29 Oct, 2013 By Mary
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!

Chooseday's Choice
Fossil fuels or solar?

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?

22 Oct, 2013 By Mary
Chooseday’s Choice! ~ Is your hot water cylinder wearing a jacket?

Where does YOUR energy go?

A simple low cost way to save energy on domestic hot water is to make sure your hot water cylinder is properly lagged. A lagging jacket fitted on your hot water cylinder will keep water hotter for longer and pay for itself in 2-3 months. If replacing the hot water cylinder, a cylinder with factory applied insulation should be considered. Such insulation is more effective at retaining heat than a lagging jacket, is less easily damaged and cannot be pulled out of place.

You Choose!

A simple low cost way to save energy
A simple low cost way to save energy

Don’t forget the pipes. By slipping pipe insulation around your exposed hot water pipes you’ll keep your hot water hotter for longer. Fitting insulation to pipes is easy if the pipes are accessible. Pipe insulation are foam tubes that cover the exposed pipes between your hot water cylinder and boiler, reducing the amount of heat lost and therefore keeping your water hotter for longer. It’s usually as simple as choosing the right size from your local DIY store and then slipping it around the pipes.

 

21 Oct, 2013 By Mary
Practical On-farm Renewable Energy event at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus

The annual “Practical On-farm Renewable Energy” event has now become a fixture in many peoples calendars following its success in previous years. The event will be held once again on Tuesday 29th October at Greenmount Campus. DARD has again joined forces with the UFU, and AFBI to provide practical information for farmers and the rural sector about the various renewable energy options available for their businesses.

The follow-up event at CAFRE’s Enniskillen Campus will also be held in February 2014.

Shanes Castle Hydropower - 1st Archimedean Screw Turbine installed in Northern Ireland
1st to be installed in Northern Ireland and largest single screw to be ever manufactured – Shanes Castle Hydropower
There will be a series of seminars throughout the day highlighting local case studies of the main renewable energy technologies; wind power, biomass production and utilisation, biogas production, solar hot water and PV, micro-hydro and heat pumps.
A second series of seminars will deal with many of issues facing those considering installing a green energy source. Topics covered will include the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), grid connection, planning, NI Renewable Obligation Certificates (NIROC’s), marketing NIROC’s as well as finance, business planning and funding options.
200kW Biomass Boiler fueled by locally sourced wood chip
200kW Biomass Boiler fueled by locally sourced wood chip
In addition, there will be a Trade Exhibition and the opportunity to tour the renewable energy installations at Greenmount Campus. If you are interested in exhibiting in the trade stand area please contact CAFRE at technology.admin@dardni.gov.uk or telephone 028 9442 6770. As space is limited it will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Evance R9000 5kW Wind Turbine
Evance R9000 5kW Wind Turbine
The event will run from 11.00am until 8.00pm in the evening. For further details you can contact Cathal Ellis at 028 9442 6793 or cathal.ellis@dardni.gov.uk.
It is free to attend both the exhibition and the seminars throughout the day.
We offer a friendly one-stop shop for hydro development, from feasibility studies to licensing, to installation and commissioning and everything in between!
If you would like to discuss any aspect of your project prior to the show or want to arrange to meet us on the day please contact us here.
We look forward to meeting you at the show.

 

18 Oct, 2013 By Mary
An electrifying night at The Blog Awards Ireland
The stage is set for a wonderful night
The stage is set for a wonderful night

Where has the time gone! Almost a week gone by and we’re still on a high from the absolutely fantastic night at the Blog Awards Ireland 2013 which was held in The Osprey Hotel in Naas. From the moment we stepped into the room we knew it was going to be a night to remember. There was no corners cut for this bloggers celebration….. the most fantastic lighting, table decor and the guys and gals from underCURRENT were meeting and greeting and smiling with us for the camera 🙂 …….. the Cabaret theme was brought to life!

Me and Mr. Eco all glammed up for the night!
Mr. Eco and me all glammed up for the night!

