Effect of climate
- heat pumps are climate independent if ground or water are used as the source because of the high thermal inertia of the earth
- biomass responds to the availability of sunlight which regulates its growth; as crops mature over a period of many months to many years, overall growth is not affected
- wind varies in both direction and speed over periods ranging from some seconds to hours so a back up source such as a grid connection or batteries is required
- solar water heating peaks in strong sunshine and when the sun is highest in the sky; heating power decreases as the sun lowers in the sky and is less strong in winter when the sun is generally lower
- solar cells output peaks as solar water heating when the sun is highest in the sky and declines as the sets; it is lower in winter than summer
Environmental impacts
greenhouse gases - no contribution from solar cells, solar water heaters or wind turbines; some contribution from generating electricity used to concentrate heat energy for heat pumps; biomass will contribute in accordance with the mass that is burnt
Visual impact is minimised when the renewable energy technology is incorporated into the building fabric to become a building component such as photovoltaic tiles in place of regular roof tiles.
