With energy costs predicted to rise again in 2024, coupled with the urgency to embrace sustainable living, more and more home owners are looking at sustainable and more affordable ways to power and heat their homes.

In theory, as more renewable energy connects to the grid, it should reduce our reliance on gas-fired power plants, meaning energy prices will begin to fall. So by turning to renewables, you are not only helping yourself, you are helping the planet and everyone else – it’s a win-win!

The UK, in particular, is witnessing a revolution in the way homes are heated. According to recent data, more British households are installing heat pumps and solar panels than ever before, with a 62% jump compared to last year. Over 120,000 certified solar panels, heat pumps, and other renewable technologies were installed in UK homes during the first 6 months of the year, the highest number ever by this point in the year

In this blog, we’ll explore the latest trends in renewable heating, highlighting the role of Tesla, solar panels, heat pumps, and schemes designed to assist homeowners in making the switch to eco-friendly alternatives.

Tesla’s Powerwall and Powerpack: Revolutionizing Energy Storage:

Tesla, renowned for its electric vehicles, has made significant strides in the renewable energy sector with its Powerwall and Powerpack systems. These innovative solutions are designed to store excess energy generated by solar panels during the day, allowing homeowners to harness it when the sun isn’t shining. By integrating Tesla’s energy storage solutions into homes, residents can enjoy a consistent and sustainable source of power even during cloudy days or at night.

Harnessing Solar Power with Advanced Solar Panels:

Solar panels have long been a staple of renewable energy, but recent advancements have elevated their efficiency and affordability. In 2024, homeowners can expect to see more advanced solar panels with improved energy conversion rates. These sleek, high-tech panels not only generate more electricity but also blend seamlessly into the architecture of homes. As the cost of solar technology continues to decrease, more homeowners are finding it financially viable to invest in solar solutions for their heating needs.

The Rise of Heat Pumps: Efficient and Environmentally Friendly:

Heat pumps have gained popularity as an efficient and environmentally friendly heating solution. By extracting heat from the air or ground, heat pumps provide a sustainable alternative to traditional heating systems. In 2024, we can anticipate even more sophisticated heat pump technology that enhances energy efficiency and reduces carbon footprints. Some models will come equipped with smart features, allowing homeowners to optimize their heating systems for maximum comfort and energy savings.

Government Schemes Making Renewable Heating Accessible:

Recognizing the importance of transitioning to renewable heating, the UK government had introduced various schemes to incentivize homeowners. However, a few of these scheme’s were removed this year.

For the elderly, those on low incomes or benefits, there is help available to make your home more energy efficient, and help towards energy bills.

If you’re off the main gas grid, on low income and have an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating from D to G, you might be eligible for a home upgrade grant (HUG). This could include energy efficiency measures such as wall, loft and underfloor insulation, installation of heat pumps, solar panels, double glazing, low energy lighting and electric storage heaters. It’s only available to certain postcodes in England, and you need to apply through your local council. Contact your local authority to see if you’re eligible and find what’s available in your area.

For those of you in England or Wales who want to move over to renewable technologies, you could get £7,500 towards the cost of replacing your existing gas, oil or electric boiler with a heat pump or biomass boiler. You should be eligible providing you own the property. You don’t need to apply to get the scheme, your chosen installer will apply on your behalf – though make sure you choose an installer certified by the Microgeneration Certification Service (MCS).

We are hoping more help will become available in 2024, there is a government consultation in progress to offer help to people to move over to heat pumps with a grant of up to £6000. This would make heat pump installations more affordable for even more households and small businesses, enabling them to benefit from low-cost and low-carbon heating.

It’s clear that the landscape of home heating in the UK is undergoing a transformation, with technology and government initiatives aligning to promote sustainability. We hope this continues and we will keep adding to our offers as the technology becomes available.

As we continue to prioritise environmental responsibility, these innovations in renewable heating mark a significant step toward a greener and more sustainable future.

