We have just released our latest product brochure.
Please feel free download a version here
Intelligent Energy Solutions Renewable Energy Brochure
If you would like a paper copy then please email us using the web enquiry form. Alternatively call us on 01509 768565.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.
Air source heat pumps work in a similar way to ground source heat pumps. But rather than extracting the heat from the ground they extract it from the air. They can then upgrade this heat using a compressor circuit (similar to that found in a fridge).
Definitely.
What about a swimming pool?
Yes to that to!
The system does not generate its’ own heat. It simply moves the heat from one place to another. This means that it can have an efficiency that is greater than 100%. Typically over a year an air source heat pump could have an efficiency of around 330% when heating a domestic home (including domestic hot water). This means that for every unit of electricity that it uses it generates 3.3 units of heat.
A modern high efficiency gas boiler has an efficiency of around 90%. This massive efficiency advantage means that the system will save you money off your fuel bills.
Comparing the system to a gas boiler you should save around 30%. Given the cost of oil, when replacing an oil boiler the savings can be up to 60%.
There are some design considerations when retrofitting a heat pump, but we would be able to chat you through this if you give us a call. We look forward to speaking to you.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.
We are very excited to have become approved installers for the EcoDan Air Source Heat Pumps. Renewable energy is always full of new products and new developments. Here at Intelligent Energy Solutions we are proud of our knowledge and understanding of these new systems. This ever changing market allows us to offer the latest flexible solutions for our clients. The Mitsubishi EcoDan offers just that.
The EcoDan heat pumps works like a normal air source heat pump but has been specifically designed for the domestic new-build AND retrofit market.
Mitsubishi have been very much focused on the requirements of the domestic home owner when designing the EcoDan system. This careful product design is evident in a number of ways from quiet running to coefficients of performance that means air source heat pumps can now compete with high efficiency gas boilers.
When compared with a modern gas boiler the EcoDan Heat Pump can not only saves up to 50% of the Co2 output it can also save up to 30% of the running costs.
When comparing the EcoDan heat pump with a modern oil boiler the savings could be up to 60%.
Click the following link to download the Ecodan air source heat pump brochure.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.
Following the recent energy price rises it is worth looking at any trends that are developing.
Recent trends show that while electricity prices are increasing, they are rising at a slower rate than fossil fuels such as gas and oil.
We believe that long term there will be many more sources of electricity than fossil fuels. These include wind farms and solar photovoltaics. Therefore we expect this trend to continue.
This means that heat pump technology is set to become more and more popular as it runs on electricity and heat from the sun.
Historically mains gas was a very cheap fuel vs electricity. However gas prices are rising faster than electricity and heat pumps have efficiencies in excess of 400%, gas is no longer a cheap fuel.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.
We all know that fuel prices are rising but sometimes we forget just by how much they have risen.
With regard to heating oil the prices have doubled in 1 year. See graph below.
This graph shows the average price of kerosene 28 over the past 12 months. This dramatic increase paves the way for more fuel efficient alternatives such as solar water heating and ground & air source heat pumps. Please click the links to read how these technologies could reduce your fuel bill.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.
Many people don’t know which renewable technology is right for them.
In some respects, experts like ourselves can make the decision easier but we thought it would be useful to cover a commonly asked question.
Unfortunately it isn’t that simple. Solar panels and heat pumps perform different tasks. Solar (water heating) panels use the suns energy to contribute to the heating of your hot water storage cylinder. They cannot however be relied upon to deliver hot water everyday all year round.
Ground source heat pumps on the other hand, extract heat from the ground and use this heat to heat both domestic hot water and your central heating system.
So heat pumps offer a total solution that does not need a backup. They run cost effectively vs most traditional fuels and remove the need for oil tanks or a gas connection.
Solar panels cannot provide this level of reliability.
Solar panels and heat pumps can also be installed to work together. This type of system uses the solar panels to heat your domestic hot water but utilises the heat pump as a back up. This should cut the running costs of the heat pump for domestic hot water by 50-70 per cent.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.
There are many applications for heat pumps, this article is concerned with ground source (geothermal) heat pumps for heating homes and commercial premises.
The primary difference between a ground source heat pump and a conventional boiler is that a conventional boiler is usually designed to heat the property between certain hours. It achieves this by outputting an enormous amount of heat over a short space in time. The property heats up, the boiler switches off and the house goes cold again.
A ground source heat pump works differently to this. The ground source heat pumps does not like producing very hot water. A conventional boiler might out put water to your radiators at a temperature in excess of 70 degrees C. A heat pumps can achieve this but it would be inefficient in doing so.
Therefore the style of heating needs to be changed to accommodate lower temperature heat output.
