Fernhill House Hotel, Clonakilty, Co. Cork

Fernhill House Hotel  consulted Future Generation Energy in 2017, to discuss our renewable energy options for ‘going green’.  As well as wanting to contribute what we could to the environment, we also wanted to make savings for our business. Following a site assessment and  discussions, we agreed the installation of  42 PV panels, the maximum number allowed by planning authorities at the moment.  This generates 11 kw of electricity annually.

We found Future Generation Energy very well informed on the most uptodate options, and  very easy to deal with throughout.  If regulations change in the future, we would definitely want to expand our solar pv system.

Michael O’Neill, Fernhill House Hotel, Clonakilty, Co. Cork.

Araglen Nursing Home, Boherbue, Mallow, Co. Cork

11 KW Solar PV array installed in this facility.

St Patrick’s Missionary Society, Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow

St Patrick’s Missionary Society in Kiltegan, Wicklow wanted to add to their renewable energies commitment. A 30kW Solar PV Sytem was designed after a survey of their needs. It was installed in 3 days by Future Generation Energy!

Kanturk, Co Cork 11kW Solar PV

Recently a dairy farm in Kanturk, Co Cork upgraded to include renewable energy sources.  Future Generation Energy installed an 11kW Solar PV System on the site to reduce their carbon footprint and related energy costs.

Gerald O’Callaghan, DDW Colour, Cork.

Thermodynamic system for heating large volumes of hot water.

Our company has a constant requirement for large volumes of hot water.  When building our customized premises three years ago, our company wanted to incorporate a renewable energy option to address this need.  Future Generation Solar worked with our engineers to design a Thermodynamic system for heating 1,000 litres of water.  This system has been up and running for the past three years and we are very satisfied with its performance; an ideal solution for our day-to-day production.  And an added bonus is the absolutely minimal maintenance, as promised.  We are very happy to recommend Future Generation Solar, who we found very easy to work with and very professional in all aspects of their business.

Maurice Collins, Modern Cleaners Launderette, Clonakilty, Co. Cork.

Launderette: Thermodynamic system for heating large volumes of hot water.

Future Generation Energy installed a domestic hot water system in my home in 2013.  I was so pleased with how it performed and the savings made, that I invited the design team to inspect my business premises with a view to installing a similar system for heating large volumes of hot water.  With a town location, the space available was limited.  However, the design team from Future Generation Energy inspected my property, discussed the options, and I am really pleased with the system that was installed in 2014.  A neat platform was constructed to accommodate the eight solar PV panels, a 2,000 litre tank installed, and the system was commissioned very efficiently.  The installation team installed meters so that we could monitor the system and its running costs and we are delighted with the savings we are making.  Four years on, I am still very satisfied with the standard and professionalism of Future Generation Energy’s work, and the customer support post-installation.

Ilenroy B&B in Skibbereen, West Cork

“Crippling” Energy Bills

Breda and Ronnie Tanner, proprietors of the Ilenroy B&B in Skibbereen came to Future Generation Energy looking for a holistic answer to their energy problems.  They were using night-time storage heaters for space and water heating. Not only was the system not providing enough hot water but their electricity bills were astronomical at approximately €30 per night.  “It was crippling. We’d heat 3 tanks of water overnight and by the time people checked in at 4pm there was no hot water for showers.” said Breda of the problem.  They also had a very high level of humidity in the kitchen due to the steam iron being used there for the laundry services.  “The kitchen used to be totally fogged up when we were using the steam iron, you couldn’t see through the windows.” They wanted to increase their energy efficiency to cut costs and to reduce their carbon footprint.

A Bespoke Solution

After a thorough survey of their property and energy requirements 3 main needs were identified; space heating for the office, dining room, living room, landing/hall and kitchen, cooling and dehumidifying for the kitchen and hot water for the bedrooms.  A bespoke system would have to be designed to meet these requirements.

The system that was agreed upon was a mixed media solution using air source heat pumps mounted on the outside back wall and a thermodynamic panel on the roof to heat the water cylinders.

AIRSOURCE HEAT PUMPS

THERMODYNAMIC PANEL

A combination of slim line floor radiators and wall mounted cassettes would deliver heating, cooling and dehumidifying action to the relevant rooms, as well as a ceiling mounted infrared panel for the office reception area.

One Tenth of the Running Cost of the Previous System!

“I can’t understand how 10 people can have a shower and there’s still hot water!”

We went back to visit Breda and Ronnie 5 weeks after installation.  I asked them if their energy problems had been solved by the new system.  Although they hadn’t received an electricity bill yet to compare costs, they had been monitoring the consumption closely.  What had been costing them €30 per night was down to €2 to €3 per night and they estimate that at that rate system would pay for itself within 2 – 3 years.  “One night we left all the heating on and forgot to turn it off overnight and it only racked up €3.50.” said Breda. About the hot water requirements, she said “10 people could have a shower in the morning and it doesn’t run out. Its endless hot water and the showers are perfect temperature. I can’t understand how 10 people can have a shower and there’s still hot water!”

