Energy

Motoring Energy

PEOPLE have become reliant on their cars. If it’s only going to the local shop they hop into the car and off they go, afraid they might miss a bit of their favourite soap. Not only would they save a few quid on their motoring bill in the year but that bit of fresh air mightn’t do any harm either. A pet hate of mine is people parking in the disabled spaces outside shops, God forbid they might have to take more than 20 steps to get where they are going.

Solar Heating

SOLAR ENERGY is appealing to people due to the fact that after the initial investment it is relatively cheap and to its renewable nature and it's free availability.

There are two types of solar collectors, flat plate and evacuated tube.

Carbon Footprint

A CARBON footprint is "the total set of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product".

The cause of global warming is from the build up of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), methane, ozone, nitrous oxide and water vapour which trap energy on the earth's surface.

Attic insulation

Up TO 30% of heat loss in your home can be lost through your attic. The initial cost of insulation can be high but you will make enough savings on you heating bill to cover the cost of the insulation within two or three years. You should think of it as an investment as it will continue to save you money after that initial cost is saved.

Get the best out of your radiators

TRADITIONAL radiators are inefficient requiring a high surface temperature. So it is important to get the room heated up as quickly as you can so your boiler can be turned off again. There are different products on the market which are more efficient than the standard radiator.

 

Light bulbs

THE SALE of incandescent light bulb will be banned between 2009 and 2012 and halogen lights will be taken off the market in 2016. This is due to the in-efficiency of these bulbs. Minister John Gormley wanted to start the ban in June 2009 but it has been delayed until September 2009 to correspond with the EU- wide ban which was brought forward due to pressure from the Irish initiative. Commission vice-president Gunter Verheugen Said that Ireland had taken a leadership role on the issue of light bulbs.

Get a plan for energy efficiency

WHEN PEOPLE think of doing some work on their homes they might call an architect to advise them on what is the best way to go about it. How to get the most from their space? Or what are the best products out there? You try and put a plan into place to save you money, so you don't build a small extension now and another in a few years. It is good to have a long term view on what you intend to do.

 

Savings with electricity suppliers

ENERGY MINISTER Eamon Ryan announced that the SEI grant scheme is now "Open for business" and SEI is now accepting applications. From March 25, 2009 people wishing to save energy and money will be able to apply for grants.

Be aware of what things cost to run

HELLO AGAIN, in the next five years there will be smart metering in all houses, according to Energy Minister Eamon Ryan. This is where the electricity usage will be monitored, showing how and when your electricity is been used.

I would say that in time the rates will change at different times of the day, to try and take the pressure off the national grid. At the moment from five to seven in the evening the grid is under pressure to supply all the electric needs to the people. So it will be important to manage your electricity usage.

The importance of Air Tightness for efficiency

HELLO AGAIN, last week in the column I touched on the idea of getting your home sealed. There are a lot of different things that can be done to stop air leakage in your home. People often get caught up in saying "That you need to have ventilation in your home". But the truth is you could nearly dry clothes with the wind blowing through them, well maybe a bit of an exaggeration.

Saving energy can also save you money

ASK YOURSELF yourself a question. If you had a hole in your pocket and you were loosing money from it would you fix it or just carry on. I think we know the answer!

People need to take a look at the energy they are using in their homes every day. Just because you don't pay as you are using it, doesn't mean you can't monitor it more carefully. I believe a lot of energy costs can be reduced, simply by watching the way you use energy.

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