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Green Futures With Renewable Energy Courses (UK)

Can you imagine yourself working in an exciting new industry that's pushing environmental boundaries? By training as a Domestic Green Engineer, you'll have the right skills for the job. Within months of getting started on a course, you could be ready to work here or overseas in a thriving new job or business. The cost of fuel is soaring as supplies become more finite. Householders in the developed world know changes will have to come soon. We are all being encouraged to think more carefully about how we use energy, and where we can be more efficient.

n the UK, householders with the oldest and lowest rated boilers can apply for grants to cover some of the costs of replacement. Such measures bring more work for those with the right knowledge and qualifications. And so if you're keen to learn how to be a plumber or an electrician, don't overlook the opportunities in the renewable energy market.

If you qualified as an electrician some time ago, you may want to update your knowledge of renewables.

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'Green' Energy Solutions

Green technology uses the earth's natural resources and converts them into usable energy. Whether we get rain, wind or sun, we can harness the energy and put it to further use. Previous generations created wind turbines and waterwheels. Now we can benefit from solar energy as well to provide us with heat and hot water. That's why there's a need for skilled workers with green certifications.

Solar Energy Systems

Domestic hot water pipes can be connected to solar water heaters to provide free heat to the system. The current range of solar heating systems includes several that are sophisticated and state of the art. They're used alongside existing heating systems and can supply almost all the hot water a British family might need from late spring to early autumn. This lessens their impact on the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by something like 400 to 750 kg a year. There are two forms of collectors - namely evacuated tubes and flat plates. They should be fitted to roofs that are ideally facing towards the south.

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. The inverter is then linked up to the power distribution point in the house to provide electricity for certain appliances and lighting. As sunshine and light don't cost anything, owners of PV systems can save up to almost half their usual costs on electricity bills. (Clearly from a financial standpoint they also need to recover their initial investment.) Any solar electricity that isn't used up can either be stored in batteries for a cloudy day, or sold 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. In Britain an average of 850 kWh of electricity a year is generated for every kWp of solar PV installed. Put in perspective, the average household consumes approximately 4,700 kWh a year.

Ground Source Heat Pumps

Geothermal heat is the term used for the ground source heat that is stored naturally under the ground. Heat pumps are connected to great lengths of underground geothermal piping that contains a non freezable substance. It absorbs the warmth as it circulates around the piping, and delivers it's heat to the connecting pump. Warm air or water is then pumped around a home to supplement existing heating systems. Ground source heat pumps will lower household fuel bills. They need a small amount of electricity to run them, but can produce four or five times as much as they consume.

Training For A 'Green' Career

When you train to work in the green installations industry, you'll pick up a variety of worthwhile skills. Look for a course that will take you through all the domestic essentials, including health & safety, laws and regulations and if relevant guidance on starting your own business. 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.

Green engineering training courses are developing all the time, as this exciting technology progresses. Most green courses will include optional training on installing and maintaining various types of Rainwater Harvesting Systems that are commonly used in the UK.

Careers For The Twenty First Century

Each time a domestic UK property changes hands, the new householders must be shown an Energy Performance Certificate. This illustrates how energy efficient the house is, and how it could be improved. Sometimes suggested changes can reduce bills by many hundreds of pounds per annum. And up to 80 per cent of the cost of installation work can often be claimed from the government if owners have 'green' systems fitted by qualified professionals.

And that's not all. Within the next six years, all new homes must generate at least 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources to be legally compliant. We can no longer close our eyes to the need for safer, sustainable power. For that reason, those who become skilled and qualified now will find themselves in the right place at the right time.