Renewable Honesty

No6

Ok so lets be completely honest here the questions I want answered are

1) Do you have a renewable system installed

2) If so what type (brand names not required)

3) What did it cost

4) What is it saving you

5) New build or retrofit

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not.

No6

No6 wrote: »

Ok so lets be completely honest here the questions I want answered are .

And here are my answers

1) Do you have a renewable system installed - Yes

2) If so what type (brand names not required) - Wood pellet, external boiler & Silo

3) What did it cost around 10k

4) What is it saving you - at least 1000 this year!!

5) New build or retrofit, - retrofit (pain in the ass getting everything sorted but worth it, I can still use my oil boiler but I don't need to)

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not

Yes because it does save money, there is a little bit of work to them but no more than if you have an open fire or solid fuel stove. for wood pellet you need space for a silo or its not worth it. I've had two deliveries both in the space of a few days from ordering.

I dont sell them either!!

No6

So has anybody else here got a renewable system in or are we just all talking about them?? Good news stories as well as bad ones more than welcome!!!

Quazzie

Only starting to build now so I can't answer them questions but just wanted to say that this has the potential to be a great thread.. seperate the posers from the doers..

P.S My self build has Geothermal, & solar planned

No6

Thanks for the post Quazzie, I hope it works out well for you, keep us posted!

Tigger

1) Do you have a renewable system installed-no

2) If so what type (brand names not required)

3) What did it cost-€0

4) What is it saving you-€10.000

5) New build or retrofit

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not-yes

Quazzie

Tigger wrote: »

1) Do you have a renewable system installed-no

2) If so what type (brand names not required)

3) What did it cost-€0

4) What is it saving you-€10.000

5) New build or retrofit

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not-yes

I see we have a skeptic

Slates

Tigger wrote: »

1) Do you have a renewable system installed-no

2) If so what type (brand names not required)

3) What did it cost-€0

4) What is it saving you-€10.000

5) New build or retrofit

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not-yes

:D:D

RKQ

Geothermal ufh with borehole.
30 tube solar panel.
Like heating to go off and stay off April to Sept.

The jury is out... tell ye next week!

Retrofit stone building - c1780 totally gutted.

They said I was crazy!... maybe they were right!

No6

Tigger wrote: »

1) Do you have a renewable system installed-no

2) If so what type (brand names not required)

3) What did it cost-€0

4) What is it saving you-€10.000

5) New build or retrofit

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not-yes

HHmmmm but what was your oil/gas/elec bill last year, how many kidney's have you got for next year and the year after?????

No6

RKQ wrote: »

Geothermal ufh with borehole.
30 tube solar panel.
Like heating to go off and stay off April to Sept.

The jury is out... tell ye next week!

Retrofit stone building - c1780 totally gutted.

They said I was crazy!... maybe they were right!

Sure you have to be a bit mad to be here anyways RKQ!!!, Sounds like a great house, I've just moved my office into a little two story granary only about 100 years old but its great!! So perhaps I a bit mad too!!!!

RKQ

Well, No.6 its helps to be a little big mad sometimes!
Old buildings can be a joy! Can really take a battering!

Have slight "possible" problem with solar at moment, so should have answers next week.

ESB bill for geothermal is €400 max. 2 months over Christmas - highest ever, still her-indoors loves to cook puddings and cakes etc, so electric ovens are going 3 hours per day. I love christmas lights etc, so not too bad.

Normal 200 every 2 months of winter, refund in summer months!
Had to work it out with estimated bills etc. But it definately cheap to run.

Great to come home in winter to warm house, no lighting fires, dragging coal etc

No6

My Boss would leave me for a pryomanic if I didn't have a real fire!! I'd tell you I get a Carbon foot print where it hurts if I tried to do away with the old stove!!, Slightly wandering off thread a little but any more stories of how your renewables are doing??

Quazzie

Its nice to see RKQ's reports of a properly installed Geothermal unit is working out just fine

No6

I know of one or two other people with them in who are very happy with them but I hear horror stories all the time (I also hear them about wood pellet, not so much solar!!)

Poor Uncle Tom

No6 wrote: »

My Boss would leave me for a pryomanic if I didn't have a real fire!! I'd tell you I get a Carbon foot print where it hurts if I tried to do away with the old stove!!, Slightly wandering off thread a little but any more stories of how your renewables are doing??

:D:D:D

Know what you mean, I've one of them mechanical, open fire lovin, ass kickin' hitlers here too.

AJL

Do you have a renewable system installed-yes

2) If so what type (brand names not required) 5 m2 soalr panels and air to air heat pump

3) What did it cost 4000 for solar, 17500 for air to air with all ducting

4) What is it saving you- costing me 800-1000 to heat house

5) New build or retrofit-new

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not.

solar definitely no brainer for DHW. HEating system is good. Only thing is would not put it in a standard house need very insulated house for it to be cost effective. I have a SIP house it makes sense because house is air tight.

mrs aol

Do you have a renewable system installed-yes

2) If so what type (brand names not required) 12 m2 solar panels and wood pellet stove with integral boiler

3) What did it cost -price included in house build (about 30k - 5.2k sei grant)

4) What is it saving you- cost less than 300euros for all heating and hot water including showers and hot feed dishwasher

5) New build or retrofit-new

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not. Yes.

