3-way renewable energy fence heats homes

Electrorad is supplying a cunning way to combine three naturally occuring energy sources (solar, ground source and air source) to provide a heating solution which doubles up as a fence.

The Thermosolar fence consists of a series of absorber pipes containing a thermal fluid running one above the other. One metre height of pipe-work is positioned above the ground and one metre depth below the ground level with a 0.5m space between the surface pipes and the underground pipes. A 6 metre length of fence gives a total heat collection area of over 400 metres of absorber pipes. Each 1 metre of fence will supply 1kw ( 3414 BTU ) of heating.

The Thermosolar fence can be used in the form of a garden fence or installed close to a house wall, ideally situated south facing (northern hemisphere) to get the maximum solar gain.

On a sunny winters day, the solar gain makes a massive impact on the coefficient of performance ( COP ) by raising the fluid temperature much higher than would be achieved with ground source alone. The warmer fluid passing from the above ground pipe-work and circulating through the below ground pipe-work also returns some warmth into the ground which will store the warmth and provide warmer fluid and a higher COP on cloudy days. Even on cloudy days, there are still two renewable energy sources present - ground source and air source.

The fence requires little ground space, a trench less than one metre wide and 1.5 metres deep. It is therefore a much more simple installation with less disruption than traditional ground source.

Can be used with underfloor heating or radiators.

A COP greater than 5 ( more than 500% efficiency ) has been achieved DURING WINTER.