Heating and Cooling in the Algarve

Algarve PhotoVoltaic PV Grants NOW OPEN!!

SOLAR ELECTRICITY PANEL GRANTS ARE OPEN AGAIN!

The grant for Photovoltaic or PV is now definitely going ahead next year January 2012 and we are now taking orders.

The bad news is that there is only an allocation of 10 Megawatts this year which equates to about 2500 systems across the whole of Portugal. Last year the allocation was 30 Megawatts which is approximately 9000 systems and that allocation was used up within about 9 months. The demand this year is much greater due to the amount of foreign residents who have installed the UK system.

This means you have to act now if you want to take advantage of this grant as there is already a reserve list for applications in January.

In short:

The average price of a 4.8kw system (36m2 of panels) will be 15000 plus IVA
The average price of a 3.6kw system (26m2 of panels) will be 14000 plus IVA
The price is indicative as there may be some extra building work such as getting the cables to the meter but it is never usually much higher
The price you sell back to the EDP is 32.6 cents per kw for the first 8 years and 18.5 cents per kw for the next 7 years
Payback is on average 6 years.
A registration fee is payable of 615 Euros which puts your name on a rolling list for when applications are started in January (the sooner you do this the better as there is now lots of demand)
The IVA rate this year is 13% but it goes up next year to 23% - so there is an option to pay this year at the cheaper IVA rate - the equipment is bought and stored (at your residence if you wish) - and installed next year once your application is successful. If for some reason your application is not successful this money is refundable and equipment returned.
If you decide to go ahead we arrange a technical survey to finalize all the costs and send through a definitive quote.

THE OLD SOLAR HOT WATER HEATING GRANT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE -

The Ministry of Economy and Innovation in Portugal launched a program to encourage the purchase of renewable energy.

A 'turnkey' solution was devised which included the purchase, installation, maintenance and security of all equipment at a discount of more than 50% over the selling price to the public.

Algarve Electric Underfloor Heating for Renovations

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Electric Underfloor Heating for Renovations

Electric Underfloor Matting in the Algarve Our electric mat is ideal for refurbishment projects where it can be installed onto an existing floor structure - either a concrete sub-floor or a timber sub-floor.

The ultra thin heating cables can be installed within the thickness of the tile adhesive and therefore adds no significant height to the floor level. Consequently there should be no requirement to reduce door heights, raise skirting boards etc.

Some of our heating cables can easily be fitted directly onto your existing tiled floor without the need to remove tiles.

Typical refurbishment project with installation onto existing floors

Can be installed onto an existing timber sub-floor.
Can be installed within the thickness of the tile adhesives - no significant height to the floor level and no need to reduce door heights, raise skirting boards etc
Can be installed directly onto existing tiled floors - no need to take up old tiles unless they are unsound
Use heating mats with power ratings - 100W/m2 to 200W/m2
Our cables rated 11W/m are also suitable for refurbishment project work

Algarve Solar Panel Grants in Portugal

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SOLAR ELECTRICITY PANEL GRANTS ARE OPEN AGAIN!

The grant for Photovoltaic or PV is now definitely going ahead next year January 2012 and we are now taking orders.

This means you have to act now if you want to take advantage of this grant as there is already a reserve list for applications in January.

In short:

The average price of a 4.8kw system (36m2 of panels) will be 15000 plus IVA
The average price of a 3.6kw system (26m2 of panels) will be 14000 plus IVA
The price is indicative as there may be some extra building work such as getting the cables to the meter but it is never usually much higher
The price you sell back to the EDP is 32.6 cents per kw for the first 8 years and 18.5 cents per kw for the next 7 years
Payback is on average 6 years.
A registration fee is payable of 615 Euros which puts your name on a rolling list for when applications are started in January (the sooner you do this the better as there is now lots of demand)
The IVA rate this year is 13% but it goes up next year to 23% - so there is an option to pay this year at the cheaper IVA rate - the equipment is bought and stored (at your residence if you wish) - and installed next year once your application is successful. If for some reason your application is not successful this money is refundable and equipment returned.
If you decide to go ahead we arrange a technical survey to finalize all the costs and send through a definitive quote.

THE OLD SOLAR HOT WATER HEATING GRANT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE -

The Ministry of Economy and Innovation in Portugal launched a program to encourage the purchase of renewable energy.

A 'turnkey' solution was devised which included the purchase, installation, maintenance and security of all equipment at a discount of more than 50% over the selling price to the public.

Air Conditioners - the most efficient way to heat as well as cool!

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With scorching summers and damp winters, the need to cool, heat and combat humidity makes air conditioning virtually a necessity in many Algarve properties. Even for buildings with excellent thermal insulation qualities, requiring lower-capacity systems, there's still a need to cool or heat the ambient air. With this in mind it makes sense to consider the most efficient machines possible.

