In order to specify the most appropriate Microgeneration renewable technology for a project, a number of considerations must be taken into account.

The Econic team includes some of the most experienced specialists in the UK renewable industry who are able to advise on the most appropriate and viable renewable energy solutions to match your needs. Not every type of system is suitable for every project and careful consideration has to be given to the projects requirements.

We will ask a number of questions that help with this analysis and that will also be useful when the design of the system itself is being considered. One of the first questions we will need to ask will be focused around whether the system will also be providing hot water and whether cooling will be required during the warmer months. Next we ask a number of questions about the site and the building itself, such as the size of the building, the size of the site, how many people will be using the building and when, the amount of insulation and whether the windows are double-glazed. This information enables our team to create a detailed heating profile which will form part of the information that is used in the design process.

When specifically considering heat pumps as the renewable energy solution, our team take into account factors that effect the choice between three sources of energy: ground, air and water.

Considerations for this include: the size of the plot, the geotechnical parameters i.e. the stiffness, the density and the composition of the ground conditions. This informs the decision of the type of array and the installation method.

This type of collector could be considered if there is a large pond, lake, river or fast-flowing stream available on the site. Water levels during periods of drought, other environmental considerations and planning issues need to be assessed when looking at water as a renewable energy source.

If the ground conditions, or budget do not allow for a ground source heat pump, air source is a good alternative. Issues of planning permission and conservation status will need to be resolved, as noise and visual assessments form part of this process.