Renewables have seen such dramatic price falls in the past few years that they are threatening to upset the world as we know it and usher in an almost unprecedented boom in the spread of cheap, clean, home-produced energy.
Solar will be the cheapest form of power in many countries within just a few years. In places such as California and Italy it has already reached so-called "grid parity". Onshore wind, on a piece of land not constrained by years of planning delays, is already the cheapest form of energy on earth. These are not wild claims – those are figures from General Electric, Citibank and others.
Solar PV is a case in point. Three years ago firms were paying about €3,600 per installed kilowatt of solar capacity on barn roofs in Germany. Today it can be done for just over €1,000 – a staggering 70% fall.
Thanks to a surge in global production to 60 gWp annually, (enough to supply British households – not offices or factories – with all their electricity) solar power has dropped dramatically in price. But there is more to come. Cambridge IP, a global innovation and intellectual property firm, says there is a surge of interest and R&D into two new forms of solar power which are likely to be available commercially by the end of this decade.
Newly built solar plants are already considerably cheaper than new nuclear plants per kilowatt hour of electricity produced and because of this solar energy can and will compete head on with conventional energy.
True, there is an ongoing cost from the German government's previous support for solar, but is much lower than the subsidies pumped by the western world into nuclear, coal, oil and gas over the past decades.
Solar is starting to pay its subsidy back. Germany now has more than 30 gigaWatt peak (gWp) of solar plants installed, such that on almost all days in the spring, summer and autumn, solar energy surges into the grid at a time when demand is at is strongest (air conditioning etc) and when spot market energy prices are at their highest.
This peak price is being forced down by solar, helping to reduce wholesale prices. The big energy companies hate this because this peak is where they make their money. Solar in Germany is almost down to wholesale prices – in sunnier countries it already is.
Germany (Europe's biggest economy) now gets 25% of its electricity from renewables – a proportion that is increasing by the month. This is twice the level of the UK, although, interestingly, similar to that of Scotland on its own. Germany is also leading on figuring out how to overcome the problems of "intermittency" by storing renewable 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
Showing posts with label renewables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label renewables. Show all posts
Monday, 3 June 2013
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Welcome to 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
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Solar heating 'can provide over half of households' hot water'
Solar thermal systems can provide over half of households' hot
water needs, according to the largest ever field trial of the green energy devices.
Residential payment levels under the government's £860m renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme, announced in March, are not due to be announced until 2012
Between 1 August and 9 October this year, 707 people took out new £300 grants for solar thermal systems.
The government has put aside £15m for the renewable heat premium payment (RHPP) scheme, which runs until March 2012 offering grants for a range of green heating technologies including groundsource heat pumps and biomass boilers. The separate RHI payments, similar to those made to owners of solar panels and wind turbines under the feed in tariffs for green electricity generation, will launch after the RHPP.
Solar water heating systems work by using the sun's energy to heat water or anti-freeze in collectors on the roof of a building. The heated water or anti-freeze is then usually pumped to a hot-water cylinder to be stored until the hot water is needed.
Overall, the trust said it was impressed by how well solar thermal systems were working in the UK. The field study found the systems provided a median of 39% of households' hot water needs, rising to 60% for the best and plummeting to 9% for the worst-installed one. The trust had previously believed around 35-40% would be a typical figure, based on laboratory tests.
Jaryn Bradford, senior technical manager for the Energy Saving Trust, and author of the report, said: "This is a technology that works, and works well in the UK." He said the main impact on a system's performance was how well insulated the home's hot water tank and pipes were.
The market for solar water heating in the UK has continued to grow despite the economic climate – up 18.1% in 2010, compared with 13.1% for Europe overall, though the trust said that was largely because the UK was starting from such a low baseline. There are an estimated 140,000 homes with solar water heating in the UK.
This pioneering research demonstrates that households with solar hot water generators really can benefit, provided their generator has been correctly installed and they understand how to make the most of it. Solar thermal panels are a fantastic, cost effective way for the UK to reduce the demand on imported energy whilst cutting bills and carbon emissions.
Friends of the Earth's energy campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said: "Unless we end the nation's dependency on increasingly expensive fossil fuels, homes and businesses will continue to pay the price through soaring power bills. The government's renewable heat incentive can't be delayed any longer – ministers must provide households with real cash incentives to help families switch to clean energy to heat their homes."
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 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:
Residential payment levels under the government's £860m renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme, announced in March, are not due to be announced until 2012
Between 1 August and 9 October this year, 707 people took out new £300 grants for solar thermal systems.
The government has put aside £15m for the renewable heat premium payment (RHPP) scheme, which runs until March 2012 offering grants for a range of green heating technologies including groundsource heat pumps and biomass boilers. The separate RHI payments, similar to those made to owners of solar panels and wind turbines under the feed in tariffs for green electricity generation, will launch after the RHPP.
Solar water heating systems work by using the sun's energy to heat water or anti-freeze in collectors on the roof of a building. The heated water or anti-freeze is then usually pumped to a hot-water cylinder to be stored until the hot water is needed.
Overall, the trust said it was impressed by how well solar thermal systems were working in the UK. The field study found the systems provided a median of 39% of households' hot water needs, rising to 60% for the best and plummeting to 9% for the worst-installed one. The trust had previously believed around 35-40% would be a typical figure, based on laboratory tests.
Jaryn Bradford, senior technical manager for the Energy Saving Trust, and author of the report, said: "This is a technology that works, and works well in the UK." He said the main impact on a system's performance was how well insulated the home's hot water tank and pipes were.
The market for solar water heating in the UK has continued to grow despite the economic climate – up 18.1% in 2010, compared with 13.1% for Europe overall, though the trust said that was largely because the UK was starting from such a low baseline. There are an estimated 140,000 homes with solar water heating in the UK.
This pioneering research demonstrates that households with solar hot water generators really can benefit, provided their generator has been correctly installed and they understand how to make the most of it. Solar thermal panels are a fantastic, cost effective way for the UK to reduce the demand on imported energy whilst cutting bills and carbon emissions.
Friends of the Earth's energy campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said: "Unless we end the nation's dependency on increasingly expensive fossil fuels, homes and businesses will continue to pay the price through soaring power bills. The government's renewable heat incentive can't be delayed any longer – ministers must provide households with real cash incentives to help families switch to clean energy to heat their homes."
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/
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
The feed-in tariff: one year on
The UK feed-in tariff has generated almost 80MW of growth in one year.
The feed-in tariff pays out a certain sum per kilowatt hour, based on the size of the installation . The original rates, which can be seen in the chart below, brought about:
0.982MW (408) from April – May,
2.465MW (1009) from May – June,
3.574MW (1426) from June – July,
4.566MW (1753) from July – August,
8.971MW (3735) from August – September,
6.438MW (2486) from September – October,
6.759MW (2440) from October – November
and 6.560MW (2377) from November – December.
