Other energy sources

 

Although solar energy can make a useful contribution to the heating of the house, we needed additional sources to keep the house warm in the cold Maine winters, particularly during extended periods of cloudy weather.  If possible, we didn’t want to be reliant on fossil fuels.

 

• Wood burning stove:  we opted for a Morso wood stove. We liked the Morso range because the stoves are clean burning and efficient. They are also double skinned, which increases warm air convection and reduces the temperature of the outer skin.  Our stove is in the middle of the living room so we wanted to ensure there wasn’t a risk of  getting burnt on a hot stove.  We routinely use the stove in cold weather if there is insufficient sunshine, but if we are away, or don’t light the stove, a propane boiler kicks in automatically.
  
  The wood stove is effectively a carbon neutral fuel - if the wood is harvested sustainably. This is because the growth of new wood soaks up the CO2 released when the harvested wood is burned. This creates a steady-state system where CO2 is being absorbed by trees at the same rate as it is being released by wood stoves.
  
  Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, were formed millions of years ago. When burnt they are not replaced, so the CO2 release builds up in the atmosphere.    
  
  The Morso stove also has an advanced clean-burning system which reduces particulate emissions.  

 

• Propane backup:  we chose a high-efficiency Baxi Luna propane boiler to provide backup hot water and radiant heat.  Propane is a fossil fuel so there is a net release of CO2 into the atmosphere when burned, so this fuel is used as a backup only, providing hot water and radiant heating. We’re hoping that our usage will be low.

 

• Electric heating:  We have signed up to a renewable electricity provider (see our Electrical system page), so any electricity we use comes from renewable sources such as hydro-electric or wind power.  We generally aim to keep our electricity consumption to a minimum, but there are times when a quick boost of heat from an electric heater is useful. For example, we can warm up our office for a few minutes in the early morning after a cold night, before the sun kicks in. This saves us from having to light the wood stove or fire up the boiler.

 

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Useful book:  ‘Natural Home heating’ by Greg Pahl gave us a good introduction to heating without using fossil fuels.

 

 

 

More on Morso stoves:

Morso website

Our Morso stove in action. The large window puts out loads of radiant heat, and the double skin prevents the outside of the stove becoming too hot.  A 2-stage air system aids efficiency and clean burning.