Other alternatives - Savings performance

• "The harsh truth is that money, rather than worries over global warming, is the only thing that will tempt the British to use alternative fuels en masse. And for the most part, the sums do not add up."
  
  
• "Wind energy is a good example. Even the respected Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales does not recommend roof-mounted wind turbines. Wind speeds around many houses are low and erratic, while a turbine is noisy and can damage a building, it points out. One green energy expert gives warning that some customers may be conned in the Government's push for us to adopt alternative energy sources. "There are people hoping to make a lot of money out of roof-mounted wind generators," he says. "I don't think they are coming at it simply to rip people off, but that's what's going to happen. I don't think a credible roof-mounted generator will come on the market." For a more serious free-standing wind generator, you should expect to pay anything from £ 12,000 to nearly double that in installation charges. They are only really economic or practical for people in rural areas, particularly those not connected to the electricity grid. Even then, and taking account of electricity fed back into the grid, you should expect them to take at least 15 years to pay for themselves."
  
  
• Ground Source Heat Pumps "The story is remarkably similar for ground-source heat pumps. They take natural heat from the ground and boost it to useable levels using a small amount of external electricity. The Energy Savings Trust, a government-backed group that promotes better energy use, says that a six-kilowatt ground-source heat pump will cost up to £ 10,000 to install and save as much as £ 750 a year in energy costs. That, however, is not the whole story. Steve Moss, a builder from Buckinghamshire, who is using energy-saving principles to rebuild his house, says that heat pumps work best with underfloor heating. Mr Moss reckons that the total cost for his larger than average property will be about £ 20,000, including underfloor heating. "You also need quite a lot of land," he says. "I'm lucky, I have quite a big garden. But if it's small, you need a bore hole for the outside pipework, which is more costly.""
  
  
• Solar Heating "Solar thermal panels operate like a reverse radiator. Water in pipes running through panels on your roof is heated by the sun and then passes through a coil in your hot water tank in a similar way to a traditional hot water system. Although the payback period is still likely to be 20 years or more, the outlay - as little as £ 2,000 (before grants) - is within reach for most people."