Energy Source | Scale | Feed-in tariff (pence/kWh) | Duration (years) |
| Solar PV | ≤4 kW new | 36.1 | 25 |
| Solar PV | ≤4 kW retrofit | 41.3 | 25 |
| Solar PV | >4-10kW | 36.1 | 25 |
| Solar PV | >10 - 100kW | 31.4 | 25 |
| Solar PV | >100kW - 5MW | 29.3 | 25 |
| Solar PV | Standalone | 29.3 | 25 |
As can be seen in the figures above, these rates spurred on a huge amount of growth in the first couple of months, with a total of 45.011MW or 17,244 installations reached by the end of December 2010. This figure includes historic installations entitled to the reduced-rate 9p tariff only, which were transferred from the former Renewables Obligation, as well as full FiT-eligible installations connected between July 15, 2009 and the start of the scheme, but which appear on the Register as post-April 1. (These installations amount to approximately 11MW; however, it is difficult to be precise in this regard as Ofgem does not outline the separate categories.) Omitting these transferred installations, the total at the end of 2010 amounted to approximately 34.011MW.
By February 7, the UK Government had announced its intention to launch a feed-in tariff review. This was to work in two stages, the first of which would be fast-tracked for what Government defined ‘large-scale’ (but what we call anything over 50kW), and the second a Comprehensive Review, which would look at all levels of installation.
By March 18, the fast-track review was revealed. The Minister of State, Greg Barker said the fast-track aspect of the review would show “fast-track consideration of large-scale solar projects (over 50kW) with a view to making any resulting changes to tariffs as soon as practical, subject to consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny as required by the Energy Act 2008.”
The document published outlined the following proposed new tariffs:
• >50kW - ≤150kW: 19p/kWh
• >150kW - ≤250kW: 15p/kWh
• >250kW - ≤5MW: 8.5p/kWh
If the proposals go through, they will take effect from August 1, 2011. The industry has been given until May 6 to respond.
Although the reviews have caused a lot of uncertainty for the UK’s solar industry, they haven’t stopped figures reaching 77.864MW or 28,602 installations during the 12-month period to date. A striking 73.189MW of these were residential, a sector which is expected to continue on an upward trend considering the Government’s clear support.
The year’s figures, when split by country within the UK, show that the majority of the PV installations were in England (71.205MW), while Wales installed 3.411MW, and Scotland 2.506MW. Although these countries are doing their bit, it is expected that England will remain on top when it comes to solar power installations, as the south of the country has the highest solar irradiation levels.
As we move into this financial year, despite the looming review deadlines, the UK feed-in tariff (FiT) for solar installations will be adjusted slightly in industry’s favour to account for updated inflation figures. The new tariff will come into effect April 1 2011, and will be valid until March 31, 2012.
Scale | Previous feed-in tariff (pence/kWh) | Updated feed-in tariff (pence/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| ≤4 kW new | 36.1 | 37.8 |
| ≤4 kW retrofit | 41.3 | 43.3 |
| >4-10kW | 36.1 | 37.8 |
| >10 - 100kW | 31.4 | 32.9 |
| >100kW - 5MW | 29.3 | 30.7 |
| Standalone | 29.3 | 30.7 |
Installations are now expected to spike slightly while the tariffs levels are high, as industry will now be keeping a close eye out for more cuts to come during the comprehensive review. After that, it’s uncertain how the figures will be affected, as the feed-in tariff reviews, both fast-track and comprehensive, are expected to have a significant impact.
April 1, 2010 – April 1, 2011
UK
Overall: 77.864MW (28,602)
Domestic: 73.189MW (28032)
Commercial: 2.280MW (254)
Industrial: 0.321MW (31)
Community: 2.075MW (301)
England
Overall: 71.205MW (26,486)
Domestic: 67.436MW (25,988)
Commercial: 1.655MW (212)
Industrial: 0.282MW (26)
Community: 1.832 (260)
Scotland
Overall: 2.506MW (822)
Domestic: 2.282MW (796)
Commercial: 0.158MW (15)
Industrial: 0.002MW (1)
Community: 0.064MW (10)
Wales
Overall: 3.411MW (1,165)
Domestic: 3.151MW (1,123)
Commercial: 0.127MW (20)
Industrial: 0.037MW (4)
Community: 0.095MW (18)
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care.
"Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government incentive schemes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Friday, 15 October 2010
Urban Energy: dispelling solar myths
Myth 1: Photovoltaics are expensive:
Solar photovoltaics are reaching grid parity and are expected to provide electricity as cheap as the National Grid by 2012. Solar PV reaching grid parity is fueled by a number of factors including:
Analysing the cost of photovoltaics should not be considered solely in terms of ‘upfront costs’, since they have many additional benefits:
Myth 2: PV’s cost makes it the least popular renewable energy:
In October 2006, St James homes surveyed almost 100 potential buyers for their new ‘envirohome’, Kennett Island in Reading. They found that solar thermal and PV were the priority requirements for those considering this new type of home. The BBC also found similar statistics in 2006. PV was rated above a wind turbine, grey water recycling, and other energy saving features. As a maintenance free, long lasting technology, many consumers are attracted by its unique ‘fit and forget’ potential.
Myth 3: PV can’t provide all of my electricity
Individual cases differ according to the energy efficiency of a building and energy consumption, however evidence has shown that it is certainly possible to get a household’s electrical needs out of a PV system. According to Energy Savings Trust, the average household consumes 4,000 kWh per year.
An example of PV producing more electricity than used in a home is presented by the Garside Family: Since their system was installed the Garside family have become suppliers of electricity, consuming just 2,600 kWh a year, which is less than the 2,930kWh they produce. This has allowed them to sell their excess production back to their electricity supplier and feed it into the national grid.
Myth 4: PV uses more energy to produce than it gives back:
There is a common but mistaken notion that solar cells never produce more energy than it takes to make them. The term ‘energy payback’ captures this idea. Reaping the environmental benefits of solar energy requires using energy to make the PV system, but the investment is small. Specifically, paybacks for standard, crystalline modules are two to four years (depending on where they are installed). For new, thin-film modules, ‘energy payback’ times of just one year are anticipated.
Myth 5: Solar thermal is less expensive than PV, so a better option:
Solar thermal systems and solar PV are very different technologies. Solar thermal heats water, while PV creates electricity. Both are excellent means of reducing carbon emissions, and it is possible to have both. However, in terms of reducing carbon emissions, PV avoids more carbon emissions as it displaces grid electricity, which (in the UK) is three times more carbon intensive than gas.
Myth 6: The UK does not receive sufficient sun to make PV worthwhile:
Electricity is produced with daylight, not intense sunlight. Although most effective in sunny climates, the UK is still a suitable market. UK irradiance levels stand at 1000W/m2 for London, with a range of 750W/m2 to 1100W/m2 across the UK. There is little difference between solar irradiation in the Scotland and the south coast of England. In fact, solar electric (PV) panels are routinely used in the polar regions to supply power for test equipment. The UK has similar irradiance levels to Germany and the Netherlands.
Myth 7: It’s hard to get planning permission for PV in the UK:
Local government has taken the initiative to encourage the use of renewable energy. In June 2006 Yvette Cooper, Minister for Housing and Planning said:
“It is patently absurd that you should be able to put a satellite dish up on your house but should have to wrestle with the planning process for small scale microgeneration which is no more obtrusive. We want far more microgeneration to be treated as permitted development.”
