• Renewable Energy Systems

  • Renewable energy systems are fueled by sources that are continuously replenished by nature. There are two broad categories of systems – electrical systems and thermal systems. Electrical systems supplement or replace domestic electric energy supply and can be fueled by solar, hydro and wind. Thermal systems are used for either space heating or domestic water heating and can be fueled by solar, geo-sources and biomass.

    In Connecticut, most homeowners are limited to the following types of renewable energy systems (for more information click on the system type):

    Electrical Systems

  • Thermal Systems

  • Wind and hydro electric energy generation have limited application in Connecticut. With respect to wind, selected micro environments may support a wind generator system but generally Connecticut has poor-to-marginal wind power densities, with average wind speeds below the 7 mph threshold.

    Often electrical and thermal systems are combined into hybrid configurations that may also include fossil fuel system components as either a back-up or as a supplemental energy source. The selection of the most appropriate configuration of the renewable energy system is dependent on many factors, such as: budget and incentives, system efficiency and expected energy savings, site conditions, load requirements, equipment aesthetics, existing mechanical distribution system configuration, owner preferences, etc. Also, consideration of a renewable energy system should be made only in the context of an overall energy retrofit plan that addresses the thermal integrity of the building envelope and establishes base line energy requirements after factoring in the planned retrofit improvements.

    It should be clear that determining the optimal system configuration is a complicated undertaking. It requires a multidisciplinary approach that cuts across both renewable and non-renewable energy systems. Green Energy Systems believes that renewable energy system configuration and design should be developed independent from the installer, who often reflects a very narrow and biased perspective on the configuration problem.