Eco Evolution made it to the finals in the Best Eco/Green Blog. Thank you to everyone who nominated us and the judges who put us through to the various rounds. Alas,  we were not winners but we did have the privledge of sitting at the WINNERS table. The lovely Dee of Greeensideup swept the boards. Not only did she win the Best Eco/Green category she also won two other categories, Best Great Outdoors, Best Lifestyle and took away the Best Overall Blog Award. Catherine of Foxglove Lane also won Best Photography Blog…..Wow! five blog awards at the one table. My gut feeling was right….Greensideup would sweep the boards on the night. Told you Dee! 🙂

Sitting at the winners table
Sitting at the winners table

We shared our table with friendly chatty bloggers from the Best Eco/Green and Great Outdoors categories. Bloggers that I have followed for years and had hoped to meet one day …… and here we were, all at the same table 🙂 There was the Queen of Irish blogging Dee from Greensideup,  Brian from The Secret Garden, (who loved my strong Wexford accent!!) David from Beyond the Wild Garden, Lorna from Jardin Design, Catherine from Foxglovelane and Suzanna from Zwarbles. If you get a minute please pop over to their blogs as they are well worth the read.

Blog Awards Ireland 2013
My new favourite mug from the goody bag!

Bunny, a funny and fabulous Drag Queen from Northern Ireland and the very talented singing and dancing UnderCURRENT troupe based in Dublin kept us well entertained on the night. Goody bags, spot prizes galore, delicious food and wine (I’m vouching for the vegetarian option here!) and not one but three desserts from Glenisk which were just devine 🙂 where all part and parcel of an amazing night. We were one of the lucky ones,  our table was adorned with a fabulous basket of freshly picked organic grapes brought along by Suzanna from Zwarbles.  All in all an awards night to be remembered.

Me and Mr. Eco enjoying the night
Mr. Eco and me enjoying the night

If you would like to see more great photos of the night head on over to the Blog Awards Ireland Facebook Page.

Well done once again to Amanda, Beatrice and Lorna on organising such a memorable occasion.

15 Oct, 2013 By Mary
Chooseday’s Choice! ~ Open Fire or Stove?

Where does YOUR energy go?

Many homes in Ireland still use an open fire-place. An open fire-place is hugely inefficient as the heated air within the room is sucked up the chimney and the burn rate of the fuel is difficult to control. Therefore much of the fuel and cost is wasted. Installing a solid fuel or preferably a log burning stove is a simple, quick and cheap way to reduce your heating bills and energy consumption.

You Choose!

Open Fire or Stove?
Open Fire or Stove?

Typically, more than 70% of the heat from an open fire goes up the chimney, while a stove retains as much as 76% of heat in the room, saving both fuel and money. Replacing an open fire with an efficient stove can reduce the household energy consumption by 8 to 10%. Given that we spend around €2,000 on heat, light and hot water, that could see a person’s fuel bill fall by €200 a year.

11 Oct, 2013 By Mary
The beautifully restored and visually breathtaking Riverdale Water Mill

During the Summer we spent some time visiting various water mills around Ireland with The Mills and Millers of  Ireland – the society for the preservation of ancient and traditional Irish water mills. We have visited several mills over the years and Riverdale Water Mill has to be one of the most breathtaking of all the renovated mills we have visited to date.

Situated close to the shores of Lough Neagh on the River Goudy the beautifully restored Riverdale Water Mill is over 200 years old. All its original machinery, including the water wheel itself, is in full working order. Visually breathtaking, Riverdale surpasses all expectations.

Restaurant and Courtyard
Restaurant and Courtyard
The magnificent Water wheel
The magnificent Water wheel
The working water wheel
The working water wheel

 

The Millrace
The Millrace

The millrace on the right converges with the River Goudy as it leaves the mill pond.

View of barn and sluice gate
View of barn and sluice gate
The Sluice Gate
The Sluice Gate

The exquisitely landscaped grounds are stunning and full of delightful surprises at every turn. Riverdale Dam is truly a world unto itself , an ideal location for photographs throughout the year.