Choosing Gregor for your Renewable Heating and Energy Solutions

Gregor is MCS certified and our renewable experts have been advising on, installing and servicing the latest renewable technologies for homes in and around Bristol and Bath for 15 years. We can help you understand and assess the suitability of the range of renewable technologies that are available – including but not limited to:

• Heat Pumps
• Solar Photovoltaic Panels
• Solar Thermal Energy
• Car Chargers
• Electricity Storage Solutions
• Underfloor Heating

Get in touch for a consultation today.

The post Looking Towards 2024 and the Future of Renewable Energy Solutions appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

Often heard before he is seen, our renewable installs manager, Craig Broadbear loves to sing and this passion is played out through a completely different side line outside of his day job at Gregor. 

Craig loves a bit of ‘am dram’. An accomplished actor and singer, he reckons he’s racked up appearances in over 50 musicals during his illustrious career.

“My passion for amateur dramatics started when I was 19” he explains. “I was surprised at the standard of my then girlfriend and her acting company. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was auditioning and had joined the chorus line.”

Curly in Oklahoma was his first lead role and he has played at least 20 lead roles since. Craig has also acted in plays but says his favourite role was the lead of Adam in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” that ran at the Bristol Old Vic for a week. 

“The biggest commitment to my hobby is time,” he says. “We do a couple of different productions a year that each run for a week, but the amount of preparation involved is huge. Working as part of a small theatre company,(Bristol Musical Comedy Club BMCC) we all have to muck in. It’s not just taking on the role you’re given, it’s the set, behind the scenes support, you name it we do it. But it’s what I know and love so it never feels hard.”

He says his biggest challenge is learning his lines. “The bigger the part the more lines you learn, so that’s when downtime in the van driving from job to job is handy. When I’m learning a script I go through the lines over and over and over again.”

Finally, we are not sure how he finds the time but he plays the acoustic guitar and sings in a five-piece rock ‘n’ roll band too.

To support Craig you can follow his company online @BMCCProductions. 

The post Craig’s playing another part appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

And let’s face it, its much more attractive. No more unsightly radiators taking up precious wall space and presenting health & safety issues of being too hot, particularly around children and pets.

Our heating team can advise on the best heating system to suit your needs and match your budget, whether you are renovating your home or it is just time for a change.

Here we look at the underfloor heating options and consider some of the pros and cons to help you decide if it is the right choice for you and your home.

The two types of underfloor heating: water vs. electric.

Warm water underfloor heating is most commonly used as the main heating provider with each room of the building. It consists of continuous lengths of pipework generally installed below floor level, either buried within a concrete screed or situated between the floor joists, which connect to a central manifold and link back to the boiler / heatpump. This method means the whole floor slab becomes the heat emitter and ensures long-burn heat production.

The electric underfloor heating consists of sheets of matting which link back to a central room thermostat control. This type of system offers very little warmth to the room itself so is generally installed as an addition to the either a radiator or towel rail. It’s most commonly used in bathrooms and en-suites keeping the floors warm to the feel and dry from water splashes etc. Electric underfloor matting is more flexible for hard to reach areas and being easier to install than a water-based system, is cheaper to have fitted but more expensive to run.

So which should you choose?

As a general rule, water underfloor heating can in some circumstances be cheaper in the long run, but more expensive to install. Electric underfloor heating is more affordable to install, but is more expensive to run and often requires an additional heat source.

The location of your underfloor heating installation can also have an impact on the type of system you can get. With lots of different underfloor heating solutions for all floor types and coverings there is normally always a solution for every application.

We’d always recommend a full consultation with one of our team members, who can help you assess which would suit your needs better.

What are the pros

• Underfloor heating will provide you with maximum comfort. Your room will be heated evenly and distributed, as the heat comes from every area of the floor rising up into the room, rather than say, a single radiator in a room. This means it can run at a lower temperature to keep you warm.
• If you want to free up more space in your home or are tired of looking at radiators, underfloor heating can eliminate the need for any radiators at all.
• It will keep your feet cosy – imagine coming down on a cold winter morning to a toasty, warm floor rather than cold tiles!
• Once installed there is minimal maintenance required.

