This question is posed
by all those who do not want to build as standard or intend to modernize the
building. On the one hand, they
face the possibility of spending money on better windows, more effective
thermal insulation, a more modern boiler, and on the other they are tempted by
a vision of cheap or even free energy.
Renewable energy is
renewable energy sources. Theoretically
profitable, because free, and also ecological, because it does not contribute
to poisoning the natural environment. Many
companies producing devices for obtaining energy from renewable sources,
including heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, solar collectors, wind farms, are
encouraged to invest in renewable energy, convincing them that they will repay
their expenditures. Ecologists
echo them, because they hope to purify the air and stop the growth of the ozone
hole. Politicians also support
such solutions, coerced by the European Union to reduce the emission of carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere.
Investors, however, are
pragmatic and will convert their funds several times before they spend them on
very expensive renewable energy devices. Their
enthusiasm for pro-ecological moves may soon falter. Skeptics argue that many of these
salutary technologies will not be able to cushion so quickly.
RES with the help of the
State
Let's start with the
positives. The EU will allocate
more funds for 2016 to support investments in a low-carbon economy than it was
in the years 2007-2013. EU
subsidies for these purposes may reach 80% of the value of eligible costs of
RES investments.Time will show how realistic it will be for individual
investors. Let's be optimistic
that it will work. Then, in fact,
RES will be a viable alternative.
The National Fund for
Environmental Protection and Water Management offers assistance in financing
renewable energy. I propose the
"Prosument" program. Under
this program, you can apply for co-financing the purchase and installation of
micro-installations of renewable energy sources (electricity and heating
energy). NFOŚiGW realizes this on
the basis of partial repayment of the loan taken for these purposes. Beneficiaries of the program can be
not only natural persons, but also housing communities, housing cooperatives
and local government units. The
budget for the 2014-2022 program is 800 million. zł. The
surcharge may reach 15 or 30% of investment costs.
Finally, one more
argument for RES - you can expect that the costs of conventional energy will
grow (there are no reasons for price declines). The higher they are, the more
profitable they are RES and, of course, the time of returning expenditures
incurred for them is shorter.
Renewables and building
codes
Opponents of renewable
energy are comforted by the fact that for the next few years you can go without
them and at the same time meet the requirements of Technical Conditions, which
should correspond with buildings and their location. The provisions of this regulation say
that the index of primary energy demand (EP) for house heating, domestic hot
water preparation and ventilation is to have a maximum value of 70 kWh /
(m2.year) since 2021. For
comparison, as of today, this value is to be no more than 120 kWh / (m2.year). Even such strict regulations do not
force RES to make EP not exceed the required ceiling, although it would
certainly be very helpful in that (RES does not affect the value of EP).
Future perspectives
It is also a fact that devices
that acquire free / renewable energy are still expensive, but they tend to be
cheaper. Thus, it may be better
to wait until the development of the renewable energy market exacerbates
competition, which will cause prices to drop in collectors, heat pumps, etc.
Experts argue, however, that the costs of this type of equipment will not be
much lower, because the biggest drops in prices are already behind us.
We must also honestly
say that not all devices for acquiring free energy are efficient in our country
in the same way as elsewhere. Collectors
and photovoltaic panels work well in Spain
or Italy,
where the sun shines for most of the year. With
us, their effectiveness is much lower. Well
- we have such a climate and nothing can be done about it.