Stepping stones along the dam
Stepping stones along the dam
The Goudy river waterfall
The Goudy river waterfall
The Elevated pond
The Elevated pond
View of Mill and Mill pond
View of Mill and Mill pond
Enjoying life on the pond
Enjoying life on the pond
The pathways through the beautifully landscaped gardens
The pathways through the beautifully landscaped gardens
A haven for wildlife
A haven for wildlife

Across the road in the gardens of Riverdale House there is a stone and brick built shower house which was used by the workers at Riverdale Water Mill.  After a long day of  threshing the mill workers would step into the shower and once inside another worker would throw a bucket of water on them from the top of the building.

Frank inspecting the shower
Frank inspecting the shower

The fully restored farmyard which includes both a restaurant and a barn can accommodate functions such as local heritage events and weddings.

If you are the owner of an old mill or indeed a mill site and would like to find out more please contact us here for further information and we will endevour to point you in the right direction.

All photographs are copyright of Eco Evolution

6 Oct, 2013 By Mary
No cost tips to keep warm and save energy this Winter

With the long, dark chilly evenings slowly creeping in it’s tempting to crank up the thermostat and lounge around in the heat without a care in the world. Stop, think before you do. With a few simple tricks and minor adjustments you can drive your energy costs down and the good news is, lowering them doesn’t require spending money. There are simple ways in which you can enjoy the warmth and save energy in the long run.

Know how to set your controls to have a warm cosy home
Keep warm and save energy!
Many of us keep our thermostats set too high. Check your thermostat and if it’s set above 20ºC turn it down. If that feels too cold, try turning it down in stages, starting at a comfortable temperature and going down by one degree each week to give yourself time to adjust.  Lowering your thermostat by just 1ºC will knock 10% off your heating bill. You can also keep temperatures  lower in hallways and corridors, as you’ll never normally be in there for more than a couple of minutes at a time.
Ideal comfortable room temperature is 20
Turn down your thermostat!
Make better use of the timers on your immersion or boiler so you can control when the heating comes on and goes off. This means you have heating and hot water when and where you want it. By understanding the controls you can always wake up and come home to a warm house without leaving the heating on 24/7. So, remember when setting the controls it will take a while for the house to heat up when you turn it on and to cool down when you turn it off.
Ideally set the heating to come on 20 minutes before getting up and to go off 15 minutes before you leave the house. If you’re out and about all day remember to set it to come on 20 minutes before you return home. This will be enough to take the chill out of the air and ensure a comfortable warm home. If on the other hand you’re going to be busy preparing meals, catching up on housework etc. when you arrive home well then there is  no need to have the heating coming on before returning because you will be warm enough while rushing about. Turn off 20 minutes after you go to bed. There is no need to have the heating on while you sleep.
Keep your doors closed
Keep your doors closed!
Close room doors to separate heated from unheated areas of your home, and minimise the area you are heating. If your home is anything like mine you’ll spend your evening closing doors behind everyone! There is no need to spend money heating rooms that are not being used.
Close your curtains at night - open during the day to let the sunshine in!
Close your curtains at night – open during the day to let the sunshine in!
Much of the heat loss from a house occurs through the windows, particularly if they are single glazed. So keep your curtains closed at night, even in empty rooms and also ensure that the curtains don’t hang over the radiators as that will just funnel all your heat out the window. If the radiator is mounted below a window, a projecting window-board or shelf above the radiator will direct warm air into the room, reducing heat loss through the window. Remember to open them during the day to let the warm sunshine in.
Check for draughts!
Check for draughts!
Check the house for draughts. Light a candle or incense and hold it up to doors and window frames.  If the candle flame flickers or the smoke of the incense flows towards the window, there is a draft there. Seal up the leaks.
Look for places where you have pipes, vents or electrical conduits that go through the wall, ceiling or floor. Check the bathroom, underneath the kitchen sink, pipes inside a closet, etc. If you find a gap at the point where the pipe or vents goes through the wall, seal it up. For a no cost way to seal you can try using scrunched up old newspapers, old towels etc.
Use a draught excluder to stop cold air from seeping under the doors and into the house. Be creative and make your own by using old sheets, towels and all those odd socks that you keep holding on to in the hope that eventually you find a pair (it’s never going to happen!)
Wear a jumper!
Wear a jumper!
And now for some old fashioned advice…… turn down the heat and put on a sweater 🙂 Mums are always right!
Free Energy Efficient improvements available
Free Energy Efficient improvements available
Free Energy Efficient  improvements available.
The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, funds energy efficiency improvements in the homes of the elderly and vulnerable, making the homes more comfortable, healthier and more cost effective to run.

