subject: How Can Renewable Energy Be Harvested By Land Owners? [print this page] Air source heat pumps are renewable energy systems available to land owners looking for a way to harvest renewable energy and are rapidly becoming more commonly used as a primary heat source. Air source heat pumps also heat water, meeting normal demands in any residential or commercial building.
They work in a way similar to a refrigerator but in reverse. Heat is generated by using electricity to send power to a compressor, forcing gaseous refrigerant through small holes in the unit. The heat is then transferred to your heating system.
Air source heat pumps cost a good deal less then ground source heat pumps and take up less space but are slightly less efficient. Due to this it is recommended to have a secondary heat system for back up, considering all, the benefits far out way any negative aspects. These heat pumps are a great alternative for use in areas with limited space. Compared against other leading heat source systems the return on investment for an air source heat pump is around five years. Additionally there are grants available that can help reduce installation costs.
Open farmland is a great place for wind turbine renewable energy systems. Land owners that are interested in participating in a wind farm program will need to go through an application process. Once an agreement has been made the land owner will generally receive an annual lease payment on the land until the time of construction. At this point the providers of the wind farm program will place a met mast on the land to measure the wind and to better understand the requirements of the turbines for that area. The wind farm providers are also responsible for all legal and land agent fees during the program life.
Whenever possible turbines are constructed near field boundaries or access roads to help reduce the amount of farm land taken up by the turbines, with wind farms taking up to an average of about 2% of the usable land. In most cases the road ways and hard standing areas that the turbines are constructed next to, will remain in an unaltered state for the entirety of the life of the wind farm. However there may be some areas that require a short regeneration period after the completion of construction. The wind farm provider is responsible for any loss of income from crop production by the land owner during the time of construction.
Once the construction is complete and the turbines are running properly, the land can once again be used by the land owner. This means that crops can be grown and harvested and animals can graze right up to the base of the turbine so this is only a temporary loss of income.
Harvesting renewable energy is not something just for farmers to consider as regular residential properties can also install a simple air heat pump for their property as not everyone can seriously have a wind farm on their land.
