PowerRouter – Self-Generating Solar Energy

The PowerRouter is the ideal solution for the use of self-generated solar power (self-use). Why sell your surplus energy to the grid at a lower price, when you can store it for later use and receive a higher incentive for generating and using your own solar energy? Just connect solar energy and batteries to the PowerRouter and monitor and control where and when you use it. The PowerRouter allows you to optimize, control and manage yourself-generated energy. The PowerRouter is perfectly equipped to make the most efficient use of the self-use regulations. Use your own energy whenever you need it most.

http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/solar-energy/self-generating-solar-energy/


Urban Energy

We are an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economical and environmentally sound green energy solutions for homes and businesses in the South West.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system i.e solar panels, to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house installation team and electrical division, it is our promise to you the customer, that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

The Granary, Phillips Lane, Stratford-sub-Castle, Salisbury SP1 3YR
Tel: 0800 2321624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Solar Feed in Tariffs from November 2012

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that it's official deployment figures for the period from the 1st May 2012 to the 31st July 2012 are available to the public. This announcement is particularly significant, as it is these figures that will determine what the solar Feed-in Tariff rates are from November.

DECC has split installations into 3 size-based categories. Domestic scale installations (0-10kW), have totalled 164MW of capacity in the 3 month period. This falls within the 100-200MW threshold and so a 3.5% reduction will be implemented on the two tariff bands within this category. ≤4kW installations will receive 15.44p per kWh produced (down from 16p) and the >4-10kW rate will be 13.99p (down from 14.5p) from November 1st.

Small commercial installations (10-50kW) hit 57MW. The threshold here was just 50MW and so a 3.5% degression will also affect these tariff rates. As of November, the >10-50kW FIT rate will be 13.03p/kWh down from 13.5p.

The final category, large commercial installations (50kW-5MW), capacity only reached 14MW, which is less than the degression threshold. As a result the tariffs for larger installations will remain untouched, at least until February 2013.

Urban Energy

We are an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economical and environmentally sound green energy solutions for homes and businesses in the South West.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system i.e solar panels, to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house installation team and electrical division, it is our promise to you the customer, that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

The Granary, Phillips Lane, Stratford-sub-Castle, Salisbury SP1 3YR
Tel: 0800 2321624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Energy Performance Certificate

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC):

An EPC is an energy efficiency assessment of your home or business dwelling; all properties require one when they are built, sold or rented. Like appliances, they are rated from A to G with 'A' being the highest level of efficiency. They contain information about the current performance of your property and give you a rank based on this. They also make recommendations about measures you could introduce to make your home more efficient, reduce your carbon emissions and boost your rating. D is the average rating for houses in the UK; it is estimated that around 50% of houses are below this level.

In the main, your EPC rating will be based on a few key factors:

•              When your property was built.

•              Whether the property is insulated and to what degree.

•              How modern the heating system is and what fuel is used.

•              The property's ventilation characteristics.

Why you need one:

From 20 March 2012, the Feed-in Tariff rules require level 'D' Energy Performance Certificates.

From April, customers installing solar PV will be required to produce an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of a minimum of level D in order to claim the full feed-in tariff rate of 21p/kWh. Those who do not supply this as part of their FIT application will receive a lower tariff (9p/kWh) for the full duration of the tariff lifetime.

How to get one:

Urban Energy have fully trained EPC assessors. We offer an EPC survey as part of our installation package, however should you require just the EPC assessment; we are able to provide you with this service for a fee of £65.00.

                              

How is the assessment carried out:

During the assessment you can make it easier for your assessor by telling him about any energy saving measures you have installed. If you have had cavity insulation it's not always easy to see without knowing it's there and it could mean you get a lower rating than you deserve.

It is also worth noting that, in some cases, installing a solar PV or solar thermal system will boost your rate enough to raise your EPC level to a D. We will let you know if this is the case for your property. It should be noted that a property must already have an EPC rating of D or above to achieve the higher tariff for PV installations.

Urban Energy

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

Our experienced surveyors can carry out a free, no obligation survey of your house or business that can help you save thousands of £’s per annum. We have our own fully qualified installers, electricians and plumbers who oversee every aspect of every installation.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

Eco Barn Showroom now open: 10.00 – 5.00 Monday to Friday and 10.00 – 4.00 Saturday

Call us on: 0800 232 1624 or 01722 335 322
Email us at: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

UK government loses Supreme Court case against solar feed-in tariffs

The UK government’s doomed case against the challenge to its planned cuts of solar feed-in tariffs has been rejected by the Supreme Court.