The scheme is available to non-Local Authority owner occupied homes constructed before 2006. The owner of the property has also to be in receipt of one of the following:

  • Fuel Allowance as part of the National Fuel Scheme
  • Job Seekers allowance for over six months and with children under 7 years of age
  • Family income support

The service involves the installation of standard energy efficiency measures appropriate to the eligible household subject to SEAI survey, budget allocation and available capacity. The service is provided at no cost to the household and the measures currently available under this scheme are:

  • Attic insulation.
  • Draught proofing.
  • Lagging jackets.
  • Low energy light bulbs.
  • Cavity wall insulation.
  • Energy advice.
Landlords can avail of grants from Better Energy Homes if they have tenants in, or at risk of, energy poverty.
What advice would you give to keep warm and save energy?
Photo Credits: Photopin and Wexford Local Development.
Much of the heat loss from a house occurs through the windows, particularly if they are single glazed. So keep your curtains closed at night, even in empty rooms and also ensure that the curtains don’t hang over the radiators as that will just funnel all your heat out the window. – See more at: http://www.seai.ie/Power_of_One/Energy_Saving/Top_Tips/#sthash.0tOFTMHK.dpuf
Close room doors to separate heated from unheated areas of your home, and minimise the area you are heating. There is no need to spend money heating rooms nobody is in. – See more at: http://www.seai.ie/Power_of_One/Energy_Saving/Top_Tips/#sthash.0tOFTMHK.dpuf
Many people keep their thermostat too high. Check it and if its above 20ºC turn it down. Lowering your thermostat by just 1ºC will knock 10% off your heating bill. – See more at: http://www.seai.ie/Power_of_One/Energy_Saving/Top_Tips/#sthash.0tOFTMHK.dpufMany people keep their thermostat too high. Check it and if its above 20ºC turn it down. Lowering your thermostat by just 1ºC will knock 10% off your heating bill. – See more at: http://www.seai.ie/Power_of_One/Energy_Saving/Top_Tips/#sthash.0tOFTMHK.dpuf
1 Oct, 2013 By Mary
Blog Awards Ireland 2013 ~ We’ve made it to the finals!

I was delighted to discover that we had made it to the finals of the Blog Awards Ireland 2013 in the Best Eco/Green Blog category sponsored by ESB eCar. This is the first year our blog has been nominated for the awards so you can imagine our delight in getting to the finals.

Thank you to the judges who judged the shortlist round. It must have been a difficult task as there were so many fantastic blogs to choose from. The competition is stiff this year and I am honoured to be listed along side such wonderful eco-bloggers all of whom I have great admiration for.

blog awards Ireland finalist

Best of luck to the finalists in all thirty categories. Being a finalist is a wonderful achievement as there was over 3,500 blogs nominated for the awards. The finals will take place on the 12th October in the Osprey Hotel in Naas where we will see a blogger from each category crowned the winner.

Lorna, Amanda and Beatrice have been working hard behind the scenes and have assured us of a fantastic evening of fun and entertainment. Really looking forward to eventually meeting the bloggers I have followed for years and have never had a chance to meet and catching up with those I’ve already met …… Now to find a gúna 🙂