She added:
“We need to seize on new development as an opportunity not a threat. It is time to rethink the way we build. It is time to rethink the way we design our homes and communities, if we are to build communities for the future that are truly sustainable. Our long term ambition should be zero carbon development and we believe the Thames Gateway offers a fantastic opportunity to lead the way in environmental improvements for new developments. We do not know yet how fast we can get there, but the development industry should be clear about our aims and should start planning now for new investment and innovation to meet our goals.”
Solar has been installed on listed buildings in the UK and in areas of outstanding natural beauty. Previous restrictions can be overcome with technologies such as discrete solar PV and solar thermal tiles that sit flush with the roof, blending seamlessly into the natural roof line.
Myth 8: PV will only work if it is south facing:
The optimal orientation is south facing, however south west and south east orientations are also effective and produce about 70% as much energy as a south facing installation. It is also important to consider inclination: a 35 degree inclination is optimal, but over 90 percent of the maximum annual energy can be created at 10 degree and 50 degree tilts from the horizontal.
Myth 9: PV is unreliable, and its value will diminish over time:
With no moving parts PV does not require any routine maintenance. Its ‘fit and forget’ nature is one of its main appeals. A visual inspection of the panels and the inverter is recommended every year and after 15 years the inverter may need to be replaced but this is only 5% of the system price.
PV is a very low risk technology, with no ongoing engineering costs associated with servicing unlike all other renewable technologies. The longevity and reliability of PV is one of its key strengths as a renewable energy source. PV comes with a 20 to 25 year warranty to produce at least 80% of its optimal production. Manufacturers claim it has at least a 60 year life-span, the very first Sharp module installation in Japan in 1963 is still working today, over 40 years later.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care.
"Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Solar photovoltaics are reaching grid parity and are expected to provide electricity as cheap as the National Grid by 2012. Solar PV reaching grid parity is fueled by a number of factors including:
- Rising global energy prices
- The rise in local and national legislation, and international commitments designed to reduce carbon emissions
- An increase in subsidy support for PV from national governments
Analysing the cost of photovoltaics should not be considered solely in terms of ‘upfront costs’, since they have many additional benefits:
- The inclusion of PV has been shown to increase house value.
- PV also ‘future proofs’ homes or commercial property against rising fuel prices
- Excess electricity can be sold back to the National Grid, the rate for which varies according to your supplier
Myth 2: PV’s cost makes it the least popular renewable energy:
In October 2006, St James homes surveyed almost 100 potential buyers for their new ‘envirohome’, Kennett Island in Reading. They found that solar thermal and PV were the priority requirements for those considering this new type of home. The BBC also found similar statistics in 2006. PV was rated above a wind turbine, grey water recycling, and other energy saving features. As a maintenance free, long lasting technology, many consumers are attracted by its unique ‘fit and forget’ potential.
Myth 3: PV can’t provide all of my electricity
Individual cases differ according to the energy efficiency of a building and energy consumption, however evidence has shown that it is certainly possible to get a household’s electrical needs out of a PV system. According to Energy Savings Trust, the average household consumes 4,000 kWh per year.
An example of PV producing more electricity than used in a home is presented by the Garside Family: Since their system was installed the Garside family have become suppliers of electricity, consuming just 2,600 kWh a year, which is less than the 2,930kWh they produce. This has allowed them to sell their excess production back to their electricity supplier and feed it into the national grid.
Myth 4: PV uses more energy to produce than it gives back:
There is a common but mistaken notion that solar cells never produce more energy than it takes to make them. The term ‘energy payback’ captures this idea. Reaping the environmental benefits of solar energy requires using energy to make the PV system, but the investment is small. Specifically, paybacks for standard, crystalline modules are two to four years (depending on where they are installed). For new, thin-film modules, ‘energy payback’ times of just one year are anticipated.
Myth 5: Solar thermal is less expensive than PV, so a better option:
Solar thermal systems and solar PV are very different technologies. Solar thermal heats water, while PV creates electricity. Both are excellent means of reducing carbon emissions, and it is possible to have both. However, in terms of reducing carbon emissions, PV avoids more carbon emissions as it displaces grid electricity, which (in the UK) is three times more carbon intensive than gas.
Myth 6: The UK does not receive sufficient sun to make PV worthwhile:
Electricity is produced with daylight, not intense sunlight. Although most effective in sunny climates, the UK is still a suitable market. UK irradiance levels stand at 1000W/m2 for London, with a range of 750W/m2 to 1100W/m2 across the UK. There is little difference between solar irradiation in the Scotland and the south coast of England. In fact, solar electric (PV) panels are routinely used in the polar regions to supply power for test equipment. The UK has similar irradiance levels to Germany and the Netherlands.
Myth 7: It’s hard to get planning permission for PV in the UK:
Local government has taken the initiative to encourage the use of renewable energy. In June 2006 Yvette Cooper, Minister for Housing and Planning said:
“It is patently absurd that you should be able to put a satellite dish up on your house but should have to wrestle with the planning process for small scale microgeneration which is no more obtrusive. We want far more microgeneration to be treated as permitted development.”
She added:
“We need to seize on new development as an opportunity not a threat. It is time to rethink the way we build. It is time to rethink the way we design our homes and communities, if we are to build communities for the future that are truly sustainable. Our long term ambition should be zero carbon development and we believe the Thames Gateway offers a fantastic opportunity to lead the way in environmental improvements for new developments. We do not know yet how fast we can get there, but the development industry should be clear about our aims and should start planning now for new investment and innovation to meet our goals.”
Solar has been installed on listed buildings in the UK and in areas of outstanding natural beauty. Previous restrictions can be overcome with technologies such as discrete solar PV and solar thermal tiles that sit flush with the roof, blending seamlessly into the natural roof line.
Myth 8: PV will only work if it is south facing:
The optimal orientation is south facing, however south west and south east orientations are also effective and produce about 70% as much energy as a south facing installation. It is also important to consider inclination: a 35 degree inclination is optimal, but over 90 percent of the maximum annual energy can be created at 10 degree and 50 degree tilts from the horizontal.
Myth 9: PV is unreliable, and its value will diminish over time:
With no moving parts PV does not require any routine maintenance. Its ‘fit and forget’ nature is one of its main appeals. A visual inspection of the panels and the inverter is recommended every year and after 15 years the inverter may need to be replaced but this is only 5% of the system price.
PV is a very low risk technology, with no ongoing engineering costs associated with servicing unlike all other renewable technologies. The longevity and reliability of PV is one of its key strengths as a renewable energy source. PV comes with a 20 to 25 year warranty to produce at least 80% of its optimal production. Manufacturers claim it has at least a 60 year life-span, the very first Sharp module installation in Japan in 1963 is still working today, over 40 years later.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care.
"Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Feed-in tariff scheme proves to be a success
The government's feed-in tariff scheme has already got thousands of people generating their own green electricity.
When the government launched the feed-in tariff scheme in April it was one of a range of policies aimed at inducing people to improve the eco-credentials of their homes.
Now, just five months later, an Ofgem report has revealed that almost 10,000 people have signed up to the scheme, including those that were already using microgeneration technology to power their homes before it started.
