hi
So many qs to answer so I'll keep it to a brief resumé.
Insulation comes first with low cost and excellent payback.
Solar space heating is a low cost high return form of solar heating, undercosting and outreturning the other more popular solar technologies.
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/Space_Heating.htm
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.solar.thermal/browse_frm/thread/fdee87ff5a0b525b/93cc47463526c776?hl=en#93cc47463526c776
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/solar_barn_project.htm
Re radon, there was a program on recently about radioactivity and cancer risk that showed that low levels of radioactivity reduce cancer risk, contrary to the so far presumed relationship. One of the pieces of evidence was quite impressive, a map of the US showing cancer rates and rad levels, the inverse correlation was remarkable. Unfortunately I've got no links.
Windgens do not pay back their cost in most population centres, nor return any significant amount of energy. There was a long thread on this explaining why in the last few days in news:uk.d-i-y.
Solar pv has no chance of paying its way unless you live far from the grid, and it would cost a fortune to get connected. Despite being the very worst solar option financially and energywise, it seems the most hyped.
Solar dhw can pay if well designed, but too many aren't.
Those sunday times figures are all over the place. Some aren't even close, like PV, wind, and even the lightbulb figures are a mess. Its an embarrassment that that got past editorial.
Electric heaters are the most expensive of all heating options at around 10p/unit. If using them, spending on insulation is especially beneficial. If one must use electric, an a/c system can be used as low cost air source heatpumps, giving an efficiency equivalent of maybe 300%. This beats E7 storage heating in both cost and performance.
For damp control, a humidistatic dehumidifier is much cheaper to run than any heating. Also all its energy use is given out to the house in the form of heat - though 200w part of the time isnt much! If used below 10C one would need to choose a desiccant wheel type, the common refrigerant cycle types dont work effectively in cold conditions.
An excellent place for advice on solar is news:alt.solar.thermal.
NT
So many qs to answer so I'll keep it to a brief resumé.
Insulation comes first with low cost and excellent payback.
Solar space heating is a low cost high return form of solar heating, undercosting and outreturning the other more popular solar technologies.
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/Space_Heating.htm
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.solar.thermal/browse_frm/thread/fdee87ff5a0b525b/93cc47463526c776?hl=en#93cc47463526c776
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/solar_barn_project.htm
Re radon, there was a program on recently about radioactivity and cancer risk that showed that low levels of radioactivity reduce cancer risk, contrary to the so far presumed relationship. One of the pieces of evidence was quite impressive, a map of the US showing cancer rates and rad levels, the inverse correlation was remarkable. Unfortunately I've got no links.
Windgens do not pay back their cost in most population centres, nor return any significant amount of energy. There was a long thread on this explaining why in the last few days in news:uk.d-i-y.
Solar pv has no chance of paying its way unless you live far from the grid, and it would cost a fortune to get connected. Despite being the very worst solar option financially and energywise, it seems the most hyped.
Solar dhw can pay if well designed, but too many aren't.
Those sunday times figures are all over the place. Some aren't even close, like PV, wind, and even the lightbulb figures are a mess. Its an embarrassment that that got past editorial.
Electric heaters are the most expensive of all heating options at around 10p/unit. If using them, spending on insulation is especially beneficial. If one must use electric, an a/c system can be used as low cost air source heatpumps, giving an efficiency equivalent of maybe 300%. This beats E7 storage heating in both cost and performance.
For damp control, a humidistatic dehumidifier is much cheaper to run than any heating. Also all its energy use is given out to the house in the form of heat - though 200w part of the time isnt much! If used below 10C one would need to choose a desiccant wheel type, the common refrigerant cycle types dont work effectively in cold conditions.
An excellent place for advice on solar is news:alt.solar.thermal.
NT