The last ditch attempt by the government to overthrow previous decisions by the High Court and the Court of Appeal that its action to cut solar feed-in tariffs during the consultation period as “legally flawed” failed on Friday 23 March 2012.

The Supreme Court’s rejection of the government’s appeal marks the end of the legal wrangle and leaves the thousands of homeowners and businesses who installed solar panels after the 12 December cut-off date and before 3 March better off.

The lucky ones will now receive the higher FIT rate of 43.3p per kWh, instead of the lower rate of 21p.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said he was “disappointed” that the Supreme Court did not to grant permission to hear the case, but said that the ruling “draws a line under the case”, which was instigated by his predecessor Chris Huhne.

“We will now focus all our efforts on ensuring the future stability and cost effectiveness of solar and other microgeneration technologies for the many, not the few,” he said.

Andy Atkins, the executive director of Friends of the Earth, which brought the challenge along with other solar installers, welcomed the ruling that the government’s “botched… solar plans are illegal”.

“[The] landmark decision which will prevent ministers causing industry chaos with similar subsidy cuts in future,” he added. “The Coalition must now get on with the urgent task of restoring confidence in UK solar power.”

For further information:
www.decc.gov.uk
www.foe.co.uk/

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/

UK Government Loses Court Appeal

The government has lost its appeal against a judge's ruling that its cuts to solar power subsidies were illegal, suggesting thousands of homes and businesses will now be able to claim the higher payments.

Three court of appeal judges unanimously rejected the appeal from Chris Huhne, the secretary of state at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), who said he would be taking the case on to the supreme court. "We want to maximise the number of installations that are possible within the available budget rather than use available money to pay a higher tariff to half the number of installations," he said.

The decision to prolong the uncertainty that has seen the number of solar panel installations fall since 12 December and was immediately condemned by opponents of the cuts. Green party MP Caroline Lucas said: "Having lost twice in the courts and been roundly humiliated over the shambolic handling of solar policy, it is absolutely beggars belief that Huhne is planning to appeal to the supreme court."

The government announced proposed cuts to the solar feed-in tariff payments in October but in December, a high court judge ruled that the government's handling of the cuts was "legally flawed", after a challenge by a coalition of solar installation companies and Friends of the Earth.

On 19 January, the government said that if it lost the legal case, it would fund the higher rate payments for any panels installed by 3 March, which would affect about 3,700 homes and businesses. A DECC spokeswoman said: "We totally appreciate the uncertainty in the solar industry and hopefully the 3 March date will provide some certainty."

DECC's legal fees have cost taxpayers £58,000 so far, though this does not include the costs of their opponents, which the appeal court said DECC must also pay.

The court of appeal refused permission for Huhne to seek a hearing in the supreme court, but this does not prevent the secretary of state going directly to the higher court. He has 28 days to lodge permission to appeal. Some campaigners have suggested this continued uncertainty may reduce the number of new installations, and therefore reduce the number eligible for the higher feed-in-tariff if the government ultimately loses its case.

John Cridland, director-general of the CBI, said: "The judgment should be used to draw a line under this saga, which saw the government scoring a spectacular own goal."

Gaynor Hartnell, chief executive of the Renewable Energy Association, said the rejection of the appeal prevented a precedent being set which would allowed the government to make retrospective policy changes in future. "The government is well aware that it would be incredibly unwise to reduce payments to renewable energy producers after they had commissioned their projects, as it knows what immense damage that would do," she said. 

The judgment stated: "The question [is] whether parliament conferred a power [to DECC] to make a modification with such a retrospective effect. It did not."

The cuts proposed in October – from 43.3p per kWh of energy generated to 21p – prompted a furious backlash, with the main complaint being the speed of the changes, which were designed to come into effect just six weeks later, on 12 December. Critics also drew attention to the fact that the consultation did not end until 23 December – over a week after the changes were proposed to take place.

In December, a cross-party group of MPs said in a strongly worded report that the reductions were "clumsily handled", had threatened jobs and could have dealt a fatal blow to the scheme, because the changes required homes to meet the C-rated energy efficiency standard before becoming eligible for the solar feed-in tariff.