Explained simply, the feed-in tariff scheme pays those who generate their own green electricity, even if they don't sell it back to the National Grid. If households do choose to export their electricity then they will be awarded with extra payments.
Energy suppliers pay a certain amount per kilowatt hour (kw/h) of power generated, which remains at a constant level for 20 years, or 25 years if the power is generated from solar power. A further 3p per kw/h will also be paid for any electricity which is sold back to the grid.
This has the two-fold benefit of bringing in added income and reducing household energy bills.
The aim of the scheme was to encourage more people to install microgeneration technology, which is capable of producing small amounts of green electricity. This will in turn increase the amount of energy in the UK being produced by renewable energy sources and reduce the country's carbon emissions.
Figures from the Ofgem report show that in total, £182,059 has been paid out to UK households through the feed-in tariffs. Overall, 9,350 people are now signed up to the scheme.
Nick Medic, head of communications at RenewableUK, said earlier this year that the feed-in tariffs are "revolutionary".
"What the feed-in tariff does is it really simplifies the way in which people can benefit from renewable energy," he explained.
Looking at the electricity generation in terms of installed capacity, photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are leading the way with 44 per cent of the share. Solar panels also account for a huge 97 per cent of all installations.
Solar PV technology uses cells to convert the sun's rays into electricity, without requiring direct sunlight, which means it continues to generate power even on a cloudy day. According to the National Home Improvement Show, a typical system can add five per cent to a property's value and generate £700 a year under the feed-in tariff scheme.
Wind turbines provide the next highest proportion of installed power at 35 per cent, followed by hydro at 21 per cent.
It's not just homeowners that are looking to benefit from the feed-in tariff scheme either. Domestic dwellings make up the highest single proportion of installed capacity at 46 per cent, but there are also high numbers of commercial and community projects registered with the scheme.
Stuart Pocock, technical director at the Renewable Energy Association, said that more commercial enterprises are showing interest.
"Obviously it's slightly different for the commercial sector because there is still planning permission needed and there are more hoops to jump through, but the feedback we're getting is that yes, it is appearing to be of interest for certain parts of the market," he explained.
If you're thinking about joining in with the feed-in tariff scheme then there are a number of steps that should be followed.
Firstly, you should make sure that your home complies with all basic existing energy-efficiency measures. You should then decide which technology is best suited for your home and select an installer that is registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.
Once the technology is installed, give your certificate of eligibility to your energy supplier, which will cross reference your details with a central database, and install a new meter to read how much power the technology is generating.
The feed-in tariff is, of course, still in its infancy, but if the success of the similar scheme in Germany is anything to go by, the initiative is only likely to grow in popularity.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
When the government launched the feed-in tariff scheme in April it was one of a range of policies aimed at inducing people to improve the eco-credentials of their homes.
Now, just five months later, an Ofgem report has revealed that almost 10,000 people have signed up to the scheme, including those that were already using microgeneration technology to power their homes before it started.
Explained simply, the feed-in tariff scheme pays those who generate their own green electricity, even if they don't sell it back to the National Grid. If households do choose to export their electricity then they will be awarded with extra payments.
Energy suppliers pay a certain amount per kilowatt hour (kw/h) of power generated, which remains at a constant level for 20 years, or 25 years if the power is generated from solar power. A further 3p per kw/h will also be paid for any electricity which is sold back to the grid.
This has the two-fold benefit of bringing in added income and reducing household energy bills.
The aim of the scheme was to encourage more people to install microgeneration technology, which is capable of producing small amounts of green electricity. This will in turn increase the amount of energy in the UK being produced by renewable energy sources and reduce the country's carbon emissions.
Figures from the Ofgem report show that in total, £182,059 has been paid out to UK households through the feed-in tariffs. Overall, 9,350 people are now signed up to the scheme.
Nick Medic, head of communications at RenewableUK, said earlier this year that the feed-in tariffs are "revolutionary".
"What the feed-in tariff does is it really simplifies the way in which people can benefit from renewable energy," he explained.
Looking at the electricity generation in terms of installed capacity, photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are leading the way with 44 per cent of the share. Solar panels also account for a huge 97 per cent of all installations.
Solar PV technology uses cells to convert the sun's rays into electricity, without requiring direct sunlight, which means it continues to generate power even on a cloudy day. According to the National Home Improvement Show, a typical system can add five per cent to a property's value and generate £700 a year under the feed-in tariff scheme.
Wind turbines provide the next highest proportion of installed power at 35 per cent, followed by hydro at 21 per cent.
It's not just homeowners that are looking to benefit from the feed-in tariff scheme either. Domestic dwellings make up the highest single proportion of installed capacity at 46 per cent, but there are also high numbers of commercial and community projects registered with the scheme.
Stuart Pocock, technical director at the Renewable Energy Association, said that more commercial enterprises are showing interest.
"Obviously it's slightly different for the commercial sector because there is still planning permission needed and there are more hoops to jump through, but the feedback we're getting is that yes, it is appearing to be of interest for certain parts of the market," he explained.
If you're thinking about joining in with the feed-in tariff scheme then there are a number of steps that should be followed.
Firstly, you should make sure that your home complies with all basic existing energy-efficiency measures. You should then decide which technology is best suited for your home and select an installer that is registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.
Once the technology is installed, give your certificate of eligibility to your energy supplier, which will cross reference your details with a central database, and install a new meter to read how much power the technology is generating.
The feed-in tariff is, of course, still in its infancy, but if the success of the similar scheme in Germany is anything to go by, the initiative is only likely to grow in popularity.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Don’t Buy Solar From Cold Callers!
Solar power is getting increasingly affordable. Switching to solar power can certainly save you a lot of money on your home energy bills. However, you have to be careful about where you purchase your solar power from. Many consumers are getting lured in by cold callers who contact them with “great deals” on solar and end up spending far more than they should.
Urban Energy offers the following warnings about sellers who call you out of the blue offering solar power deals:
- Claiming that their rates are heavily discounted. Many of these cold callers will state that they’re offering you the best rate available when this simply isn’t true. A lot of people haven’t done enough research into solar power to know whether or not the claim is correct. As with any other big purchase, it’s very important to shop around to learn about pricing before you buy.
- Neglecting to mention the feed-in tariff. In the UK there’s a feed-in tariff, also called the Clean Energy Cash Back Scheme, that allows you to get money back when you use solar power. It provides a fixed income for the energy that you generate and use in your home. If you produce excess energy then you can sell it back to the grid. It’s designed to offer a nice tidy profit to energy-conscience consumers after a twenty-five year period has passed. If cold callers don’t mention it then it may be because they are pocketing this money for themselves.
- The catch. In some cases, the offer for solar power may sound like it’s a good one but then it involves a catch. For example, the price may be low (and even free) but then there’s a monthly or annual required maintenance charge that is very pricey. Carefully ask about the terms when someone calls you to talk about solar power. Don’t agree to anything that’s not in writing.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Urban Energy offers the following warnings about sellers who call you out of the blue offering solar power deals:
- Claiming that their rates are heavily discounted. Many of these cold callers will state that they’re offering you the best rate available when this simply isn’t true. A lot of people haven’t done enough research into solar power to know whether or not the claim is correct. As with any other big purchase, it’s very important to shop around to learn about pricing before you buy.
