If you're really serious about making longer term investment in reducing emissions and saving the environment, there is a whole range of more advanced measures that you can look at.

Microgeneration is the term for small scale energy generating technologies and some of the more common ways of generating your own energy include:

Biomass

A biomass boiler burns wood chips or pellets to provide heating and hot water for your house. Burning biomass does not adversely impact the environment because, unlike fossil fuels, the same amount of carbon dioxide released by burning it can be absorbed by new crops as they are growing, in a renewable cycle. These boilers are most commonly installed in larger houses, especially in rural areas.

A typical domestic biomass boiler will cost from £5,000 to £11,000 installed and can save you £300 to £350 a year.

Ground source heat pumps

This acts in much the same way as a fridge. A coiled pipe takes heat from the ground and transfers it to your hot water tank. It requires an electric pump to operate but for every unit of energy you put in to the system you get 3 to 4 units out. Heat pumps are most effective with under floor heating systems. To install one you will need enough outdoor space to lay the ground loop, either in a trench or a borehole.

A ground source heat pump will cost between £6,500 and £11,500 and can save you £650 to £750 a year.

Wind turbines

A range of wind turbines for the home are available which take advantage of the free energy contained in the UK's abundant wind resource. Wind turbines can be on free standing masts or roof-mounted, and generate electricity for use in the home and for exporting to the national grid.

A 2.5kW wind turbine costs in the region of £11,000 to £12,500 and can save £150 to £250 a year. The money saved depends on the wind conditions in your area.

Solar photovoltaic

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels convert the energy in the sun's rays directly into electricity. PV will even work on overcast days and, once installed will provide free electricity for 25 years or more.

A typical domestic solar PV system will cost between £10,000 and £18,000 and can save you around £125 a year.

Solar water heating

Solar water heating systems use the heat from the sun to work alongside your normal boiler, providing nearly all of your hot water during the summer months and around half of your year-round hot water requirements.

A 3-4m² system costs around £3,000 to £4,500 and typically saves about £50 a year.

For more information on advanced improvements visit the Centre for Alternative Technology: www.cat.org.uk