And what about the space heating/cooling?  They noticed how quickly the space heats, within 10 minutes it’s comfortable and of the humidity in the kitchen “Now it’s totally clear. There’s no steam on the windows.”

100% Recommendation

They’re looking forward to receiving their adjusted electricity bill for confirmation and so they can really see their savings come in.  In the meantime they say they are very happy customers and would “100% recommend” Future Generation Energy to their friends for providing the right solution, and for their respectful manner and polished finish.

David Burns, Homeowner, Clonakilty, Co. Cork

Air to Water Underfloor Heating(Heat Pumps Domestic)

From the outset Future Generation Energy were a pleasure to deal with. As we were going down the self build route and not going through a contractor, trust was of most importance to us for our new home.

Future Generation Energy met us prior to commencement, and talked through all the options available to us, taking into consideration house size, room size, house orientation, personal preferences and budget.

We decided to go with an air to water heat pump. The installation was done very methodically and Future Generation Energy were always there on the exact date stated, to complete each step of the installation process.

We moved into the house in June 2017 and the heating has been superb. We choose a high specification system with a control panel in every room in the house. This allows each room to be set to a different temperature, to suit the individual needs of every occupant. This system is ideal for couples/families that like ourselves, have vastly contrasting definitions of hot and cold. We have the rooms we use daily set to 19-20 degrees, and the rooms not in use to 18 degrees. If we are having a friend or family member stay, we can set the temperature of their bedroom to their liking.

Future Generation Energy were always on hand to answer any query we had, and to help us understand the dynamics of the new sophisticated system that they were installing in our house. We would highly recommend Future Generation Energy to other houseowners.

The Burren House, Timoleague, Co. Cork

We contacted Future Generation Energy  in 2016.  We had found we were burning large amounts of oil to fuel underfloor heating, radiators and hot water for our household needs in our middle-sized Georgian house. While we wished to cut costs and  improve the thermal performance of our home, we wanted there to be minimal invasiveness to the integrity of the house.  We also had to bear in mind our proximity to the sea, to ensure that corrosion by salt air could be avoided.

During their site and property assessment, Future Generation Energy’s design team discussed our options, given the above constraints.  We opted for the Thermodynamic Heat Pump System as the best fit.

For minimal visual impact, Future Generation Energy installed the Panels on the roof of the boiler room, and the new Heat Pump was connected to our existing heating system.  We now have a much improved and sustainable system for heating our house and providing our hot water.  And we also find that the air quality is so much better, making for a much more comfortable home all round.

We have no hesitation in recommending the professionalism and competence of Future Generation Energy to potential customers.

The Burren House, Timoleague, Co. Cork

Mitchelstown Panasonic Air to Air system

FUTURE GENERATION ENERGY was the first to install the Panasonic Air to Air system with Aquarea Air radiators. Very compact, perfect for houses with no existing piping infrastructure, like this one in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, the radiators are slim line and deliver high efficiency climate control with individual temperature controls for each area. With little changes to infrastructure needed installation is cost effective and great for retrofitting and there are substantial savings to be made on running costs (rads operate at half temp of traditional one to produce same amount of heating).

Cork City, 3 Apartments

Increased comfort, reduced emissions and cheaper heating bills! 3 nice, tidy air to water heat pumps just fitted in the city.
These are perfect for well-insulated city apartments and eligible for SEAI grants too.

Susan Salter, Lake House B&B, Dunmanway, Co. Cork

Domestic Solar PV

We are absolutely delighted with the PV system installed by Future Generation Energy Ltd into our B&B in 2016.  We have 3 large bedrooms, each with en-suite facilities and free wi-fi. The past couple of years have been busy ones for us.  Thankfully, producing our own electricity has led to a significant reduction in our electricity bill.  We are also pleased to be playing our part in looking after the environment.

Gary Abbot, Homeowner, Bandon, Co. Cork

It is with great pleasure that we would like to endorse Future Generation Solar to you.

We had had such success with our 5 hot water panels that we decided that we should go for a PV system as well.

Liam Deasy and his team were extremely professional throughout the process – from when we were considering the PV system right through to installation and gave us great advice.  We put up 17 Panels in total, 12 on an annex roof and five either side of our existing panels.  We also went for the Solar Edge wifi app, so we can see the amount of electricity we are generating, even down to which panels are working the most effectively.

Future Generation were some of the cleanest builders we have ever used even hovering up after themselves in the house and there was no mess left outside at all.   It is this attention to detail that permeates through all their work.

We used the Revenue’s HRI scheme to get the VAT back over 2 years post installation. With intelligent use of appliances, we are saving about 1/3 off of our electricity bills.  The only drawback at present is that we are still unable to sell the surplus electricity we produce back to the grid.  This would greatly reduce the payback time.  We are also hoping that the cost of storing the surplus will come down to a level that at least this would be viable and therefore reduce the payback time.