- Neglecting to mention the feed-in tariff. In the UK there’s a feed-in tariff, also called the Clean Energy Cash Back Scheme, that allows you to get money back when you use solar power. It provides a fixed income for the energy that you generate and use in your home. If you produce excess energy then you can sell it back to the grid. It’s designed to offer a nice tidy profit to energy-conscience consumers after a twenty-five year period has passed. If cold callers don’t mention it then it may be because they are pocketing this money for themselves.
- The catch. In some cases, the offer for solar power may sound like it’s a good one but then it involves a catch. For example, the price may be low (and even free) but then there’s a monthly or annual required maintenance charge that is very pricey. Carefully ask about the terms when someone calls you to talk about solar power. Don’t agree to anything that’s not in writing.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Thursday, 19 August 2010
A hundred days of the 'greenest-ever' government
In an era when everything environmental - including biodiversity, waste, and fish stocks - is measured with indicators announcing that you will be the UK's "greenest-ever government", begs a number of questions - most obviously, "measured how?"
If you preside over a fall in greenhouse gas emissions while seeing numbers of farmland birds tumble, for example, how should those two trends be balanced against each other? Which is more important in assessing whether you are the "greenest ever"?
For many in the climate field, the coalition government began with a positive bang, by announcing it would not support the construction of a new runway at Heathrow Airport.
This had become a symbolic indicator of whether government was prepared to fight the green corner against business interests.
But it was also a simple measure by which the Conservatives and Lib Dems could distance themselves from their Labour predecessors, given that all three main parties are basically in the same climate camp.
Since then, Chris Huhne's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has taken other small steps designed to stimulate a growth in green energy, such as allowing councils to sell renewable electricity generated on their lands - a policy that builds on Labour's introduction of feed-in tariffs for renewables.
Delivering on the economy?
On the other hand, budget cuts for DECC have led to the scaling down or scrapping of funds designed to support offshore wind, biomass and geothermal energy.
There have been similar small steps towards improving home insulation, regarded in many circles as a win-win-win, as it reduces energy spend, cuts emissions and tackles fuel poverty.
But like Labour, the coalition is a long way short of establishing the nationwide energy efficiency scheme recommended by the Committee on Climate Change, the government's advisers, who called last year for a street-to-street programme that would insulate 10 million lofts and 7.5 million cavity walls by 2015.
More small steps are anticipated in coming months, including realisation of the Green Investment Bank, a review of the electricity market structure and a strategy to stimulate energy micro-generation.
Climate of austerity
The potential of the new austerity to scupper DECC initiatives is a concern raised by Mike Childs, head of climate with Friends of the Earth UK, "The future is looking ominous," he says.
"The Treasury is threatening the much-heralded 'Green Deal' on energy efficiency for homes, to starve the new Green Investment Bank of cash, and cut the Renewable Heat Incentive which would reduce rewards for generating heat from renewable sources."
So far, the government's headline commitment to cutting emissions and developing a low-carbon economy has not been challenged by the climate-sceptic rump of the Conservative Party; the maths of coalition politics do not permit it.
Nevertheless, practical moves to reduce emissions are influenced by numerous departments - the Treasury, Communities and Local Government, Transport - and some of those departments may see initiatives retarded rather than advanced by chiefs who do not share Mr Huhne's enthusiasm for carbon restraint.
Internationally, Mr Huhne recently joined counterparts from France and Germany in calling for the EU to raise its collective emissions-cutting pledge to 30% on 1990 levels by 2020, rather than the current 20%.
Although that has won plaudits, it is tempered by data showing that the recession has lowered emissions so much across the bloc that 30% looks much more achievable today than it did two years ago. Real ambition, some are saying, now implies calls for a 40% cut.
Overall, DECC's first 100 days under the coalition are marked by three over-arching themes:
Mr Huhne has acknowledged that the UK lags most of western Europe woefully on renewables. Whether that gap shrinks or expands over the next few years will be a litmus test of the "greenest-ever" claim.
Wider vision
Under Labour, there were times when the word "environment" seemed to have become replaced by the narrower "climate", so high did the latter ride up the overall agenda - certainly in terms of the political noise.
On that measure, the coalition looks, sounds and feels very different.
Biodiversity, the economics of nature loss, reducing waste and producing energy from it: Caroline Spelman's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has been vocal on all of these issues during its initial 100 days.
Ms Spelman's initial list of priorities included: an "absolute commitment" to reversing the trend toward reduction in biodiversity seeking "genuine reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)... for farmers, taxpayers, consumers and the environment alike" maintaining an increase in the money that taxpayers spend on flood defences this year, with "no impact on the number of households that we protect"
There has certainly been more talk about biodiversity than was common under Labour, although you could argue this is largely down to the coalition's accession coinciding with the run-up to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting in October.
But there are concerns that the government's structural and fiscal reforms are going to work against its headline commitment to the issue.
"It's difficult to be optimistic," says Matt Shardlow, chief executive of the wildlife charity Buglife.
"We've seen in the first 100 days an agenda dominated by cuts, and... there's a feeling of hard-won gains, such as the contribution of agro-environment resources of CAP spending to the environment, being under threat."
Ms Spelman has announced major cuts to the 90-odd "arm's-length" bodies funded by DEFRA.
Some are uncontroversial. But budgetary slashing for Natural England, the statutory conservation agency for England, has aroused major concern, with about one-third of its staff likely to go.
Twenty-five organisations including major players such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have sent a letter to government warning that cuts "could have profound and perhaps irreversible consequences for wildlife, landscapes and people".
They have also raised the alarm over proposals to sell off some of the UK's wildlife reserves, although the full picture of what's being proposed has yet to emerge.
And the decision to axe funding for the Sustainable Development Commission has raised in some people's minds questions of whether the coalition is prepared to countenance the really big questions of whether the UK economy, with its continued commitment to growth, is developing along inherently unsustainable lines.
Biodiversity protection may also suffer from the government's commitment to localism, according to Mr Shardlow.
Putting important wildlife sites under local aegis may sound attractive, but he argues that if your aim is a coherent biodiversity strategy across regions, then you have to organise work on a pan-regional basis.
"If you devolve it too far down, you go way beyond the place where the expertise lies," he says.
"You may have people in every village who know where they would like their playing ground to be situated, but you don't have people in every village who know how to conserve endangered bees."
Caroline Spelman's commitment to flood protection may have a sting in the tail as well. This forms a major component of Environment Agency spending; so if that is to be preserved, everything else the agency does may face a disproportionately large cut.
DEFRA is also talking a local game on waste and bio-energy, aiming to encourage local initiatives that would develop a "zero-waste UK", with technologies such as anaerobic digesters coming into increasing use.
But as with Labour, the question remains of how to make this happen without a raft of financial carrots and sticks - something that is likely to prove difficult given this government's cost-cutting agenda.
Culling costs
The Court of Appeal, meanwhile, has removed one of the coalition's biggest potential banana-skins, with its decision last month that the proposed badger cull in Wales could not proceed.