Urban Energy

Urban Energy are delighted that nearly half the population would like to install renewable energy technologies; what worries us is the lack of awareness surrounding it. To bridge the Green Gap it’s essential we continue to educate consumers and break down some of the myths surrounding the Green Deal, energy efficiency and microgeneration.

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/

FITs Review - Consultation

On 7 February 2011, the Government announced the first comprehensive review of the Feed-in tariffs (FITs) scheme for small-scale low-carbon electricity generation.

A principal objective of the review was to determine how the efficiency of FITs will be improved to deliver £40 million of savings, around 10%, in 2014/15.

A consultation has now been launched on Phase I and will run until 23 December 2011.

The proposals are subject to an eight-week consultation period. If implemented, they would introduce a new tariff for schemes up to 4kW in size of 21.0p/kWh – down from the current 43.3p/kWh. Reduced rates are also proposed for schemes between 4kW and 250kW, to ensure that those schemes receive a consistent rate of return. The table of proposed tariffs is below.

Band (kW)	Current (p/kWh)	Proposed (p/kWh)
≤4kW (new build)	37.8	21.0
≤4kW (retrofit)	43.3	21.0
>4-10kW	37.8	16.8
>10-50kW	32.9	15.2
>50-100kW	19	12.9
>100-150kW	19	12.9
>150-250kW	15	12.9
>250kW-5MW	8.5	8.5*
stand alone	8.5	8.5*

Under the proposals, the new tariffs would apply to all new solar PV installations with an eligibility date on or after 12 December 2011. Such installations would receive the current tariff before moving to the lower tariffs on 1 April 2012. Consumers who already receive a FIT will see their existing payments unchanged, and those with an eligibility date on or before 11 December 2011 will receive the current rate. Click on the link to take part in the consultation:

consultation

Urban Energy

Urban Energy are delighted that nearly half the population would like to install renewable energy technologies; what worries us is the lack of awareness surrounding it. To bridge the Green Gap it’s essential we continue to educate consumers and break down some of the myths surrounding the Green Deal, energy efficiency and microgeneration.

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/

Energy efficiency and renewable energy subsidies

The government wants to encourage everyone to think about how they can pay less on fuel - a pretty sensible idea when energy bills are rising and fuel poverty is on the increase.

It also wants to reduce the UK's carbon emissions to help it meet stringent and legally-binding climate change targets.

One way it is looking to achieve both these aims is by offering incentives for people to become more efficient in the way they use energy, and by encouraging them to start generating their own.

There are three main subsidies on offer.

Renewable Heat Premium Repayment

Under the Renewable Heat Premium Repayment (RHPR), anyone living in England, Scotland or Wales can claim a voucher to help pay for renewable energy generation in their home:

Solar panels to heat water - £300

Air source heat pump, which extracts heat from the outside air - £850

Ground source heat pump, which extracts heat from the ground - £1,250

Biomass boiler, which burns wood to provide heat and/or hot water - £950.

Every household is allowed to apply for one voucher per technology.

The scheme runs until the end of March next year.

Anyone can apply for solar panel funding, and if you do not use gas as your main heating fuel, you can apply for air and ground source pumps and biomass boilers.

So far, the scheme, which began at the beginning of August, has issued almost £2m worth of vouchers. It will be reviewed at £10m.

The Energy Savings Trust (EST), which is a charity offering advice on how best to take advantage of the subsidies on offer, is managing the scheme and can be contacted on 0800 512 012.

The RHPR was designed as an interim measure to keep momentum in the push for energy efficiency, and will be replaced in the autumn of next year with the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Feed-in tariffs

These subsidies, also available only in England, Scotland and Wales, mean you get paid for the electricity you generate from renewable sources - both the power that you use and that which you export to the national grid - up to a maximum of five megawatts.

They cover a number of different technologies, including solar panels, wind turbines, anaerobic digestion, combined heat and power and hydroelectricity.

The so-called big six energy suppliers - British Gas, EDF, E.On, nPower, Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern - are required by law to pay you for the energy you generate, but some smaller providers are not. There are 21 registered providers in total.

Feed-in tariffs are designed to benefit you in three ways:

You will be paid a set amount for each unit of electricity you generate, depending on the technology you have installed, and these are set for the full term of the tariff - between 10 and 25 years. Rates are also linked to inflation

You will receive an additional set payment for every unit that you sell back to the national grid, regardless of the technology you are using

Obviously your energy bills will be lower as you will have to buy less electricity from the grid.

