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Green Energy & Solar PV Training

Would you enjoy helping others to save money and look after the environment? By training as a Domestic Green Engineer, you'll have the right skills for the job. Whether you want to work in the UK or overseas, you could be installing equipment that saves CO2 consumption and cuts energy bills within months of starting a course. The cost of fuel is soaring as supplies become more finite. Carbon emissions will have to be reduced. Consumers are becoming more educated on alternative methods and resources for powering their homes.

People in Britain can often get substantial government subsidies to cover such things as wall or loft insulation and solar generated hot water. Such measures bring more work for those with the right knowledge and qualifications. So be sure to get details of the 'green' elements in any plumber or electrician training course you're considering.

Any experienced electricians or plumbers can take short courses in renewable energy solutions.

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Which Technology Is Considered Green?

Modern technology is considered green when it utilises resources that are naturally replenishable. We can generate additional and efficient power supplies by utilising the sun, the tides and the wind. We've used wind and water for many years, but it's the sun that provides energy for many newer replenishable systems. This is leading to a lot of work for 'Green' electricians.

Solar Energy Systems

Solar thermal systems can utilise free heat from the sun to warm up household water. The current range of solar heating systems includes several that are sophisticated and state of the art. Although in Britain we can't rely entirely on them for all of our hot water needs, a typical family could expect to get most of their requirement in the summertime. This lessens their impact on the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by something like 400 to 750 kg a year. The solar energy 'collectors' come as either lightweight evacuated tubes or slightly more robust flat panels. Several leading manufacturers supply solar thermal products which are quite simple for professionals to install. The ideal position would be on a roof space that's angled in a southerly direction.

To generate electricity, photovoltaic solar panels are used to capture the sun's energy. As with solar collectors that heat water, these cells need to be exposed to the most light and sun possible, so a south-facing roof is ideal. They also need an inverter to convert the direct current electricity to alternating current. This solar PV electricity can be used for lighting and for various appliances. Approximately forty percent of a household's electricity can be produced with a photovoltaic system. Users can therefore benefit financially over time as well as ecologically. If the household doesn't use all of their PV generated electricity, it's automatically fed back to the National Grid. This year (2010) the government has stepped in to increase the amount of money energy companies have to pay for this recycled electricity. Key factors that will impact the amount of electricity generated are the size of the system, the geographical location, the angle of the panels and any shading from buildings or trees etc.

Ground Source Heat Pumps

Geo-thermal energy is heat from the sun that's naturally stored in the earth. If land is plentiful the surface ground collector method is used to get the heat out. If it isn't, the borehole collector method is used. Either method requires burying a few hundred metres of plastic piping filled with an eco-friendly liquid. The heat arrives at the connecting heat pump because the solution warms as it flows around.

The most efficient way to use this heat is in underfloor heating systems, but it can also be used for heating water in radiators. Householders will experience lower fuel bills if they install a ground source heat pump. Also, if they're replacing an oil boiler, they could produce 540kg of CO2 less a year.

Continually Developing

Typical training will give you a greater understanding of renewable energy and the careers you can pursue. In addition to key electrical certifications (like Part P) and plumbing requirements, your course should deal with certain legal obligations, government funding of green installations and health and safety.

Most of the domestic interest in the renewables market is focused on solar thermal solutions and heat pumps. It makes commercial sense to concentrate on these. Training programmes are moving with the times, and will evolve as time goes on. You might be offered optional tutorials, for instance on rainwater harvesting to recycle water.

Careers For The Twenty First Century

So that buyers can determine future energy costs, every UK homeowner must get an Energy Performance Certificate before putting their house on the market. This documentation includes advice on how to make the place more energy efficient. Savings in some cases can run into thousands of pounds a year. The government is offering householders substantial grants to cover certain installation costs where work is undertaken by appropriately qualified Green Engineers.

That's merely the beginning though. The UK government is aiming for fifteen percent of the country's energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. The time is quickly coming when everyone will be looking for alternative energy solutions for their homes. Demand for skilled installers is about to soar!