Chooseday’s Choice! ~ Fossil fuels or solar powered heating?

Where does YOUR energy go?

Fossil fuels are derivatives of plant and animal fossils that are million of years old. These are primarily formed from the remains of the decayed plants and animals. The three fuel sources coal, natural gas and oil help to meet the energy and electricity demands of today’s world.  Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy resources. Their supply is limited so they will eventually run out. Fossil fuels do not renew themselves, while fuels such as wood can be renewed endlessly.

Pollution is a major disadvantage that is formed due to fossil fuels as they release carbon dioxide when they burn, which adds to the greenhouse effect and increases global warming.  Coal and oil release sulphor  dioxide gas when they burn, which causes breathing problems for living creatures and contributes to acid rain.

You Choose!

Solar Thermal: Combining solar collectors with a wood burning stove provides an ideal year-round renewable energy heating solution. A solar collector system in Ireland can produce 60% – 70% of the annual DHW requirement and up to 100% of the hot water requirement during the summertime. Solar panels are effective throughout the year as they utilize diffuse light and not just direct sunlight – this is especially true for evacuated tube collectors.

Solar energy can also be used for space heating in conjunction with low temperature applications such as under floor heating systems and high efficiency radiators. If the solar panels are correctly sized, the solar energy system can produce up to 40% of the annual heating load as well as producing 60% – 70% of the hot water load.

Using renewable sources of energy like wood and solar energy to heat our homes reduces our reliance on polluting, imported fossil fuels like oil and coal.

What is your preferred choice for heating and why?