Renewable Energy!
In Northern Ireland, we are very reliant on fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) from other
countries – in fact 97% of our energy supplies are imported! Fossil fuels are not
going to last forever, so if you are really serious about conserving energy,
why not consider some forms of renewable energy?
There are many alternative sources of energy, which are not fossil fuels. These can
continuously be replenished, and are not as harmful to the environment, as they do not
contribute to the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Traditionally, when we think of renewable energy, we think of large wind turbines on the
top of a hill, or out at sea. However, there are many renewable energy technologies that
are suitable for our homes.
Solar panels
Believe it or not, we even get enough sun in Northern Ireland to use solar panels. The
sun's energy is used to heat a fluid in the solar panels, which is used to transfer the
heat to a heat storage vessel. In the home, for example, water would be heated and then
stored in a hot water tank. Certain types of panels can also be used to produce heat to
warm your home, while others can generate electricity.
Biomass wood boiler
Log and wood chip boilers are able to burn a variety of wood types and are ideal if you
have a ready supply. Biomass is produced from organic materials i.e. plants. It is often
called 'BioEnergy' or 'Biofuels'. It doesn't include fossil fuels, which have taken
millions of years to be created. Producing energy from bio mass has both environmental
advantages as it is a carbon neutral process. This means that the carbon dioxide
produced with the wood is burnt, is equal to the amount of carbon dioxide the tree or
plant has absorbed while it was growing.
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