Daly Renewables recently completed a full renewable energy retrofit, replacing an old oil boiler with an Ecoforest ground source heat pump, a 600m horizontal ground loop, a ground mount solar PV system and an EV charger.

The result is a home that heats, cools and charges the car using energy drawn from its own garden, with oil gone for good.

Systems supplied and installed

• Ecoforest B1 3–12kW ground source heat pump. A variable-output unit that adjusts between 3kW and 12kW to match the home’s heating demand.
• 600m geothermal horizontal collector. Ground loops laid in the garden collect stored heat from the earth all year round.
• Ecoforest energy meter. Tracks how much energy the system uses and produces.
• Back-up heater for the GSHP. Provides extra security on the coldest days.
• Ecoforest active and passive cooling. Lets the same system cool the home in warmer weather.
• Ground mount solar PV system. Generates free electricity to help run the heat pump and the home.
• EV car charger. Charges the electric car at home, with the option to use solar power.

Key features

Before any work began, we provided an initial technical engineer’s report to design the right system for this home. Two features of the property made it ideal for a full ground source upgrade:

• A large garden. There was plenty of space for 600m of horizontal geothermal loops and a ground mount solar array, so the panels could be positioned for the best performance without relying on the roof.
• A garage ready to house the heat pump. The old oil boiler sat in the garage, and the new GSHP was installed in the same space. This kept the plant room out of the living area and made the changeover simple.

Outcome

The homeowner has swapped oil for a fully integrated renewable system that works together as one.

• Year-round comfort. The ground source heat pump provides heating and hot water in winter, and active and passive cooling keeps the home comfortable in summer.
• Lower running costs. No more oil deliveries, and the ground mount solar PV helps power the heat pump and the EV charger.
• Cheaper, cleaner driving. The car can be charged at home, using solar electricity when the sun is shining.
• Full visibility. The Ecoforest energy meter shows exactly how the system is performing.
• Peace of mind. The back-up heater adds resilience on the coldest days of the year.