Making the most of renewable energy systems DG 531

Making the most of renewable energy systems (DG 531) was written by John Holden and published on 30 June 2014. BRE (Building Research Establishment) is an independent, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, operating in the built environment and associated industries.

Renewable energy systems extract energy from sunlight, air, water or the ground and convert it into a useable form – usually electricity or heat. They can wholly or partially replace systems using gas, mains electricity or oil. However, when considering using renewable energy systems instead of such traditional systems, many additional factors that influence safety, reliability and performance need to be considered.

This 12-page BRE Digest describes the most popular renewable energy technologies included in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. It provides an overview of the safety, performance and reliability considerations for each technology, together with eligibility criteria for financial incentives.

It is intended for anyone considering, or responsible for, small-scale renewable energy systems serving domestic or non-domestic buildings. This includes architects, specifiers, landlords, home and business owners. A number of references are provided for a more detailed review of specific technologies.

Its contents are:

• Introduction.
• Performance.
• Reliability.
• Feed-in Tariffs.
• Solar thermal collectors.
• Renewable Heat Incentive.
• Biomass.
• Small and micro wind turbines.
• The Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

--BRE Group

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