Information for off gas areas

Off mains gas homes

If you live in an area that is not on the mains gas network, there are still opportunities to heat your home using clean, energy efficient products.

Renewable technologies

'Renewables' is the generic term for technologies that use natural and naturally replenished resources, such as heat from the sun, wind, water or from biomass, to provide domestic hot water and space heating.

Solar thermal

A solar thermal water heating system uses the free energy from the sun to heat the hot water in your home. It uses collector panels or evacuated tubes, usually on a south-facing roof, to transfer energy from the sun into a fluid in the system.

During the summer months, a solar water heating system can generate up to 90% of the hot water required for an average household; even on duller days some hot water can be produced, with the remainder being provided either by a conventional boiler or electric immersion heater.

On average, a well-designed solar heating system will generate around 55% of the annual hot water demand and substantially reduce carbon emissions.

Ground source heat pump

At a depth of over a metre, the temperature of the ground stays constant all year. A ground source heat pump uses pipes, called an array, buried under the ground to collect the stored thermal energy. This energy is passed through a compressor and converted to provide clean, efficient and renewable heating for the home.

Ground source heat pumps are suitable for well insulated new homes, or homes that have undergone major refurbishment, that have underfloor heating or low temperature radiators. They are the perfect solution for properties in off mains gas areas with plenty of room for the ground array. Although electricity is needed to run the pump, four units of heat are produced for each unit of electricity required.

Biomass

Biomass, such as wood pellets or logs, releases the same amount of carbon dioxide when it is burned as it absorbed while the plants were growing. Biomass is therefore known as carbon-neutral renewable energy.

Biomass boilers burn biomass fuels extremely efficiently and use the heat produced to provide heating and hot water. They can also be more cost effective and efficient than fossil fuel boilers, especially in rural or off mains gas areas.

Micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP)

Combined heat and power (CHP) is where heat and electricity are made at the same time in a single appliance, like a boiler, close to where they are to be used. This means that the heat and electricity generated can be used in the building extremely efficiently because no energy is lost during transportation to another site.

Although large scale CHP has been available for many years for commercial use, micro combined heat and power (also known as micro-CHP, mCHP or domestic CHP) is a relatively new technology. Baxi Ecogen is a wall mounted boiler that generates low cost, low carbon electricity for the home while providing heating and hot water.

Electric boilers

Homes with no mains gas supply, in towns or rural areas, which are not suitable for renewable technologies, could benefit from electric boilers, such as the Heatrae Sadia Amptec electric flow boiler and the Heatrae Sadia Electromax combined electric boiler and domestic hot water store. They offer the comfort and convenience of conventional central heating and domestic hot water supply, wherever there is mains electricity.