All plant and contractors will need to be properly certified for you to qualify for the scheme.

Boiler scrappage scheme

This scheme has closed in England and Wales but is still open in Scotland.

Homeowners can receive up to £400 towards the cost of upgrading an old boiler to a more modern, energy-efficient alternative.

As long as you use a certified boiler and installer, you can claim back the money by sending a completed scheme voucher and invoice for the works to the EST.

Grants and discounts

The are numerous other grants and offers available, many of which relate to insulation, which is seen as the most cost-effective way of reducing energy use, especially when you consider that more than 10 million homes in the UK have lofts that are under-insulated.

Some of these are offered on a local authority level, so will vary depending on where you live. The EST has a webpage which highlights relevant offers depending on your postcode.

Urban Energy

Urban Energy are delighted that nearly half the population would like to install renewable energy technologies; what worries us is the lack of awareness surrounding it. To bridge the Green Gap it’s essential we continue to educate consumers and break down some of the myths surrounding the Green Deal, energy efficiency and microgeneration.

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/

Automotive Manufacturers Race to Corner Green Market

Nissan will produce a plug-in hybrid vehicle as part of its on-going efforts to become the world leader in low-carbon motoring by 2016.

The manufacturer launched its new five-year environmental plan today, reiterating its goal of selling 1.5 million electric cars by 2016 and introducing new targets to improve fuel economy across its fleet by 35 per cent against 2005 levels, reduce CO2 emissions per vehicle produced by 20 per cent, and increase the use of recycled materials to 25 per cent by the same date.

"More consumers are demanding products in line with their values, including cars and trucks with a lower carbon footprint," Carlos Ghosn, Nissan president and chief executive, said in a statement. "At the same time, we are using technology to make our factories greener and more efficient."

More than 16,000 LEAF electric cars have been sold worldwide to date and the Japanese company, along with French partner Renault, plans to add another three electric models to its fleet by the end of fiscal year 2017.

Nissan also said it aims to release a new plug-in hybrid and lead the development of an all-new fuel cell electric vehicle in conjunction with Daimler.

Toyota announced over the weekend that it will produce hybrid vehicles and key components in China by 2015 as it bids to close ground on GM and Nissan, which will respectively launch the Chevrolet Volt and the LEAF in the country over the next few months.

Volkswagen, also popular in China, is similarly set to begin local production of pure electric cars in 2013 or 2014.

The plug-in version of the Prius is expected to be available in China from 2013, and Akio Toyoda, Toyota's president, told reporters that a pure electric vehicle would also be launched that year. This is likely to be an electric version of its RAV 4 compact SUV.

Urban Energy

Urban Energy are delighted that nearly half the population would like to install renewable energy technologies; what worries us is the lack of awareness surrounding it. To bridge the Green Gap it’s essential we continue to educate consumers and break down some of the myths surrounding the Green Deal, energy efficiency and microgeneration.

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/

Energy prices set to grow by up to 37% by 2020

Renewable energy could make average returns of 11-12%, with the potential for returns in excess of 20%. According to the findings, new financial incentives, energy market trends and building regulations are combining to create a compelling case for UK businesses to generate their own renewable energy.

With energy prices set to grow by up to 37% by 2020, the opportunity to reduce utility bills is a strong incentive for investigating renewable energy options. Government initiatives such as Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and Feed in Tariff (FiT), which are also designed to act as incentives for businesses to act quickly and benefit from the capped level of funding on offer.

The Carbon Trust Advisory conducted interviews with leading companies to find out about the challenges, opportunities and best practice associated with implementing renewable energy measures. The industries with the most to gain are utilities, manufacturing, retail, hospitality and agricultural sectors.

Retailers and consumer goods brands are tending to lead the way. ASDA, IKEA, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer have all set a target of moving to 100% renewable energy. The Carbon Trust Advisory analysis of the results shows that businesses are taking a mixed approach to sourcing renewable energy from either their own projects or purchases from energy providers. One business which has made strong progress in this area is IKEA. The furniture retailer now obtains 80% of its total energy use for renewable and has invested in a mix of ground source heat pumps, biomass, solar panels and wind power.