In general this means using underfloor heating (running at a low temperature, perhaps 38 degrees C) or radiators that are oversized so that they can run at a lower temperature than normal (perhaps 50-55 degrees C).
When the output temperature of the system is lowered it is vital that this heat is retained as the time taken to heat the whole building will increase
The key to a good ground source heat pump installation is insulation. Great insulation will benefit any home, what ever the type of heat system. However, due to the drip feed effect of heating a building more slowly with a heat pump it is even more important that the building retains this heat.
Sadly this means that ground source heat pumps tend not to be the best solution for heating old drafty homes. Having said this barn conversion are often ideal candidates as during the renovation is an ideal time to improve the insulation in the building.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.
Geothermal heat pumps, also know as ground source heat pumps, extract heat from the ground using a loop of pipe that runs in the ground outside your property. By reducing the temperature of the ground by a few degrees you can heat your whole house and domestic hot water.
The required heat source can take the form of a closed ground loop or an open water loop.
In general the most popular form of ground source heat pump arrangement is to have a closed ground loop. However many people in old large houses have access to wells or even lakes.
Water gives up it’s heat at a faster rate than the ground because it conducts heat more effectively that soil. This is beneficial to the heat pump system.
Another plus point is that water temperature in wells tends to be fairly consistent, this has a disadvantage in the summer as the ground is often warming than well water but in the winter, when most heat is required, the water is warmer than the ground. This means that the system can run more efficiently in the winter.
Extracting heat from a well also means that there is no ground works are kept to a minimum and the required are of land is drastically reduced.
However, there are also some disadvantages to consider. Extracting water from the ground, in some cases, will need a license. This can be checked with your local council. There is also a significant amount of energy required to pump water from a deep well to the heat exchanger in the heat pump.
One other precaution is that the well needs to have a rapid replenishment rate. This will need to be tested.
If you want to look more into ground/water source heat pumps you can have a survey conducted on your home that will determine it’s suitability for you.
Call Intelligent Energy Solutions to discuss your requirements.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.
Ground source heat pumps can be used for central heating and hot water in domestic and commercial premises. The system can completely replace your existing boiler and does not normally need any kind of 3rd party back up system.
Among other things, the system uses a compressor, heat exchanger and ground loop to extract heat from the ground around your house. This heat is then transfered around your house using conventional radiators or underfloor heating etc.
One of the many misunderstandings is that the type of system used in the UK does not need the heat that is stored deep inside the earth. The word Geothermal simple mean earth heat. The systems typically used in the UK extract the heat that is collected by the ground from the sun. It utilises the fact the the earth is one large solar collector.
The clever part is that the heat pump is capable of extracting heat that is perhaps 10 degrees C and ‘focusing’ it to heat water up to 60 degrees C.
The way this works can be described as being the opposite of a fridge, your fridge extracts heat from a box (or your garden) and emits it using a radiator (your home) on the back of the fridge.
Well, the ground loop contains a glycol solution that is pumped around your garden and slowly increases it’s temperature to that of the ground (this is usually between 7 and 12 degrees C all year round). So, the approximately 10 degree C solution then transfers it’s heat to a low pressure refrigerant, once the refrigerant has taken on the relatively small temperature increase, the refrigerant is compressed. At this point the amount the refrigerant is compressed dictates how much heat is emitted. The refrigerant is then de-pressurised and pumped back to the heat exchanger to take the 10 degree heat from the ground loop.
If this doesn’t make sense, then don’t worry. The system is very reliable, needs very little intervention and will last in excess of 20 years, far longer than a conventional boiler.
Intelligent Energy Solutions are based in Loughborough, Leicestershire and we are happy to discuss your heat pump requirements. If we think that a heat pump is suitable for you then we will be only too pleased to quote for the supply and/or installation.
Please feel free to call on 01509 768565 or e-mail us to discuss your needs.
Obviously I have talked only about ground source heat pumps but it is also worth mentioning air source heat pumps.
The difference between these systems is that Air Source Heat pumps do not need a ground loop , they extract heat from the air around us. The disadvantage with an air heat pump is that as the ambient temperature outside decreases the air heat pump struggles to extract heat easily. This means that the efficiency decreases.
One other fact of central heating systems is that you need them most when the outside temperature is at it’s lowest. This means that Air heat pumps are useful for heating properties that don’t have the room or funds for a ground loop or need heat when the ambient temperature is generally higher. This means that air heat pumps along with unglazed solar water panels are very useful for heating swimming pool water.
In summary if you want to heat your home efficiently with electricity, consider a heat pump. If you have a ground source heat pump you will benefit from good efficiency all year round, where the air heat pump will be significantly less efficient in winter.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss your personal situation, we will be happy to help.
Intelligent Energy Solutions is a leading UK provider of solar panels and heat pumps.