Urged on by DEFRA's Agriculture Minister Jim Paice, the coalition was set to begin culling in England within a few years.
As Labour realised, such a decision would be hugely contentious. The Welsh postponement gives a little more breathing space in which other cattle TB curbs can be shown to work, and for development of a vaccine to advance, making it less likely that the government will need to make a quick decision.
If you had to paint a picture of the coalition so far, you would probably sketch a stern-faced accountant at work inside a big tent carrying the word "society".
Strategies on environment and climate are tucked away in the tent somewhere. They already look different from when Gordon Brown and then David Cameron went to see the Queen 100 days ago; but what it all means for the environment has yet to become entirely clear.
Reference: BBC News, Environment correspondent, Richard Black
If you preside over a fall in greenhouse gas emissions while seeing numbers of farmland birds tumble, for example, how should those two trends be balanced against each other? Which is more important in assessing whether you are the "greenest ever"?
For many in the climate field, the coalition government began with a positive bang, by announcing it would not support the construction of a new runway at Heathrow Airport.
This had become a symbolic indicator of whether government was prepared to fight the green corner against business interests.
But it was also a simple measure by which the Conservatives and Lib Dems could distance themselves from their Labour predecessors, given that all three main parties are basically in the same climate camp.
Since then, Chris Huhne's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has taken other small steps designed to stimulate a growth in green energy, such as allowing councils to sell renewable electricity generated on their lands - a policy that builds on Labour's introduction of feed-in tariffs for renewables.
Delivering on the economy?
On the other hand, budget cuts for DECC have led to the scaling down or scrapping of funds designed to support offshore wind, biomass and geothermal energy.
There have been similar small steps towards improving home insulation, regarded in many circles as a win-win-win, as it reduces energy spend, cuts emissions and tackles fuel poverty.
But like Labour, the coalition is a long way short of establishing the nationwide energy efficiency scheme recommended by the Committee on Climate Change, the government's advisers, who called last year for a street-to-street programme that would insulate 10 million lofts and 7.5 million cavity walls by 2015.
More small steps are anticipated in coming months, including realisation of the Green Investment Bank, a review of the electricity market structure and a strategy to stimulate energy micro-generation.
Climate of austerity
The potential of the new austerity to scupper DECC initiatives is a concern raised by Mike Childs, head of climate with Friends of the Earth UK, "The future is looking ominous," he says.
"The Treasury is threatening the much-heralded 'Green Deal' on energy efficiency for homes, to starve the new Green Investment Bank of cash, and cut the Renewable Heat Incentive which would reduce rewards for generating heat from renewable sources."
So far, the government's headline commitment to cutting emissions and developing a low-carbon economy has not been challenged by the climate-sceptic rump of the Conservative Party; the maths of coalition politics do not permit it.
Nevertheless, practical moves to reduce emissions are influenced by numerous departments - the Treasury, Communities and Local Government, Transport - and some of those departments may see initiatives retarded rather than advanced by chiefs who do not share Mr Huhne's enthusiasm for carbon restraint.
Internationally, Mr Huhne recently joined counterparts from France and Germany in calling for the EU to raise its collective emissions-cutting pledge to 30% on 1990 levels by 2020, rather than the current 20%.
Although that has won plaudits, it is tempered by data showing that the recession has lowered emissions so much across the bloc that 30% looks much more achievable today than it did two years ago. Real ambition, some are saying, now implies calls for a 40% cut.
Overall, DECC's first 100 days under the coalition are marked by three over-arching themes:
- fiscal stringency
- consultation on detailed policy measures
- emphasising the tie-up between restraining emissions, energy security and "green" jobs
Mr Huhne has acknowledged that the UK lags most of western Europe woefully on renewables. Whether that gap shrinks or expands over the next few years will be a litmus test of the "greenest-ever" claim.
Wider vision
Under Labour, there were times when the word "environment" seemed to have become replaced by the narrower "climate", so high did the latter ride up the overall agenda - certainly in terms of the political noise.
On that measure, the coalition looks, sounds and feels very different.
Biodiversity, the economics of nature loss, reducing waste and producing energy from it: Caroline Spelman's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has been vocal on all of these issues during its initial 100 days.
Ms Spelman's initial list of priorities included: an "absolute commitment" to reversing the trend toward reduction in biodiversity seeking "genuine reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)... for farmers, taxpayers, consumers and the environment alike" maintaining an increase in the money that taxpayers spend on flood defences this year, with "no impact on the number of households that we protect"
There has certainly been more talk about biodiversity than was common under Labour, although you could argue this is largely down to the coalition's accession coinciding with the run-up to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting in October.
But there are concerns that the government's structural and fiscal reforms are going to work against its headline commitment to the issue.
"It's difficult to be optimistic," says Matt Shardlow, chief executive of the wildlife charity Buglife.
"We've seen in the first 100 days an agenda dominated by cuts, and... there's a feeling of hard-won gains, such as the contribution of agro-environment resources of CAP spending to the environment, being under threat."
Ms Spelman has announced major cuts to the 90-odd "arm's-length" bodies funded by DEFRA.
Some are uncontroversial. But budgetary slashing for Natural England, the statutory conservation agency for England, has aroused major concern, with about one-third of its staff likely to go.
Twenty-five organisations including major players such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have sent a letter to government warning that cuts "could have profound and perhaps irreversible consequences for wildlife, landscapes and people".
They have also raised the alarm over proposals to sell off some of the UK's wildlife reserves, although the full picture of what's being proposed has yet to emerge.
And the decision to axe funding for the Sustainable Development Commission has raised in some people's minds questions of whether the coalition is prepared to countenance the really big questions of whether the UK economy, with its continued commitment to growth, is developing along inherently unsustainable lines.
Biodiversity protection may also suffer from the government's commitment to localism, according to Mr Shardlow.
Putting important wildlife sites under local aegis may sound attractive, but he argues that if your aim is a coherent biodiversity strategy across regions, then you have to organise work on a pan-regional basis.
"If you devolve it too far down, you go way beyond the place where the expertise lies," he says.
"You may have people in every village who know where they would like their playing ground to be situated, but you don't have people in every village who know how to conserve endangered bees."
Caroline Spelman's commitment to flood protection may have a sting in the tail as well. This forms a major component of Environment Agency spending; so if that is to be preserved, everything else the agency does may face a disproportionately large cut.
DEFRA is also talking a local game on waste and bio-energy, aiming to encourage local initiatives that would develop a "zero-waste UK", with technologies such as anaerobic digesters coming into increasing use.
But as with Labour, the question remains of how to make this happen without a raft of financial carrots and sticks - something that is likely to prove difficult given this government's cost-cutting agenda.
Culling costs
The Court of Appeal, meanwhile, has removed one of the coalition's biggest potential banana-skins, with its decision last month that the proposed badger cull in Wales could not proceed.
Urged on by DEFRA's Agriculture Minister Jim Paice, the coalition was set to begin culling in England within a few years.
As Labour realised, such a decision would be hugely contentious. The Welsh postponement gives a little more breathing space in which other cattle TB curbs can be shown to work, and for development of a vaccine to advance, making it less likely that the government will need to make a quick decision.
