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Microgeneration
Low energy strategies for larger buildings
- 1st Edition - September 5, 2008
- Author: Dave Parker
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 7 5 0 6 - 8 4 7 0 - 5
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 0 8 - 0 9 4 2 2 9 - 2
Spiraling fuel costs, frequent power cuts, “energy wars” with fuel-rich countries holding consumers to ransom--these are just some of the issues that are helping to ensure that… Read more
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Request a sales quoteSpiraling fuel costs, frequent power cuts, “energy wars” with fuel-rich countries holding consumers to ransom--these are just some of the issues that are helping to ensure that microgeneration of power, at the individual building level, is becoming a more and more attractive option to grid power.
In this book author Dave Parker describes the many and varied microgeneration options, from wind turbines and solar power to biomass and heatsinks, and even gives advice on how architects and developers can best access the increasingly large amount of government funding to help implement these strategies.
This book can help those in the building and construction industry to really make a difference in the fight against climate change, by explaining how to utilize the technology already within our reach.
In this book author Dave Parker describes the many and varied microgeneration options, from wind turbines and solar power to biomass and heatsinks, and even gives advice on how architects and developers can best access the increasingly large amount of government funding to help implement these strategies.
This book can help those in the building and construction industry to really make a difference in the fight against climate change, by explaining how to utilize the technology already within our reach.
- Comprehensive review of the latest technology available
- Shows how to assess/compare/combine the merits of the available systems
- Gives hard information on how to adopt appropriate microgeneration technology for a specific project
Architects, developers, urban planners, self builders
Foreword
Introduction
How microgeneration is the most important potential contributor to sustainable construction. New incentives to go down the microgeneration route. Potential rewards, pitfalls to avoid. Changing government attitudes, new awareness amongst clients, tenants and energy companies.
Section 1: Systems that need no external energy supplies
Thermosyphon solar water heating
Basic principles. Flat beds vs vacuum tube. Benefits and limitations of direct and indirect systems. Most effective applications. Dealing with sub-zero temperatures. Preventing legionella. Pros and cons of microbore piping. Installation and maintenance requirements. Available hardware.
Photovoltaics
Basic principles. Location and orientation. Types of PV cells. Silicon vs cadmium – the environmental implications. Batteries and inverters. Building-integrated PV. Cooling. Installation and maintenance requirements. Available hardware.
Mini wind turbines and windpumps
Basic principles. Horizontal axis vs vertical axis. Stall regulation vs pitch regulation. Noise, bird strike. Minimising cable cost. Minigrids and backup power. Synchronous generators, load controllers. Installation and maintenance requirements. Available hardware.
Small scale hydropower
Basic principles. Mini and micro. Run of river, canal and penstock, buried penstock, barrage installations. Head and flow. Utilising historic waterpower sites. Screening. Dealing with migratory fish. Matching head to turbine type. Impulse vs reaction turbines. Power controllers. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Biomass fuelled combined heat and power plants
Basic principles. Potential fuels. Grates. Bubbling vs circulating fluidised beds. Internal combustion vs steam. Emissions control. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Pros and cons of grid connection
Reliability of supply. Potential earnings. Capital costs.
Section 2: Systems that require external energy inputs
Solar air heating
Basic principles. Benefits and limitations. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Powered solar water heating
Basic principles. Power supplies. Benefits and limitations of direct, indirect and drain-back systems. Heat exchangers. Dealing with sub-zero temperatures. Preventing legionella. Pros and cons of microbore piping. Installation and maintenance requirements. Available hardware.
Fossil fuel CHP
Basic principles. Natural gas vs LPG vs diesel. Spark ignition internal combustion vs compression ignition internal combustion vs gas turbine. Types of generator. Maximising heat recovery, minimising noise and vibration. Control systems. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Ground, air and water source energy heating
Basic principles. Relative installation costs. Trenches vs boreholes. Wells vs rivers vs ponds. Lofts as heat sources. Underfloor heating vs radiators. Control systems. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Section 3: Towards total energy self-sufficiency
Heat sinks
Basic principles. Seasonal vs diurnal. Aquifers, grey water, gravel/water, phase change. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Combining technologies
PV/hydro/wind and solar/air heating. PV/hydro/wind and ground/water/air energy heating and cooling. CHP and solar/wind energy.
