Re: Modern Home Servers - Power Savings

["Paul Bendall" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Simon,

A group source heat pump (GSHP) uses the low grade heat that is all=20
around us. In the UK from about 1m down the temperature of the=20
ground is a fairly constant 11 degrees. I believe from reading that=20
the coefficient of efficiency in real-terms is around 1 to 3=20
although most literature will claim 1 to 4. That is every KW of=20
electricity put in will generate 3KW of output. However, this=20
efficiency assumes that the heating system is running at around 40=20
degrees, realistically that is under-floor heating. Normal radiators=20
run at 60 dgrees plus and the efficiency would drop significantly if=20
you were trying to heat to this level.

I'm hoping to extend our property in the next few years and am=20
thinking of using solar panels from:

http://www.solarcentury.com/products/solar_thermal/c21t_solar_hot_wat
er_roof_tile

Really like the way they integrate into the roof rather than being=20
an add-on.

Paul

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Simon Coates" <simon@...> wrote:
>
> I installed Rayotec solar collectors about 6 years ago - there are=20
OK, but I'm in two minds about them now - expensive and a bit ugly!=20
Most have lost their vacuum now - so efficiency has dropped.
>=20
> http://www.rayotec.com/solar_heating/
>=20
> As for wind turbines, where I live it is very rare to see any of=20
the turbines not spinning.  I was thinking of something around 20kW=20
@ approx. 12m at the top of our garden.
> A friend is currently making a Babington waste oil burner (free=20
oil) to power a Stirling engine..  Very interesting stuff - google=20
or wiki the terms - warning, you might get hooked! :o)
>=20
> Ground source heat pump system would be good for us, but our=20
garden mainly slopes north - do you think that would be and issue?=20=20
If we were south facing I would have looked into it more seriously.
>=20
> Regards
>=20
> Simon
>=20
>=20
>   ----- Original Message -----=20
>   From: Piers Kittel=20
>   To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx=20
>   Sent: 24 April 2008 14:31
>   Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Modern Home Servers - Power Savings
>=20
>=20
>   Simon,
>=20
>   > Looking at replacing our boiler with a condensing gas boiler=20
at the=20
>   > moment,
>   > but our current boiler is a small commercial boiler - a new=20
>   > equivalent is
>   > very expensive. You can buy a lot of gas for =A36,000.
>   > I've been seriously looking at a wind turbine powering a
heat=20
store.
>   > Planning is an issue at the moment - even though there is a=20
>   > commmercial
>   > windfarm with 23 x 350kW turbines nearby and just last week=20
the=20
>   > local school
>   > stuck one up.
>   >>
>=20
>   I've done a fair bit of research on wind turbines and other=20
micro-=20
>   generation. I've come to the conclusion that only solar heating=20
(not=20
>   solar PV) and ground source heat pumps are worth it - everything=20
else=20
>   is a waste of time. Wind turbines are only useful for large=20
>   commercial farms, and solar panels are only useful for extremely=20
small=20
>   or extremely large scale projects (small projects - such as the=20
>   flashing sign telling you to slow down when driving). One report=20
I=20
>   found finally convinced me of the futility:
>=20
>   http://www.timhunkin.com/a125_arch-windpower.htm
>=20
>   > One thing I do is leave the bath water to cool down before=20
emptying!!!
>   > There's a lot of heat there, which would otherwise go down
the=20
>   > drain. Yeah,
>   > I'm *that* tight!
>=20
>   Problem with this kind of heat (along with condensing dryers) is=20
that=20
>   it's very very humid, and need to open windows to dry out the=20
room. I=20
>   still do the bath thing anyway, although I don't have a=20
condensing=20
>   dryer - I hate the things, they take forever to dry clothes.
>=20
>   Cheers - Piers
>=20
>=20
>=20=20=20=20
>=20
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>



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