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Monday, April 22, 2013
Hybrid Heat Pumps - Better Than Solar Powered Systems?
As we get towards the winter season, you could start looking at upgrading your old boiler with something totally different. Let's be honest, boilers are usually big, unreliable, unpredictable pieces of kit that are no friend to the environment. However, we're in the 21st century, and there are lots of sustainable energy products to choose from. With that in mind, what about investing in some sort of environmentally friendly domestic hot water system, like a hybrid heat pump?
The hybrid heat pump is a system that brings together a normal heat pump and a storage tank, in order to heat your water in a completely new way. It is actually powered by the sun, however it is a completely different type of solar technology compared to the panels you get on the roof. Fundamentally, this is how it works - the heat pump system works by using all of the energy in the air in order to provide you with hot water. Which means that it doesn't need sunshine, unlike solar panel systems. This means it's effective even in wet, gloomy conditions - so it will be excellent for the winter season! When it's drawn the energy in, it will be stored by a refrigerant, that then changes from a liquid state to a gas. Once the gas is compressed, it makes the heat that goes into your storage tank, and voila, hot water for your home when you need it.
So what makes hybrid heat pumps different to solar powered systems? Well, first you won't require solar energy panels, as outlined above. Residential solar panels can be tricky things to take care of - in addition to working only on days with sunshine, there's going to be the concern that something could obstruct your sunshine and therefore stop your solar panels from working. Sure, there's nothing putting your property in the shade when you come to install your panels, but who's going to stop somebody developing a ten-storey property next door to yours? When it comes to residential solar panels shade means catastrophe. You might even find that something as basic as your roof alignment could prevent your panels working correctly.
Another major difference is that there's no need for some kind of back-up or boosting when you're using a hybrid heat pump. The temperamental nature of the weather means that everybody using solar panels will have to have some sort of back up option, and with floods, droughts and cyclones to deal with Australia can be rather unpredictable! The type of back-up you will need can vary - you could get an emergency power generator or you might use expensive batteries. There's also a third option in that you're able to connect to the grid and use that source of electricity whenever necessary, as well as give electric power back whenever you can.
That may appear to be the ideal option, however, even that has its issues. The local energy provider may not agree to it, there may be government directives that forbid it and the buyback price may not be as much as you'd hoped. Plus, you'll need to have specialist equipment. If there was a power cut, it might be that your system would keep feeding into a line that the electricity company thinks is down - not surprisingly, that's going to be hazardous! As a result, that's more specialist kit you'll need.
And hybrid heat pumps? Simple - you won't require any back-up. This system will work day and night, cold and warm, even right down to freezing temperatures. Which means they are considerably more dependable, and in the event that you required an extra bit of reassurance, the best systems on the market come with a guarantee of as much as Fifteen years.
So there it is, heat pumps will be as beneficial an option for our environment as solar power panels, but they are significantly less complicated to setup, far more dependable and work in just about any conditions. Solar power panels were an excellent innovation, and a massive advancement in the renewable power sector, but it looks like times have moved on once more and heat pumps could possibly end up being the energy source for the future. If you happen to think that heat pump hot water may be what you want, you'll find there's a great deal more information and advice on the Internet.
The hybrid heat pump is a system that brings together a normal heat pump and a storage tank, in order to heat your water in a completely new way. It is actually powered by the sun, however it is a completely different type of solar technology compared to the panels you get on the roof. Fundamentally, this is how it works - the heat pump system works by using all of the energy in the air in order to provide you with hot water. Which means that it doesn't need sunshine, unlike solar panel systems. This means it's effective even in wet, gloomy conditions - so it will be excellent for the winter season! When it's drawn the energy in, it will be stored by a refrigerant, that then changes from a liquid state to a gas. Once the gas is compressed, it makes the heat that goes into your storage tank, and voila, hot water for your home when you need it.
So what makes hybrid heat pumps different to solar powered systems? Well, first you won't require solar energy panels, as outlined above. Residential solar panels can be tricky things to take care of - in addition to working only on days with sunshine, there's going to be the concern that something could obstruct your sunshine and therefore stop your solar panels from working. Sure, there's nothing putting your property in the shade when you come to install your panels, but who's going to stop somebody developing a ten-storey property next door to yours? When it comes to residential solar panels shade means catastrophe. You might even find that something as basic as your roof alignment could prevent your panels working correctly.
Another major difference is that there's no need for some kind of back-up or boosting when you're using a hybrid heat pump. The temperamental nature of the weather means that everybody using solar panels will have to have some sort of back up option, and with floods, droughts and cyclones to deal with Australia can be rather unpredictable! The type of back-up you will need can vary - you could get an emergency power generator or you might use expensive batteries. There's also a third option in that you're able to connect to the grid and use that source of electricity whenever necessary, as well as give electric power back whenever you can.
That may appear to be the ideal option, however, even that has its issues. The local energy provider may not agree to it, there may be government directives that forbid it and the buyback price may not be as much as you'd hoped. Plus, you'll need to have specialist equipment. If there was a power cut, it might be that your system would keep feeding into a line that the electricity company thinks is down - not surprisingly, that's going to be hazardous! As a result, that's more specialist kit you'll need.
And hybrid heat pumps? Simple - you won't require any back-up. This system will work day and night, cold and warm, even right down to freezing temperatures. Which means they are considerably more dependable, and in the event that you required an extra bit of reassurance, the best systems on the market come with a guarantee of as much as Fifteen years.
So there it is, heat pumps will be as beneficial an option for our environment as solar power panels, but they are significantly less complicated to setup, far more dependable and work in just about any conditions. Solar power panels were an excellent innovation, and a massive advancement in the renewable power sector, but it looks like times have moved on once more and heat pumps could possibly end up being the energy source for the future. If you happen to think that heat pump hot water may be what you want, you'll find there's a great deal more information and advice on the Internet.
