A bit of a conundrum re Alternative Power

[MandyWB]

We are lucky enough to live in an ecohouse with a wood burning stove to heat the house and a ground-source heat pump for the hot water. We didn't bring any gas into the house as the original intention was to produce electricity on-site so we cook on an electric cooker. We have been unable to make up our minds about investing in a renewable energy scheme - we are surrounded by trees and only in a marginal area re windspeed (5.5m/sec at useable height) but my hubby is uncomfortable about investing in a PV array because of the lack of reasonable output in winter and the sizable investment cost. We are seriously considering installing a second woodburner (we are surrounded by Italian Alders which we could pollard) with cooking capabilities and a back boiler that would feed into the hot water system minmising the electricity needed for cooking and running the ground-source pump. Has anyone got any thoughts/ideas/experience to share on any of this? Thanks

[oldjerry]

In Italy the outlaws and their neighbours cook nearly 100% using woodburning stoves.Italian alder will burn ok if well seasoned,personally if you have the land available I would look to plant 1\2 acre of ash and hazel as this will grow faster,coppice better,burn better and is native.We did that here 6 years ago (managed to wangle a grant,trees dont cost much but I got paid for the planting!!).With a decent woodburner and stove,and great insulation you should be sorted.If you dont have the land available I would look fell the alder over a 6-7 year cycle and replant with ash and hazel. Very best wishes with what sounds like a good venture.

[ina]

Mandy - I don't know where you are (it would help if you could add your location in the profile, please!) - but a friend of mine here in Scotland has just one wood burner in the kitchen, with a back boiler, and it does just about everything in the house except the light bulbs and the fridge! I.e. central heating for three bedrooms, hot water, and cooking. They use mainly waste wood (from their own land as well as whatever neighbours etc offer for burning - the last thing they had to dismantle and burn was an old aviary...).