Charlie Browne, IKEA UK and Ireland Sustainability Manager, explains: “Taking care of people and the environment is integral to how we do business, so we are continually working to significantly reduce our carbon footprint from all parts of our operations. As part of our global ‘IKEA Goes Renewable’ programme, we are committed to heavily investing in making IKEA buildings more energy efficient and using more renewable energy. For example, our most recently built UK based stores in Coventry, Southampton and Dublin have been designed to incorporate measures that will have a major impact on these areas, including geothermal heating and cooling systems, biomass boilers and improved insulation. Our recent investment into a 12.3 Megawatt wind farm in Aberdeenshire and a £4million investment to fit over 39,000 photovoltaic (solar) panels to the rooftops of 10 IKEA stores shows our clear actions to reach our goal of 100% renewable energy supply.”

Commenting on the report, Hugh Jones, Managing Director, Carbon Trust Advisory, said: “This report should help convince more UK businesses to move to renewable energy. However, selecting the right strategy for renewable energy can be a complex area and we recommend that businesses make a staged approach to adoption. This includes trialling different measures, testing their viability and doing this sooner rather than later before energy price increases and regulatory pressure become more pressing.”

Reference: Carbon Trust - full report can be downloaded here:

http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/Publications/pages/publicationdetail.aspx?id=CTA004

Urban Energy

Urban Energy are delighted that nearly half the population would like to install renewable energy technologies; what worries us is the lack of awareness surrounding it. To bridge the Green Gap it’s essential we continue to educate consumers and break down some of the myths surrounding the Green Deal, energy efficiency and microgeneration.

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/

UK solar panel installation hotspots revealed

Small-scale energy generation using solar panels or wind turbines has grown by 400% in less than 18 months in the UK, with Sheffield seeing the biggest increase in renewable installations per 1,000 people.

The new study looked at the growth in renewable energy capacity in the UK's large cities since the government's feed-in tariff (FIT) launched last April. The scheme offers guaranteed cash payments to households and communities who produce their own electricity.

Top of the table was Sheffield, which increased its renewable energy capacity, of which 99% is solar, to more than 3.5 kilowatts electrical per 1,000 people (kWe is a measure of electrical power). Here's the top 10:

1. Sheffield

2. Leeds

3. Bristol

4. Bradford

5. Birmingham

6. London

7. Liverpool

8. Edinburgh

9. Manchester

10. Glasgow

London added more renewable power than all the other cities, but only ranked sixth on the list when the data was assessed per head.

Solar panels on the rise

Solar panels are the most popular way of generating renewable power, accounting for 75% of feed-in tariff scheme payments, according to the study by energy consultancy AEA. Wind power accounts for 14%.

So far, more than 44,000 solar installations have been registered for the FIT, with small domestic systems making up the majority (38,300).

Overall, Cornwall is the area which generates the most solar photovoltaic (PV) power in the UK, with more than 1,000 solar installations and three megawatts electrical (MWe) capacity. Aberdeenshire generates the most wind power and Perth and Kinross the most hydro electricity.

Solar power benefits

Urban Energy research has found it is possible to make up to £38,000 profit from a 4kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system over 25 years, under the FIT – the pay back can be as little as 6 years. To qualify you must use products and installers registered under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

This data shows that you do not need to live on the equator to generate electricity from solar panels. The UK has enough daylight to generate good returns. If you are considering cashing in on the generous FIT scheme, we would advise you do so before April 2012, since the tariff is likely to be changed then, most probably decreasing slightly.

Urban Energy

Urban Energy are delighted that nearly half the population would like to install renewable energy technologies; what worries us is the lack of awareness surrounding it. To bridge the Green Gap it’s essential we continue to educate consumers and break down some of the myths surrounding the Green Deal, energy efficiency and microgeneration.

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/

Is solar the future for energy production?

It is no longer credible to say that solar can’t play a major role in a sustainable energy mix. Deutsche Bahn intends to run the entire German railway system on wind, solar and hydropower. The German economics ministry has collaborated with German companies to run a scaled model of the national economy on a real mix of renewables, including solar, and concluded that a healthy modern economy could be run on renewables, including baseload electricity. In a report due out later this year, the International Energy Agency will admit that solar can provide 60% of global electricity by 2060.

It is not good enough to say, as some do, that if a global mass market is inevitable, the UK should sit back and partake come the day, not before. This is a strategic miscalculation. We do not want to be importing every aspect of our energy infrastructure ad infinitum. National security considerations such as peak oil increasingly demand that we have domestic industries that are as stand-alone as humanly possible.