If you had to paint a picture of the coalition so far, you would probably sketch a stern-faced accountant at work inside a big tent carrying the word "society".
Strategies on environment and climate are tucked away in the tent somewhere. They already look different from when Gordon Brown and then David Cameron went to see the Queen 100 days ago; but what it all means for the environment has yet to become entirely clear.
Reference: BBC News, Environment correspondent, Richard Black
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Government is failing consumers by neglecting to publicise vital information about the Feed-In Tariff
Urban Energy are agree with other experts in the renewable energy field that believe the Government is failing consumers by neglecting to publicise vital information about the Feed-In Tariff widely enough.
The UK's Feed-In Tariff came into effect in April 2010 and offers generous financial incentives to consumers opting to install solar PV panels in their homes. Yet despite this, there has been relatively little by way of information and publicity about the tariff made available to consumers.
The Government has introduced this amazing scheme. They've made solar panels an investment, rather than an expense. But we're still continually finding that people simply either don't know exactly what it's all about or even don't know about it at all! The Feed-In Tariff here is particularly generous. It's been covered in newspapers and on TV all over the globe, yet we're failing to inform the very people it benefits, the UK consumers.
It is hoped that the Feed-In Tariff will encourage a higher uptake of solar panel installation here in the UK and that this in turn will contribute to the Government's carbon emission reduction targets. Publicising the tariff is imperative to the success of meeting these targets.
The British Government has pledged to cut our carbon emissions by 60% by 2050. Feed-In Tariffs are an incredible way to encourage solar installation and therefore reduce carbon emissions but if consumers aren't even aware of it, we'll never see its full potential.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
The UK's Feed-In Tariff came into effect in April 2010 and offers generous financial incentives to consumers opting to install solar PV panels in their homes. Yet despite this, there has been relatively little by way of information and publicity about the tariff made available to consumers.
The Government has introduced this amazing scheme. They've made solar panels an investment, rather than an expense. But we're still continually finding that people simply either don't know exactly what it's all about or even don't know about it at all! The Feed-In Tariff here is particularly generous. It's been covered in newspapers and on TV all over the globe, yet we're failing to inform the very people it benefits, the UK consumers.
It is hoped that the Feed-In Tariff will encourage a higher uptake of solar panel installation here in the UK and that this in turn will contribute to the Government's carbon emission reduction targets. Publicising the tariff is imperative to the success of meeting these targets.
The British Government has pledged to cut our carbon emissions by 60% by 2050. Feed-In Tariffs are an incredible way to encourage solar installation and therefore reduce carbon emissions but if consumers aren't even aware of it, we'll never see its full potential.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Sunday, 20 June 2010
Guest article from Barbara Young @ www.12voltsolarpanels.net
What exactly is solar energy ?
Solar energy is radiant energy which is produced by the sun. Each day the sun radiates, or sends out, a huge quantity of energy. The sun radiates more energy in a second than people have used since the beginning of time!
The energy of the Sun comes from within the sun itself. Like other stars, the sun is known as a big ball of gases––mostly hydrogen and helium atoms.
The hydrogen atoms in the sun’s core combine to create helium and generate energy in a process called nuclear fusion.
During nuclear fusion, the sun’s extremely high pressure and temperature cause hydrogen atoms to come apart and their nuclei (the central cores of the atoms) to fuse or combine. Four hydrogen nuclei fuse to become one helium atom. However the helium atom contains less mass compared to four hydrogen atoms that fused. Some matter is lost during nuclear fusion. The lost matter is emitted into space as radiant energy.
It takes countless years for the energy in the sun’s core to make its way to the solar surface, and then just a little over eight minutes to travel the 93 million miles to earth. The solar energy travels to the earth at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, the speed of sunshine.
Only a small percentage of the energy radiated by the sun into space strikes the earth, one part in two billion. Yet this amount of energy is enormous.
Where does all this energy go ?
About 15 percent of the sun’s energy that hits our planet is reflected back to space. Another 30 percent is used to evaporate water, which, lifted in to the atmosphere, produces rainfall. Solar power is also absorbed by plants, the land, and the oceans. The remaining could be used to supply our energy needs.
Who invented solar technology ?
Folks have harnessed solar power for hundreds of years. Since the 7th century B.C., people used simple magnifying glasses to concentrate the light of the sun into beams so hot they'd cause wood to catch fire. Over 100 years ago in France, a scientist used heat from a solar collector to produce steam to drive a steam engine. In the beginning of this century, scientists and engineers began researching ways to use solar energy in earnest. One important development was a remarkably efficient solar boiler invented by Charles Greeley Abbott, an American astrophysicist, in 1936.
People and world governments remained largely indifferent to the possibilities of solar energy prior to the oil shortages of the1970s. Today, people use solar technology to heat buildings and water and to generate electricity.
How we use solar energy today ?
Solar power is used in a number of different ways, of course. There are two standard forms of solar energy:
* Solar thermal energy collects the sun's warmth through one of two means: in water or in an anti-freeze (glycol) mixture.
* Solar photovoltaic energy converts the sun's radiation to usable electricity.
Let us discuss the five most practical and popular methods solar energy is employed:
1. Small portable solar photovoltaic systems. We see these used everywhere, from calculators to solar garden products. Portable units can be utilised for everything from RV appliances while single panel systems can be used traffic signs and remote monitoring stations.
2. Solar pool heating. Running water in direct circulation systems via a solar collector is an extremely practical way to heat water for your pool or hot tub.
3. Thermal glycol energy to heat water. In this method (indirect circulation), glycol is heated by sunshine and the heat is then transferred to water in a hot water tank. This method of collecting the sun's energy is much more practical now than in the past.
4. Integrating solar photovoltaic energy into your home or business power. In numerous parts of the world, solar photovoltaics is an economically feasible method to supplement the power of your home. An increasingly popular and practical way of integrating solar energy into the power of your home or business is through the use of building integrated solar photovoltaics.
5. Large independent photovoltaic systems. For those who have enough sun power at your site, you could possibly go off grid. It's also possible to integrate or hybridize your solar energy system with wind power or other forms of sustainable energy to stay 'off the grid.'
How do Photovoltaic panels work ?
Silicon is mounted beneath non-reflective glass to produce photovoltaic panels. These panels collect photons from the sun, converting them into DC electrical energy. The energy created then flows into an inverter. The inverter transforms the power into basic voltage and AC electric power.
Solar cells are prepared with particular materials called semiconductors like silicon, which is presently the most generally used. When light hits the Photovoltaic cell, a specific share of it is absorbed inside the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is given to the semiconductor.
The power unfastens the electrons, permitting them to run freely. Solar cells also have more than one electric fields that act to compel electrons unfastened by light absorption to flow in a specific direction. This flow of electrons is a current, and by introducing metal links on the top and bottom of the -Photovoltaic cell, the current can be drawn to use it externally.
Do you know the benefits and drawbacks of solar energy ?
Solar Pro:
- Heating our homes with oil or propane or using electricity from power plants running with oil and coal is a cause of global warming and climate disruption. Solar energy is clean and environmentally-friendly.
- Solar hot-water heaters require little maintenance, and their initial investment may be recovered in just a relatively small amount of time.
