It’s fair to say that many British families have made the well-informed decision to forgo vacations for the foreseeable future. Given the ongoing danger of the Corona Virus and the lack of confidence surrounding quarantine upon your return, we can effectively put an end to it.
Naturally, we look to possibilities in the UK for a domestic adventure. Alternatively, you could be hesitatingly considering having a swimming pool installed. Perhaps you already own a pool and are looking for ways to cut costs. Maybe you just want to lessen your carbon footprint.
Having a pool isn’t the most ecologically friendly option. However, it might be argued that it is the better option when compared to long-haul flights and the emissions produced by huge hotel chains. It’s surprisingly easy to keep your prices down and your energy pure by heating your pool with renewable energy.
Air Source Heat Pumps
- Air source heat pumps are available expressly for swimming pools and are surprisingly economical. This is especially when compared to the expenditure you’d make on buying a pool in the first place. You can use them in two ways to sustainably heat your pool.
- Prices for an air source heat pump for a small pool start at roughly £2,000. An item like this NIBE F2040 could be the best option. However, a Green Square installer can always provide guidance on the alternatives.
- ASHPs may be quickly and simply plugged into the filtration system. They begin intercepting the clean water as it returns to the pool.
If you currently have an ASHP installed in your house as your primary heating source, you may use it to heat your pool as well. You can directly channel the energy from ASHP to heat your pool water during the summer when you’re not using it for house heating. For environmentally-conscious pool owners, this is a no-brainer and sensible by design. Because the air is already warm and the water is cold, at 29 degrees, ASHPs are particularly effective in the summer. Up to 8 Coefficients of Performance (COP) are possible with a heat pump. By comparing the heat output from the condenser (Q) with the power provided to the compressor (W), the coefficient of performance, or COP, is a measure of a heat pump’s efficiency. Therefore, in this scenario, 1 kW of energy will produce 8 kW of thermal energy.
Heat Pumps can also be combined with PV solar panels
These PV panels frequently create more energy in the summer than they need, so you may have enough to add to your battery storage, sell to the public grid, or utilize elsewhere in your house. You ought should be able to operate your heat pump comfortably with a 4 kwp system. The RHI (renewable heat incentive), which allows homes to invest in renewable technology and receive payments for up to 7 years, will still apply to Air Source Heat Pumps, and that’s the best part. This substantially lowers your energy costs. Recall that you can receive the renewable heat incentive for an air source heat pump that you use to heat both your home and your pool, but not for only the pool.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
The preferred techniques for heating outdoor pools in the summer are, as noted, solar thermal and air source heat pumps. Because indoor pools are open all year round, the situation is slightly different. Because they are able to produce the more reliable heating results required, ground-source heat pumps are seen as being more efficient. If you have limited room, ground source heat pumps can be installed horizontally; however, if you have more space, they can be installed vertically through a borehole. The amount of heat that the pool holds determines the size of a ground source heat pump. It is crucial to have good insulation surrounding the pool and the structure that houses it. Speak with a swimming pool professional to determine your pool’s heat load. The dehumidification load, which is determined by the heat pump or supplementary heating system, should also be able to be advised by them.
Solar Thermal
As indicated, you may utilize a solar thermal system alone or in conjunction with an air source heat pump to generate all of your renewable energy needs. Despite the fact that solar panels are more widely known, solar thermal has been used for a longer period of time. They are less expensive to purchase, install, and operate than gas and ASHP swimming pool heaters. Once installed, they are also completely free of charge.
Solar thermal panels are known for their low maintenance requirements and durability—they can happily endure up to 20 years! After the filtration process, the pool water flows through a solar collector. The solar collector utilizes sensors to absorb heat from the sun and warm the water up. A flow control valve then pushes the heated water back into the pool. Even in the warmest months, hotter climes employ these solar collectors to actively absorb cooler water at night.
Innovations in Solar Thermal Technology
The devices that are available to automatically detect water temperature are even more ingenious. They can determine if the collector temperature is lower or greater than the pool temperature as needed. They automatically decide whether to direct the water through the collector to heat the pool. Alternatively, they may omit it and just keep the pool at the same temperature. Solar thermal collectors have a straightforward design and are inexpensive. They may pay for themselves in 2 to 6 years due to their longer average lifespan than gas or ASHPs.
Of course, this is dependent on a number of variables, including the size of the pool, regional average temperatures, and the presence of a pool cover. Additionally, factors such as the length of the summer and the desired pool temperature play a crucial role. One of the finest methods for heating a pool is solar thermal. This is especially true if you use your pool exclusively in the summer when the temperature is over 22 degrees.
Diversifying Renewable Energy Options for Pool Heating
Renewable energy sources, including solar, geothermal, wind, biomass, and heat pumps, are all great choices for heating your home pool. This approach is not only economical but also kind to the environment. The system you choose will depend on elements like your location, financial situation, and pool size. It’s crucial to conduct a careful study and speak with a specialist to find the best renewable energy option for you.