In this respect there should be many opportunities for the government. The prime minister has emphasised the Big Society idea as a flagship programme of his tenure, and he envisions many of the jobs that must countervail the austerity measures will come from British participation in the green industrial revolution that he says is unfoldling around the world. Solar is an important part of that. Ask the Chinese. In 2000 they had little solar. Now every second solar cell is made in China. The government would not have to do much to fashion a Big Society/green industrial revolution case-history worth boasting about.

Around the nation, as things stand, thousands of jobs are being created in the embryonic British solar industry. Tens of thousands of citizens are in the process of being empowered in community projects. The cause of this is a solar-energy feed-in tariff: a market-enablement process used by over 40 countries around the world that entails premium pricing for solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity funded by a small levy on all energy bills. With its feed-in tariff introduced in April last year, the UK has belatedly joining the party in one of the fastest growing markets of any kind globally.

The opportunities extend well beyond solar. Solar generation would soon be marriable at scale with the energy efficiency measures due to be stimulated by the government’s Green Deal. Innovative integrated energy-services financing would become possible, unleashing substantial net energy cost savings.
Feed-in tariffs are supposed to decrease annually, as solar prices fall. That is part of their inate attraction. Unlike nuclear, solar does not need subsidising forever. But the staged reductions in tariff, down to zero within the decade, have to match the market. It is no good introducing sudden deep cuts. That stalls a market, as a number of governments have discovered this year.

The first reductions for UK rooftop solar PV tariffs will begin in April 2012, and are under review right now. The government has to get this just right. Reductions in tariff have to be deep enough to fairly reflect falling solar prices, and not too deep to stall the development of a domestic UK solar industry.

Ministers like Greg Barker and Chris Huhne understand. Others do not. They listen to the calls of the nuclear and gas industries, who among others lobby to slow or kill the solar rollout in multiple countries by cutting feed-in tariffs to the bone. In France, for example, the nuclear industry has all but emasculated the French solar feed in tariff, and hence market.

Creating a Big Society/green-industrial-revolution case-history worth bragging about will involve the government creating a smooth glide path to solar grid parity in electricity markets. This in turn will involve not listening to many of the lobbyists working for the big energy companies, and many civil servants too. They are too wedded to the past, and cannot see what Silicon Valley investors, and the Chinese see.

Urban Energy

Urban Energy are delighted that nearly half the population would like to install renewable energy technologies; what worries us is the lack of awareness surrounding it. To bridge the Green Gap it’s essential we continue to educate consumers and break down some of the myths surrounding the Green Deal, energy efficiency and microgeneration.

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/

Lack of information preventing UK homes from going green

A recent survey has revealed that UK residents are reluctant to install green technology due to a lack of awareness about the related cost savings and government incentives.

This lack of awareness – the ‘Green Gap’ – is holding back the uptake of renewable energy sources in UK homes, according to the report. Whilst 61% of participants were keen to install systems such as solar panels and biomass-fuelled heating, 57% said they wouldn’t consider installing any of the listed renewable technologies, because they viewed them as too expensive.

Of the 2,000 survey participants, a third didn’t know how much money they could save or earn by generating their own energy, whilst 65% were completely unaware of the government’s Feed-in Tariff programme.

This programme requires energy suppliers to pay households that generate their own electricity from renewable sources, and also allows any surplus energy to be sold back to the National Grid.

The survey also revealed considerable confusion surrounding the government’s Green Deal, with 54% unable to correctly identify the Deal’s focus on energy efficiency incentives. 14% thought it was concerned with the protection of forests, while 9% believed it was aimed at increasing the use of electric vehicles.

Urban Energy

Urban Energy are delighted that nearly half the population would like to install renewable energy technologies; what worries us is the lack of awareness surrounding it. To bridge the Green Gap it’s essential we continue to educate consumers and break down some of the myths surrounding the Green Deal, energy efficiency and microgeneration.

Urban Energy has earned a reputation as the south’s leading renewable energy specialist. This has been achieved by ensuring that from the initial point of client contact we offer 1st class customer service and care.

We only install products that lead the way within the renewable energy industry and that are renowned for their high quality and ecologically sound production. This reflects our own high standards and quality assurance.

We understand that introducing a renewable energy system to either your home or business is an investment that lasts for many years. With our in-house electrical and plumbing division it is our promise to you the customer that your satisfaction and peace of mind throughout this period is our number one priority.

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/