6kW Solar PV System, 6kWh battery

6kW Solar PV System installation on flat roof and pitch roof with 6kWh battery with maximum grant reimbursement of €3,800

West Cork, 4kW PV system with 4.5kW battery storage

Save 50 – 80% on your home energy bills with a Solar PV System like this one we recently installed in West Cork.
This is 4kW PV system with 4.5kW battery storage, making the homeowner eligible for the maximum grant of €3,800

Cormac Wilcox; Dec 2013

Always a great shower with hot water available

We had our system installed around a year ago and so we have experienced it through all seasons and have been extremely impressed with it.

One of the requirements my wife wanted when we moved into  a new house was a great shower and with hot water from the Future Generations Energy system there is always a great shower available.  The system provides us with hot water morning,noon and night.  No need for sunshine or even daylight.  We have a 280 litre tank and have managed to have a bath for 2 kids and showers at high pressure/flow for 3 adults without running out of hot water.

The hot water has been there whenever we have needed it, through all seasons, and our electricity bills haven’t changed through the changes in weather from summer to winter.

I would recommend this system to anyone who wants something that just works and gives you low and predictable electricity use.

James Collins; 2011

How cheap the system is to run considering we have 300 litres of hot water

To say how pleased we are with the thermodynamic hot water system. We have hot water 24-7 which with a new born baby in the house is a god send we could not be more pleased with the system and could not recommend it highly enough. You and your team were a pleasure to deal with and did a 1st class job,  I still can’t believe how cheap the system is to run considering we’ve 300 liters of hot water. If you have any new clients inquiring about your system, by all means, pass on my number to them.A truly great investment in any house.

Adrian O’Donovan; 2011

It is now our only source of hot water

We had our thermodynamic hot water system installed by Future Generation Energy in October 2011. This system has worked a treat for us since installation. It is now our only source of hot water in our house and gives us constant hot water 24/7.We are a family of 2 Adults and 3 children and this system supplies us with all the hot water we need. I would highly recommend Liam and this system to anyone who is looking at installing a solar hot water system.

The Hollies Centre for Practical Sustainability, Enniskeane, W. Cork

The Hollies Centre is 25 acres of gardens, woodland and lake with several self-build dwellings and multi-use buildings set in picturesque West Cork.  It’s a charity with a focus on dissemination of sustainability skills through short courses and volunteer-ships. Its remit is broad and ambitious; to showcase the potential of a sustainable society.  It’s methodology; to provide working examples of low carbon building, renewable energy, sustainable economics and community development.

Throughout the growing season it hosts volunteers working in the organic, no chemical market garden and at any time through the year it runs short courses and events in celebration of the seasons, connecting with animals and nature, re-wilding and foraging as well as timber and cob building.

The fruits of these can be seen all around the site in the neat rows of vegetables striping the freshly hand-weeded earth, the bunches of garlic set to dry in the cob potting shed and the perfectly, imperfect looking buildings dotted about the landscape.  As R. Buckminster Fuller, futurist and inventor of the geodesic dome once said “there are no straight lines” or perfect circles in nature.

John and Selvi, the caretakers of the land, started to hand sculpt their own house on the site in 2013. It was early 2019, 6 years later that the house had developed into the home they imagined. Working with nature, the earth under their feet, the seasons and their own hands and feet, like something from the enchanted forest, it was as if the house grew organically around them. They then consulted with Future Generation Energy and in keeping with their low carbon lifestyle they chose to install a thermodynamic hot water system. This consists of one panel on the roof and a cylinder inside the house and is perfect for a busy household with limited space.

On a sunny July day, I went to visit them to see how the system is working out for them.  The house is quaint, set amongst native ferns; it has an irregular, roundish shape. Inside, the first thing you notice is how cosy and bright it is, then the quality of air.  Good design and quality building materials make this a really comfortable house.  It was just after lunch and they and volunteers were clearing the table and washing up.

I asked John how they rated their hot water system.  “It’s working brilliant. As you can see we have a busy house with us and volunteers. There could be 4 or 5 showers a day and 2 or 3 wash ups going on.”  Their previous system, in the last house, was a gas boiler. They felt it was “never really hot. This one, however, is always hot at around 55 degrees.”

With so much work to do on site, managing the garden and woodlands, a low maintenance system is ideal. I asked about operation and maintenance of the system.  “It’s automatic really. We don’t need to do anything and it disinfects automatically too.”

“Installation was grand too; Liam worked around our building process”

And their energy bills? “Hardly noticeable!”

Finally; Would they recommend Future Generation Energy to friends and acquaintances?

“Oh yes. I’ve have been already, I’ve been recommending Future Generation Energy to everyone!”

You can visit The Hollies Centre by appointment or attend one of their courses or events throughout the year. For more information: https://www.thehollies.ie/