In fact, today's air conditioning systems are among the most energy-efficient ways to cool and heat your home. In recent years, 'inverter' systems have become commonly available from all brands, offering energy (i.e. electricity) savings of up to 40% compared to non-inverter models.

Air to Water Heatpumps in the Algarve

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Heat pumps bring outstanding energy savings – but aren't they noisy? Specialists Penguin silence the doubts...

Heat pumps are usually associated with pool heating in the Algarve, but nowadays there is growing demand to use them for domestic hot water, conventional radiators and underfloor heating.

The twin pressures of environmental awareness and a tight economy are stimulating use of low-carbon technology, particularly heat pumps, for heating domestic homes. At a recent exhibition at the NEC in England, Mitsubishi Electric reported a huge surge in interest for their new Ecodan range - now offered in the Algarve by heating and cooling specialists, Penguin.

Thermosyphon systems explained

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As a company with an energy-saving ethos, we sometimes receive enquiries from DIY enthusiasts seeking to maximise their return-on-investment by making their own solar system.

My initial response is: “Have you costed the working hours you'll need to put into such a project? Plus the cost of materials? Buying a commercially-available system usually works out cheaper – not to mention safer! – as they have mass production standards on their side. Commercial systems are more efficient, more reliable, are guaranteed and, if regularly maintained, will last 15 years or more. Could a home-made system offer the same?”

Algarve Cool Schools

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It's much easier to learn in a comfortable environment. Now, thanks to the generosity of local benefactors, two schools in the Almancil area can offer improved facilities for their pupils, in the shape of modern air conditioning systems.

The two schools couldn't be more different. Asas para Amanhis a national charity project offering education and activity programmes for underprivileged children. In Almancil, next to the GNR police station, it offers PC/internet-based learning facilities, but its small glass-fronted classroom had been suffering extremes of temperature from the summer heat to the winter cold. Now, thanks to a local benefactor and under the auspices of the ACCA charity, the classroom has a brand new air conditioning system, installed by Penguin Air Conditioning.

Wet UFH for Renovations

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Providing wet systems for renovations can prove to be prohibitively costly as the floor needs to be excavated to a minimum depth to fit all the pipes and insulation. The typical install would require the floor to be excavated to a certain depth and then an initial screed put down, placed on this is a barrier layer then the insulation which takes the PEX tubing. Once this is done then a further screed is laid down and the final tiles laid. All this requires at least the following combined depth:

Depth of Underfloor Heating

75mm sand and cement screed
0.2 Barrier protection layer
50mm Polystyrene Insulation layer which contains the PEX tubing
75mm top layer screed

R22 refrigerant no longer available in Portugal

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Do new EC laws mean scrapping your old air conditioners?

As of this year the EU has banned R-22 refrigerant, commonly used in domestic air conditioning systems, as an environmentally-harmful HCFC gas. This has led some to believe that any air-con system using R-22 must also must also be scrapped and replaced.

This is a misconception. The situation is not as severe as some – perhaps less than scrupulously – may have you believe. Nonetheless, the consequences of this EU directive will eventually affect many people who have air conditioning systems at home or at work.

Cost Estimates for Electric Underfloor Heating

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Wet underfloor heating is by far the most efficient to run - especially when combined with a renewable energy source such as a heat exchanger or solar panels.

If your electric underfloor heating is running at full (which it will until it reaches the desired temperature and then it typically runs at 40%) it will consume about 0.15KW per hour per m² for your surface area.

For instance to heat about 200m² would take approximately 30KW at a worst case.

The EDP in the Algarve charge about 0.12 cents per kw and 200m² on full capacity will cost you around €3.6 per hour. This means your energy bills could top €1000 per month (this does depend on the thermal efficiency of the house, when you put the UFH on etc). ...so your return on investment for the wet UFH can be within 1-2 years.

Heating and Cooling the Algarve Way!

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Many people assume that home cooling is more important than heating in the Algarve. Whilst air conditioning is often a necessity for many Algarve homes in summer, in fact the contrary can also be argued, i.e. a home will always need heating in winter, no matter how well-insulated it is. Indeed, with some innovatory modern homes, cooling is not always essential. The 'Coolhouse' at Alma Verde near Lagos is an example of clever construction where cooling is provided by a passive ground system and heating by an efficient gas boiler.

How to save money on your electricity (EDP) bills in the Algarve

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These are my top 20 energy saving tips to reducing your electricity bill in the Algarve. Electricity from the EDP in Portugal is the most expensive form of energy and will represent a signicifant proportion of your overall energy costs.

Air Conditioners are efficient heaters too!

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Using an inverter type air conditioner is actually more cost effective than under floor heating.

Inverter air conditioning units can have a COP of as much as 5 which is the same as an electric heat exchanger water heater - not surprising really as they use very similar technology.