The cooling bonus
Ground water/acquifers. Thermal mass. Evaporative cooling.
Section 4: Finding the right solution
Assessing site potential
Topography. Demand. Local resources. Client expectations.
Selecting the technology
Availability. Compatibility. Practicality. Economics.
Tomorrow’s technology
Solar power generation, biomass gasification, fuel cells – development, potential, state of the art.
Section 5: Case studies
Apartment building
Light industrial units
Reichstag
Office development
Index
Introduction
How microgeneration is the most important potential contributor to sustainable construction. New incentives to go down the microgeneration route. Potential rewards, pitfalls to avoid. Changing government attitudes, new awareness amongst clients, tenants and energy companies.
Section 1: Systems that need no external energy supplies
Thermosyphon solar water heating
Basic principles. Flat beds vs vacuum tube. Benefits and limitations of direct and indirect systems. Most effective applications. Dealing with sub-zero temperatures. Preventing legionella. Pros and cons of microbore piping. Installation and maintenance requirements. Available hardware.
Photovoltaics
Basic principles. Location and orientation. Types of PV cells. Silicon vs cadmium – the environmental implications. Batteries and inverters. Building-integrated PV. Cooling. Installation and maintenance requirements. Available hardware.
Mini wind turbines and windpumps
Basic principles. Horizontal axis vs vertical axis. Stall regulation vs pitch regulation. Noise, bird strike. Minimising cable cost. Minigrids and backup power. Synchronous generators, load controllers. Installation and maintenance requirements. Available hardware.
Small scale hydropower
Basic principles. Mini and micro. Run of river, canal and penstock, buried penstock, barrage installations. Head and flow. Utilising historic waterpower sites. Screening. Dealing with migratory fish. Matching head to turbine type. Impulse vs reaction turbines. Power controllers. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Biomass fuelled combined heat and power plants
Basic principles. Potential fuels. Grates. Bubbling vs circulating fluidised beds. Internal combustion vs steam. Emissions control. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Pros and cons of grid connection
Reliability of supply. Potential earnings. Capital costs.
Section 2: Systems that require external energy inputs
Solar air heating
Basic principles. Benefits and limitations. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Powered solar water heating
Basic principles. Power supplies. Benefits and limitations of direct, indirect and drain-back systems. Heat exchangers. Dealing with sub-zero temperatures. Preventing legionella. Pros and cons of microbore piping. Installation and maintenance requirements. Available hardware.
Fossil fuel CHP
Basic principles. Natural gas vs LPG vs diesel. Spark ignition internal combustion vs compression ignition internal combustion vs gas turbine. Types of generator. Maximising heat recovery, minimising noise and vibration. Control systems. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Ground, air and water source energy heating
Basic principles. Relative installation costs. Trenches vs boreholes. Wells vs rivers vs ponds. Lofts as heat sources. Underfloor heating vs radiators. Control systems. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Section 3: Towards total energy self-sufficiency
Heat sinks
Basic principles. Seasonal vs diurnal. Aquifers, grey water, gravel/water, phase change. Installation and maintenance. Available hardware.
Combining technologies
PV/hydro/wind and solar/air heating. PV/hydro/wind and ground/water/air energy heating and cooling. CHP and solar/wind energy.
The cooling bonus
Ground water/acquifers. Thermal mass. Evaporative cooling.
Section 4: Finding the right solution
Assessing site potential
Topography. Demand. Local resources. Client expectations.
Selecting the technology
Availability. Compatibility. Practicality. Economics.
Tomorrow’s technology
Solar power generation, biomass gasification, fuel cells – development, potential, state of the art.
Section 5: Case studies
Apartment building
Light industrial units
Reichstag
Office development
Index
- No. of pages: 224
- Language: English
- Edition: 1
- Published: September 5, 2008
- Imprint: Architectural Press
- Paperback ISBN: 9780750684705
- eBook ISBN: 9780080942292
DP
Dave Parker
Affiliations and expertise
Freelance technical author and journalist. Former technical editor of New Civil Engineer magazine and Visiting Professor of Civil Engineering at the Queen's University of Belfast.