Most cost effective long term domestic heating system in Ireland for the domestic Market would in my opinion be teh Dual Combi Solar Water and Space heating system. This would provide 30-40% of the energy needs for a typical domestic property once designed efficiently and backed up with a high efficiency dual combi Gas Boiler. The Boiler would kick in via a stat when the required solar gain can not be met during the colder months of the year.
Energy Savings
At current energy prices the average Irish family will spend over €40,000 in the next 30 years to heat their home. Reducing that bill by over 50% can be achieved cost effectively by harnessing the Solar Radiation Energy from the sun. This very intense source of free, eco-friendly energy will always be available. It is carbon dioxide free and will never send us a Gas bill!
Commercial and public buildings represent 15% of Ireland’s total final energy consumption and emit over seven million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year (1/5 of Irelands total). Nearly 70% of that energy consumption is on cooling, space and water heating.
Original Central Heating Costs (Oil Boiler) €XXXXXXXX
Plus (+)
Ongoing Maintenance Costs
Plus(+)
Original Hot Water Costs (Coil & Electric Immersion) €XXXXXX
Equals (=) Old Energy Cost Total
Grant / Funding Suppliments €XXX
Minus (-)
Installation Costs New Dual Solar System €XXXXX
Equals (=) Total Once off Cost, less maintenance
Divided of a period of years = Payback Period
Useful Guidelines for sizing a solar hot water system are as follows;
1-1.5m2 of flat panel collector area per person
0.7-1m2 of evacuated tube area per person
Average hot water comsumption per person - 40 litres per day
Example: A typical 4 person household with South Facing Solar collectors, no shading and mounted at a 45 degree angle.
Installation Options could consist of the following;
either a flat plate installation of 4-6m2 or tube system of 2.8-4m2
the hot water demand of such a household would be approx. 160 litres per day and this would allow us size the hot water cylinder.
The Cylinder should be allowed accomidate 1-2 days hot water storage, in this particular case that would equate to a cylinder 160 x 2 = 320 litres.
A dual coil cylinder with a coil for hot water and a LPHW coil for say ventilation heating would equate to a cylinder of 800 litres approx.
Calculations:
Ireland has on average 1000kWhrs/m2/year of sunlight
= 2.7 kWhrs/m2/day
= - 108 Watts
Average Energy Comsumption in Ireland is 120kWh/day/person
Population of 4,010,000 approx.
Assuming Panels are 10% efficient
This gives 440 1m2 panels per sperson
Assuming 4 times this area needed for infastructure = 1777m2
Thus Required area for population of Ireland = 7,182 km2
Final Comments;
Solar Energy is a resourse that is essentially free and there for the taking. All that Ireland and it Domestic Market need to do is go out there and take it, through inital incetivising by the local aurtorithies and Government, then through the user purchasing & installing the product. We already make plenty of use of passive solar energy and daylight, but this is taken for granted. It would only take a little bit more care in the design and layout of our buildings to make the best use of our knowledge and thus the solar gain which is freely available.
Techniques of active solar heating and solar thermal power generation are technically feasible and in many countries proven. These are proven and regarded as prudent cost effective ways of heating our homes whilst saving money and having little impacy on the environment.
A good example would be; 80% of residential/domestic buildings in Isreal have solar heating systems. Wheather solar systems can be promoted in less sunny climates is up to the manufacturer, through progressive effective proven design, proven cost savings, promotion and an agressive market approach. Initially it shall all depend on the attitudes on the individuals in Ireland to make that choice or not, and this again shall be mainly up to the supplying companies promotions and marketing team to convince its potential market. Ireland is still a relatively new and growing market with a lot of potential for the right product which satisfies the consumers needs.
Another practical point id like to make is that with Ireland in the midst of a seemingly unending economic fall from grace, a prudent move by the government im my opinion would be to invest heavly in renewable energy, and in this particular case Solar. This would create jobs, provide some small relief to the countries ever increasing dole payment tally, provide the workers with self esteem and spending power, whilst obviously greatly reducing energy costs over time. This would also help ireland not only reach our targets set out by Europe and avoid more fines, but push on and exceed those targets helping our environment as we done so.