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Renewable energy and retrofitting

Once you have found out the details for your building and whether it's possible for you to carry out upgrades, it's time to look into the renewable energy and retrofitting options available.

There are lots of different options to choose from and the best option will depend on various factors such as your needs, the building and your location as well as budget.

We are taking a look at some of the most common renewable energy solutions and retrofitting options and their pros and cons below.

Insulation

Insulating you home is a great way to help keep your home warm and it also has the benefit of helping to reduce your heating bills and your carbon footprint. 

There are various methods to insulate your home such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation and floor insulation.

Pros

  • Makes the building feel warmer and keeps it warmer for longer if you turn off the heating.
  • Saves you money on the energy bill by reducing the amount of energy lost through external walls and loft.
  • In summer, it will keep the building cooler on warm days. 
  • Reduces your carbon footprint

Cons

  • Depending on the type of property some insulating measures can be expensive to implement
  • If the insulation isn’t fitted correctly then damp could occur 
  • The process can cause disruption and some of the bigger insulating projects (e.g. solid wall insulation) may be better done when renovating the whole building

Solar Panels

Solar panels capture the suns energy and converts it into electricity that you can use in your own home. 

You can combine solar panels with an energy storage system, which allows you to capture excess energy generated and use it at a time that suits you.

Pros

  • Cuts the cost of the electricity bills
  • Once you have paid for the installation, the electricity generated will be free
  • Reduces your carbon footprint.  A typical solar PV system could save up to a tonne of carbon per year depending on your location in Scotland

Cons

  • The upfront cost to install
  • Solar panels require a decent amount of space to be effective. Homes with small roofs or roofs that are shaded by trees or other structures may not have enough space to install an efficient number of panels.

    Air Source Heat Pumps

    The air source heat pump transfers heat from the outside air - even when cold - to water. This water is then passed through a heat exchanger and heats rooms up via radiators.

    In comparison to regular gas boilers, air source heat pumps are more energy-efficient as they produce more heat energy than the electrical energy they use. 

    Pros

    • Saves you money on your energy bills
    • Reduces your carbon footprint

    Cons

    • The upfront cost to install an air source heat pump is approximately £14k (support is available, see funding pages)

    Ground Source Heat Pumps

    Ground source heat pumps (also known as ground-to-water heat pumps) use the heat from the ground to heat your radiators/underfloor heating. It can also heat water stored in a hot water cylinder for household use.

    The heat pump does this via a loop of pipes buried in your garden or outdoor space. Thermal transfer fluid (a mixture of water and antifreeze) flows around the loop where the fluid absorbs the heat from the ground. It then passes through a heat exchanger into the heat pump where it raises the temperature and transfers the heat to water.

    Illustration of ground source heat pump with network of pipes in ground

    Pros

    • Reduces your energy bill.
    • Lowers your carbon footprint significantly.
    • Is more efficient than air source heat pumps as underground temperatures are pretty constant (between 10-13°C).

    Cons

    • Requires land for the ground source heat pump to be located
    • Upfront cost are approx. £28k-£57k depending on the hole/trenches that need to be created for the loop (support is available, see funding pages)

    Micro CHP Boiler

    Micro combined heat and power (micro CHP) is a technology that generates heat and electricity at the same time. The main output of a micro-CHP system is heat, with some electricity generation. 

    Many homes can easily replace a conventional gas boiler with a micro CHP boiler instead. While micro CHP boilers require gas or liquified petroleum gas (LPG), they are still considered a low carbon technology because it can be more efficient than just burning a fossil fuel for heat and getting electricity from the grid.

    Hand pressing button on thermostat

    Pros

    • Generates electricity as a by-product when generating heat.
    • Installation is easy and similar to that of a conventional gas boiler.
    • Reduces your carbon footprint compared to conventional gas boilers.

    Cons

    • It costs more than a conventional boiler to install.
    • It only generates electricity if the heat is on, so during the summer months very little electricity is generated.

    Wind Turbines

    Wind turbines generate electricity when the wind moves the turbine blades and this connects to a gear that drives a generator. Then the generator turns the kinetic energy into electricity.

    Image of small wind turbine

    Pros

    • Reduces your carbon footprint
    • May reduce your energy bills (depends on how consistent wind your plot of land gets)
    • If you generate more electricity than you use, you can export this to the grid and earn money from it

    Cons

    • Wind turbines are only suitable for certain properties in an exposed or isolated area
    • Maintenance costs for wind turbines are higher than other renewable energy sources.
    • Your area needs to be decently windy year round to make the wind turbine viable.
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