If you live in a city, you can skip this option, since harnessing fast-flowing streams for energy won't be an option. In the countryside, however, many streams and rivers are there to be tapped.
A small hydroelectric system with waterwheel costs from £1,500 to £5,000, but you could potentially recoup your investment in as little as three to five years. However, you will need to obtain an 'abstraction licence' from the Environment Agency to divert water from a river, and there will be a limit on the amount you can divert. The logistics are complicated, depending on the height of the water and the gradient, so it's critical to get expert advice from the outset. For more information, contact British Hydro Power Association or the Environment Agency.
Cost: From £1,500
Return: Three to five years
They might not sound like the eco-chic choice of the elite, but apparently Elton John has one, and so does Sir Richard Branson and even the Queen. Ground source heat pumps collect natural heat from the earth (which is at a fairly consistent 10˚c), using a long, water-filled loop of pipework, and transfers it to underfloor heating pipes in the home.
A heat pump will heat your house but will usually only be warm enough to preheat hot water, so you need top-up heating. If you've got a large garden that you don't mind digging up, you can run your pipe a few metres below the surface of the ground. But if you're at all pushed for space, you'll need to drill a 50 to 60m borehole.
According to the Centre for Alternative Technology, a 5kw system will cost up to £20,000. 'The figures are tight as to whether it makes sense a lot of the time. It's a hugely capital-intensive system that the average family would only use in winter and four to five hours a day. My advice is it doesn't really stack up if you have gas available,' says Donnachadh McCarthy. For more information, you can visit www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk or www.heatpumpnet.org.uk.
Cost: Up to £20,000
Return: Up to 20 years
This material is considered to be 100 per cent carbon neutral, so if you've got a good local source of logs or wood pellets, get an energy-efficient stove. This will provide background heating for your main living space. Higher output versions can be fitted with an integral back boiler to provide hot water and central heating, but bear in mind that you'll need somewhere to store all that wood.
A standalone room stove will cost in the region of £1,500 to £3,000 installed; while a pellet boiler costs from £4,000 to £12,000. Payback depends on the fuel being replaced and the type of wood fuel being used, but could be achieved in around 10 years. For more details, visit the National Energy Foundation's wood fuel website (www.logpile.co.uk), or call the Centre for Alternative Technology information line on 01654 705989.
Cost: £4,000
Return: 10 years
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