Ours is a unconventional build very well insulated and airtight.

holdfast

Do you have a renewable system installed-yes

2) If so what type (brand names not required) waterfurance 17kw vertical borehole

3) What did it cost - 18000 (solar 5000 heat pump 11000 plus contols 2000)

4) What is it saving you- total electricity cost including heating and cooking etc for year 1000euro

5) New build or retrofit-new

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not. Yes.

Ours is a unconventional build standard insulated and airtight.very good passive gain due to have a south facing aspect

sas

holdfast wrote: »

Ours is a unconventional build standard insulated and airtight

I'm confused. What's an unconventional build standard insulated?

No6

Maybe we'll have to add what elemental u values you have and what insulation was used.

pkmwgs

holdfast wrote: »

Do you have a renewable system installed-yes

2) If so what type (brand names not required) 6kw wind turbine(produced 13,500kw in 12 months) & 8 sq m solar tubes

3) What did it cost - 22,000.00 Self installed/5,600.00 (2140.00 grant) - self installed

4) What is it saving you- total electricity cost including heating/hot water for year - Two thirds off annual electricity bill (aprox.) &
two thirds off heating oil (no heating oil used since end of March 08.)

5) New build or retrofit-retrofit

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not. Yes.

No6

Great stuff keep them coming

Gtec

1 )Do you have a renewable system installed-yes

2) If so what type (brand names not required) 4.2 Sq M vaccum tube solar

3) What did it cost - 4500 (minus grant of 1200)

4) What is it saving you- total electricity cost including heating and cooking etc for year unknown - I can't say what I was using in oil / esb to heat water before

5) New build or retrofit-retrofit

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not. Yes.
I have only had to add external energy to the DHW on 4 occasions since St. Patricks Day - total no brainer.
Pictures and live temperature information here http://www.irishecoplumbing.com
(No formal association with the company - I provide the data feed and got a discount on instalation for doing so)

mossy74

Hi folks,

I have a geo-thermal heated house - I have a pretty good idea what it's costing me to heat per year.

My problem is that I don't know what I'm saving (if anything!) - My last house was a a pretty standard 1200 sq ft semi-detached house using natural gas heating. My current house is 3600 sq ft with 10 ft high ceilings, so I can't realistically compare the two. We have a large sunroom with lots of glass thats great in the summer but not so hot (please excuse the pun) in the winter. Could someone please tell me how much this house would cost me to heat using oil central heating? I'd really like to know...

Thanks.

Quazzie

mossy74 wrote: »

Hi folks,

I have a geo-thermal heated house - I have a pretty good idea what it's costing me to heat per year.

My problem is that I don't know what I'm saving (if anything!) - My last house was a a pretty standard 1200 sq ft semi-detached house using natural gas heating. My current house is 3600 sq ft with 10 ft high ceilings, so I can't realistically compare the two. We have a large sunroom with lots of glass thats great in the summer but not so hot (please excuse the pun) in the winter. Could someone please tell me how much this house would cost me to heat using oil central heating? I'd really like to know...

Thanks.

A BER assessor would need to look at your plans and probably visit your site to see orientation of your house to properly give you an estimation. everything else is just guesswork

sydthebeat

mossy74 wrote: »

Hi folks,

I have a geo-thermal heated house - I have a pretty good idea what it's costing me to heat per year.

My problem is that I don't know what I'm saving (if anything!) - My last house was a a pretty standard 1200 sq ft semi-detached house using natural gas heating. My current house is 3600 sq ft with 10 ft high ceilings, so I can't realistically compare the two. We have a large sunroom with lots of glass thats great in the summer but not so hot (please excuse the pun) in the winter. Could someone please tell me how much this house would cost me to heat using oil central heating? I'd really like to know...

Thanks.

see 'domestic fuel comparisons' here:
http://www.sei.ie/index.asp?locID=58&docID=-1

remember that your geothermal with heatpump is probably (hopefully) at about 300% efficiency.
a new oil burner would only be running at about 90% efficiency.

therefore lets make a few assumptions
1. general electircity rate of 15 c/kwhr
2. kerosene rate of 7.49 c/kwhr

therefore for one kwhr unit of space heating
kerosene costs 8.32 c/kwhr ................... (7.49/9 * 100)
geothermal with HP costs 5 c/kwhr.......... (15/3)

very simplistic example, but i think the basics are correct.

(obviously element and installation costs not included)

Musha

1) Do you have a renewable system installed SOLAR DHW

2) If so what type (brand names not required) 30 Tubes, 300ltr cylinder

3) What did it cost approx €2000

4) What is it saving you, approx €500 per year in Oil

5) New build or retrofit Retrofit

6) Would you reccomend it to other people. If so why if not why not. YES

Now that we have a constant supply of hot water there is no need to turn on the oil, we were just heating part of the house (zoned) for no reason.
In the 18mths since we installled the solar we have put €1050 Oil and will not need it on again until October, we have a pasively solar house that is well insulated and for the chilly nights in a wood burning stove in the living room We are moving back to the old days making sure there are no drafts, closing doors and curtains early to retain heat, even put lined cutains on the inside of the front door to stop the hallway getting cold.

Quazzie

DHW?

Gtec

DHW?

Domestic Hot Water, i.e. water for baths showers taps etc. DHW systems do not provide any heating for the house.

Gtec

Quazzie

Thanks.. Seems like really good value IMO