My first post

[fizzycist]

I am in the process of buying a cottage which I want to live in as efficiently and cheaply as possible. My initial ideas include a combination of wood, Solar and electric heating which can be switched easily from one to the other. The combined system will have to satisfy the heating and hot water requirements of 4 people. It is a blank canvas so any feedback would be most welcome. I envisage using the electric system as back up for "lazy" days.

[red]

welcome

[MKG]

Hi Fizzycist

[fizzycist]

Hi MKG thanks for the welcome. I am a newbie on forums, but I really want to get as much info as possible. Everyone seems friendly in their comments.

[red]

I would have thouht electric heating to be less efficient then say.. gas.. what is your reason for choosing lecky?

what wood burning options were you considering?

we have a woodburner.. and are thinking of (somewhen when funds allow) changing our rayburn from mains gas to a woodburning one.

[thomasgreen]

hello!! have you found any good websites providing info re-solar panels etc? my fiance and i have just had an offer accpeted on a little house in a countryside village-our first house! you must be so excited and eager to get cracking with your cottage?!

[Martin]

What ho!
In brief - wood good, solar even better...........electricity - not if you can avoid it! Electricity is ludicrously expensive already, and the price will never be coming down again - hence design to only use it when no other other power source will do - computers, tvs etc - even use bottled gas for fridges/freezers, and NEVER use it for either space or water heating, except for an electric kettle!
That is a really brief resume - you'll find loads more about it on the forums, particularly the alternative energy one!

[fizzycist]

Hi
We don't have mains gas, and I want to avoid oil as i see the price going up for ever. An electric system could in the future be supplemented by a turbine if i could afford one.
I am excited by the prospect. I have 2/3 acre which I want to plant willow on to coppice for wood. is this a good idea? It is a change of lifestyle. i will be closer to work and may even cycle the 2.5 miles. i will certainly use the bus though and sell one of our cars.

[ina]

Hiya fizzicist - brilliant name btw - and welcome to the Ishers!

What do you teach - not fizzics by any chance?

[fizzycist]

How did you guess? been doing it for 18 years. Now I want to put into practice all that theory I've learnt about.

[Shirley]

Hello Fizzy

Welcome aboard... as Martin suggested... please try asking your questions in the alternative energy section as not everyone checks the Hello bit

[Martin]

coppiced wood excellent
Firstly, if you are contemplating a wind turbine, find out if the site is suitable -
THEN make any decisions about whether to use electricity for heating/water heating........
If you design it right, there is absolutely no reason why you should ever have to resort to electricity for those uses anyway - wood should give you all the heating/hot water you need in winter, and for a bit of spring and autumn, and solar hot water should give all your domestic hot water for the warmer months.

[ina]

How did you guess? been doing it for 18 years. Now I want to put into practice all that theory I've learnt about.

Are there any kids left who want to learn the basics of physics? Or is it just computer stuff nowadays...

[fizzycist]

Martin
thanks for the info. I noticed you are the man with contacts around the UK who deal with Solar stuff. The back up electric is to keep my wife happy. She doesn.y want to run out of hot water. I take your point, wood for winter, solar for summer. What a bout a heat pump and undersoil water pipes? any good?
Ina
Plenty of good kids still wanting to take Physics I'm glad to say.

[ina]

Ina
Plenty of good kids still wanting to take Physics I'm glad to say.

Good to hear that! I think there's not enough "basic" science being done nowadays... I always enjoyed physics, too.