicle technology, making car mechanics and body repairs easy to understand and carry out. But alternative energy and conservation have long been a passion for him and his wife, Shan, so this manual is very much a labour of love. Here, Lindsay applies his commitment to making difficult subjects easy for everyone to understand to the money-saving - planet-saving - systems we can apply to our homes.
Table of Contents1. Introduction to renewable energy: WHAT'S INSIDE THIS MANUAL; DOWNSIDES TO RENEWABLES; BE A CLEVER CUSTOMER; UPSIDES TO RENEWABLES; PAYBACK (Feed-in Tariffs etc.) 2. INSULATION & ENERGY SAVING. Reduce need and make generation simpler and cheaper. 3. LIVING OFF-GRID - AN OVERVIEW 4. SOLAR WATER HEATING. Easily the most reliable and cost effective of all micro-generation systems. Options explained and installations followed step-by-step. 5. BIO-MASS Room heaters and central heating systems, inc. wood pellet and logs. Options explained and an installation followed step-by-step. 6. SOLAR ELECTRICITY GENERATION Installation and use of PV (photo-voltaic) panels. Options explained (inc. feed-in vs. batteries and inverters) and an installation followed step-by-step. 7. WIND TURBINES Options explained (inc. feed-in vs. batteries and inverters) and installations followed step-by-step. 8. HEAT PUMPS, AIR- & GROUND-SOURCE. Options explained and typical installations followed step-by-step. Uses in both heating and air conditioning. House heating equipment requirements - radiator types needed, etc. 9. OTHERS: DOMESTIC TECHNOLOGIES: Exercise bike generator, Fuel cells, Heat Recovery, Micro-CHP (micro combined heat and power), Micro Hydro Power, SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil) Generator. LARGE-SCALE: Anaerobic Digestion, Wave Power CH10 Safety & Tools
