Good evening everyone,
My wife and I are looking for a concept for the future energy supply of an old farmhouse. I hope this category is the right one; if not, please move it.
General: The farmstead is in a remote location, with the nearest houses about 500 meters (550 yards) away. The farmhouse will have approximately 300 sqm (3,230 sq ft) of living space in the future (possibly more) and is connected to the public electricity grid and sewer system. Heating and hot water are currently provided by a gas instant water heater (gas supplied from a liquefied petroleum gas tank). We plan to renovate the farmhouse extensively. The walls are half-timbered construction (straw and clay) and will be rebuilt. As part of this renovation and conversion, all electric and plumbing installations will be replaced. We are now considering how to plan the future energy concept for the house.
A few facts about the conditions:
For the renovation, we are now considering how we want to provide heating and hot water in the future. Additionally, we are thinking about generating electricity with a photovoltaic system for self-consumption and feed-in.
Some ideas we have considered include:
Basically, we are open to all ideas but tend toward renewable energy sources (as long as they are reasonably economically viable).
From the experts’ point of view, what makes the most sense here?
My wife and I are looking for a concept for the future energy supply of an old farmhouse. I hope this category is the right one; if not, please move it.
General: The farmstead is in a remote location, with the nearest houses about 500 meters (550 yards) away. The farmhouse will have approximately 300 sqm (3,230 sq ft) of living space in the future (possibly more) and is connected to the public electricity grid and sewer system. Heating and hot water are currently provided by a gas instant water heater (gas supplied from a liquefied petroleum gas tank). We plan to renovate the farmhouse extensively. The walls are half-timbered construction (straw and clay) and will be rebuilt. As part of this renovation and conversion, all electric and plumbing installations will be replaced. We are now considering how to plan the future energy concept for the house.
A few facts about the conditions:
- Next to the farmhouse is a barn facing south-southeast (about 25-30 m (80-100 ft) away). The roof has an available area of approximately 80 sqm (860 sq ft). The roof was replaced about 10 years ago.
- The farmhouse roof is about 25 years old. Currently, there are no plans to replace this roof. The question here is how sensible it is to install a photovoltaic system or solar thermal system if the roof will need to be renewed in about 20 years. There is space for about 60-70 sqm (650-750 sq ft). The orientation is southwest.
- There is plenty of space around the farmhouse. For energy systems that require a lot of space, there is enough room—though a wind turbine is not an option.
- One side of the farmhouse borders a forest. This forest belongs to the farm and could provide wood “free of charge.”
For the renovation, we are now considering how we want to provide heating and hot water in the future. Additionally, we are thinking about generating electricity with a photovoltaic system for self-consumption and feed-in.
Some ideas we have considered include:
- Building a large enough masonry stove to heat large areas of the house.
- Solar thermal system for hot water generation (only makes sense on the main house—or can hot water be channeled underground to the main house?).
- Photovoltaic system for electricity (possibly with storage?)—this could be significantly oversized for grid feed-in.
Basically, we are open to all ideas but tend toward renewable energy sources (as long as they are reasonably economically viable).
From the experts’ point of view, what makes the most sense here?
N
nordanney26 Dec 2019 22:11First, we would need to know which energy standard you are aiming to achieve.
Regardless, in my opinion, solar thermal systems are pointless.
To heat large parts of the house with a tiled stove, you would probably need to get a house servant to use it effectively—someone to chop and stack several cubic meters of wood in the summer and then keep adding it continuously throughout the winter.
Regardless, in my opinion, solar thermal systems are pointless.
To heat large parts of the house with a tiled stove, you would probably need to get a house servant to use it effectively—someone to chop and stack several cubic meters of wood in the summer and then keep adding it continuously throughout the winter.
Solar thermal systems are not cost-effective.
Storage for photovoltaic systems is also (still) not economical. However, I would plan for it to allow for future installation.
Given the theoretically available size of the photovoltaic system, a heat pump would make sense. Even on poor weather days, most of the electricity should be available. Are you planning to use underfloor heating? Heat pumps are designed for low-temperature systems...
Storage for photovoltaic systems is also (still) not economical. However, I would plan for it to allow for future installation.
Given the theoretically available size of the photovoltaic system, a heat pump would make sense. Even on poor weather days, most of the electricity should be available. Are you planning to use underfloor heating? Heat pumps are designed for low-temperature systems...
own forest, large heated area – if space is available (possibly an outbuilding), an external firewood or wood chip heating system could potentially be considered or planned for you.
Photovoltaic system would then be a pure investment with payback through feed-in tariffs, independent of the heating system.
Photovoltaic system would then be a pure investment with payback through feed-in tariffs, independent of the heating system.
- We are not opposed to underfloor heating, but it is not an absolute must.
- No specific energy standard is being targeted. Criteria for any subsidy loans do not need to be met. The goal is a cost-effective level of insulation (cost-benefit).
- Wood will be available anyway, as damaged trees need to be removed from the forest (for the safety of walkers). For example, 10 cubic meters of wood would always be possible. Splitting much more wood, however, would definitely not be my favorite leisure activity. It might be possible to have the wood processed into wood chips by a service provider. Alternatively, the tiled stove could heat only part of one floor (living/dining room). From my experience at my parents’ house, the tiled stove there heats the entire ground floor very well. The additional continuous effort required, however, is definitely a drawback for this type of heating.
- I will look into wood chip or pellet heating systems—I have enough space in outbuildings... right next to the house there is a former stable (but its roof is not suitable for photovoltaic panels).
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