Miliband: Gardens great for ground source heat pumps

Articles > Boiler and Plumbing News > Energy Efficiency in Plumbing & Heating

The back garden is the perfect place for Britons to install renewable energy technology, such as ground source heat pumps, it has been suggested.

The secretary of state for climate change Ed Miliband made his assertions recently in response to letters sent in by readers of the BBC's Ethical Man blog, written by Justin Rowlatt.

One reader, Brightyangthing, asked the MP if microgeneration was to be promoted in the future, what type of fuel was it best to choose.

"People's back yards could be great for small-scale technology such as a ground source heat pump or solar panels. And from next year [...] people are going to be able to produce their own clean energy in their back yard and get paid for doing it as well," Mr Miliband stated.

He added that all sorts of energy needed to be present across different parts of the UK.

A ground source heat pump can be a green way to boost a central heating system, using heat stored in the ground outside the home and using it to fuel radiators and heating devices.

As it does not rely on fossil fuels, this could also see utility bills being significantly reduced.
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