And the cons

• UFH can take slightly longer to heat up than radiators, which reach higher temperatures faster. But, with timers and smart controls, you’ll be able to plan when you need your room to be cosy and warm.
• It’s not always an ideal choice for really old buildings with thick brick walls and floors.
• If something goes wrong, then repair can be disruptive and costly. That’s why it’s imperative you use a qualified experienced installer.
• These systems can cost more to install, which is why they are most popular with those renovating or building their own homes – you will save a lot on the labour cost if the flooring is being lifted up and changed anyway.

Will underfloor heating cause major upheaval?

Interestingly, the answer is no, not always! Developments in the industry mean that installing underfloor heating won’t always require you to dig out your floor structure.

Recent developments mean you can choose surface mounted heating (for water-based UFH systems).

New insulated panels have been developed which can be laid above existing floor structure. They might only add as little as a couple of cm to the floor height and utilise warm water, similarly to a buried system. There are easy to fit, and are definitely an option for those who aren’t looking to renovate, but would like the benefits of underfloor heating.

So there we have it, an overview of underfloor heating. A cosy option for heating your home that eliminates the need for bulky radiators and will keep your feet warm all year long.

If you are interested in learning more about underfloor heating, why not give the Gregor Heating team a call for a no-obligation chat about your options on 0117 935 2400.

The post The pros and cons of underfloor heating appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

More and more people are making the switch to renewable heating solutions such as heat pumps especially when those working on self-build projects, which have rocketed in popularity in recent years.

Indeed It is no surprise that 50% of us in the UK have the dream of building their own environmentally friendly home one day, and it is extremely rewarding when we are able to help make this a reality, as we did in the case of Mr and Mrs Amos, you can read more about their story here.

In the 10 years since we have been installing renewable technologies we have seen the industry change at a pace. What started out as an industry largely focused on electricity generating solar PV panels, has quickly turned into a broader, fast moving, disruptive industry that is offering increasingly affordable renewable heating choices for those that are not connected to a mains gas supply or those who simply want to choose a more self-sustaining option.

And while subsidisation of solar PV panels has declined there is some government support in the form of the Domestic Renewal Heat Incentive potentially available for the installation of other renewable heating solutions, including solar thermal, ground source heat pumps, air to water heat pumps and biomass.

Our renewables team has been advising on, installing and servicing the latest renewable technologies in homes in and around Bristol and Bath for over 10 years. And we are really pleased to welcome Craig Broadbear and Darren Beak to the growing team.

With new team members, of course, comes new vans. You’ll be seeing more Gregor vans out on the roads; complete with the green stripe of the renewable team. Be sure to give them a wave if you see them out and about!

The team is ideally placed to help you understand and assess the suitability of the range of renewable technologies that are now available. If you would like an informal chat please contact them on 0117 935 2400 and we’ll be sure to help.

The post Demand in renewable technology sparks growth appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

The open homes events allow people to visit real homes made cheaper to heat, more comfortable, kinder to the environment and energy smart – exactly our kind of thing.

With energy costs rising, the only way to protect yourself against these costs is to keep your home as energy efficient as possible. Whether that’s through the installation of renewable technologies such as solar panels, electrical devices such as smart thermostats to control your heating, or replacing old boilers. Installing a more efficient A-rated gas boiler that burns less fuel could save you up to 20% on your gas bill.

Here’s to an efficient weekend!

The post Supporting Bristol Green Doors 2015 appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

The only requirement is an immersion heater with a dedicated circuit to the same consumer unit as your Solar PV system. Excess electricity can also be diverted to other devices of your choosing.

Read more about it here. 

The post immerSUN energy saving device now in stock appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

We’ve just finished working on this install today. Great project, we couldn’t resist posting a sneak peek.

Full details to follow…

The post Solar PV – Photo Update appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.