- Solar hot-water heaters can work in almost any climate, even just in very cold ones. Simply choose the best system for your climate: drainback, thermosyphon, batch-ICS, etc.
- Maintenance costs of solar powered systems are minimal and also the warranties large.
- Financial incentives can reduce the cost of the first investment in solar technologies.
Solar Cons:
- The initial investment in solar hot-water heaters or in PV electric systems is higher than that required by conventional electric and gas heating systems.
- The payback period of solar PV electric systems can be high (dependent on size of system), as well as those of solar space heating or solar cooling (solar domestic hot-water heating payback is short or relatively short).
- Solar hot-water heaters do not heat water in the central heating system (domestic radiators).
- Some hvac (solar space heating and the solar cooling systems) are very expensive, and rather untested technologies.
- The efficiency of solar powered systems is rather determined by sunlight resources. The distance from the equator has significant impact on the amount of solar energy reaching your solar panel. The closer you are to the equator, the more electricity your solar panels generate.
Who am I ? - Barbara Young writes on http://www.12voltsolarpanels.net/ her personal hobby site. Her work is devoted to helping people save energy using solar powered energy to eliminate CO2 emissions and energy dependency.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Solar energy is radiant energy which is produced by the sun. Each day the sun radiates, or sends out, a huge quantity of energy. The sun radiates more energy in a second than people have used since the beginning of time!
The energy of the Sun comes from within the sun itself. Like other stars, the sun is known as a big ball of gases––mostly hydrogen and helium atoms.
The hydrogen atoms in the sun’s core combine to create helium and generate energy in a process called nuclear fusion.
During nuclear fusion, the sun’s extremely high pressure and temperature cause hydrogen atoms to come apart and their nuclei (the central cores of the atoms) to fuse or combine. Four hydrogen nuclei fuse to become one helium atom. However the helium atom contains less mass compared to four hydrogen atoms that fused. Some matter is lost during nuclear fusion. The lost matter is emitted into space as radiant energy.
It takes countless years for the energy in the sun’s core to make its way to the solar surface, and then just a little over eight minutes to travel the 93 million miles to earth. The solar energy travels to the earth at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, the speed of sunshine.
Only a small percentage of the energy radiated by the sun into space strikes the earth, one part in two billion. Yet this amount of energy is enormous.
Where does all this energy go ?
About 15 percent of the sun’s energy that hits our planet is reflected back to space. Another 30 percent is used to evaporate water, which, lifted in to the atmosphere, produces rainfall. Solar power is also absorbed by plants, the land, and the oceans. The remaining could be used to supply our energy needs.
Who invented solar technology ?
Folks have harnessed solar power for hundreds of years. Since the 7th century B.C., people used simple magnifying glasses to concentrate the light of the sun into beams so hot they'd cause wood to catch fire. Over 100 years ago in France, a scientist used heat from a solar collector to produce steam to drive a steam engine. In the beginning of this century, scientists and engineers began researching ways to use solar energy in earnest. One important development was a remarkably efficient solar boiler invented by Charles Greeley Abbott, an American astrophysicist, in 1936.
People and world governments remained largely indifferent to the possibilities of solar energy prior to the oil shortages of the1970s. Today, people use solar technology to heat buildings and water and to generate electricity.
How we use solar energy today ?
Solar power is used in a number of different ways, of course. There are two standard forms of solar energy:
* Solar thermal energy collects the sun's warmth through one of two means: in water or in an anti-freeze (glycol) mixture.
* Solar photovoltaic energy converts the sun's radiation to usable electricity.
Let us discuss the five most practical and popular methods solar energy is employed:
1. Small portable solar photovoltaic systems. We see these used everywhere, from calculators to solar garden products. Portable units can be utilised for everything from RV appliances while single panel systems can be used traffic signs and remote monitoring stations.
2. Solar pool heating. Running water in direct circulation systems via a solar collector is an extremely practical way to heat water for your pool or hot tub.
3. Thermal glycol energy to heat water. In this method (indirect circulation), glycol is heated by sunshine and the heat is then transferred to water in a hot water tank. This method of collecting the sun's energy is much more practical now than in the past.
4. Integrating solar photovoltaic energy into your home or business power. In numerous parts of the world, solar photovoltaics is an economically feasible method to supplement the power of your home. An increasingly popular and practical way of integrating solar energy into the power of your home or business is through the use of building integrated solar photovoltaics.
5. Large independent photovoltaic systems. For those who have enough sun power at your site, you could possibly go off grid. It's also possible to integrate or hybridize your solar energy system with wind power or other forms of sustainable energy to stay 'off the grid.'
How do Photovoltaic panels work ?
Silicon is mounted beneath non-reflective glass to produce photovoltaic panels. These panels collect photons from the sun, converting them into DC electrical energy. The energy created then flows into an inverter. The inverter transforms the power into basic voltage and AC electric power.
Solar cells are prepared with particular materials called semiconductors like silicon, which is presently the most generally used. When light hits the Photovoltaic cell, a specific share of it is absorbed inside the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is given to the semiconductor.
The power unfastens the electrons, permitting them to run freely. Solar cells also have more than one electric fields that act to compel electrons unfastened by light absorption to flow in a specific direction. This flow of electrons is a current, and by introducing metal links on the top and bottom of the -Photovoltaic cell, the current can be drawn to use it externally.
Do you know the benefits and drawbacks of solar energy ?
Solar Pro:
- Heating our homes with oil or propane or using electricity from power plants running with oil and coal is a cause of global warming and climate disruption. Solar energy is clean and environmentally-friendly.
- Solar hot-water heaters require little maintenance, and their initial investment may be recovered in just a relatively small amount of time.
- Solar hot-water heaters can work in almost any climate, even just in very cold ones. Simply choose the best system for your climate: drainback, thermosyphon, batch-ICS, etc.
- Maintenance costs of solar powered systems are minimal and also the warranties large.
- Financial incentives can reduce the cost of the first investment in solar technologies.
Solar Cons:
- The initial investment in solar hot-water heaters or in PV electric systems is higher than that required by conventional electric and gas heating systems.
- The payback period of solar PV electric systems can be high (dependent on size of system), as well as those of solar space heating or solar cooling (solar domestic hot-water heating payback is short or relatively short).
- Solar hot-water heaters do not heat water in the central heating system (domestic radiators).
- Some hvac (solar space heating and the solar cooling systems) are very expensive, and rather untested technologies.
- The efficiency of solar powered systems is rather determined by sunlight resources. The distance from the equator has significant impact on the amount of solar energy reaching your solar panel. The closer you are to the equator, the more electricity your solar panels generate.
Who am I ? - Barbara Young writes on http://www.12voltsolarpanels.net/ her personal hobby site. Her work is devoted to helping people save energy using solar powered energy to eliminate CO2 emissions and energy dependency.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
FiT tariff to kick-start solar boom!
Last week, huge auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released an analysis of the Solar PV markets across Europe and particularly the UK. The report claims that the solar panel industry in the UK is on the brink of a bright future with the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) promising a new dawn for Photovoltaic systems.
PwC say that the conditions are such that there could be a tenfold increase in Solar PV installed capacity in ten years, but only if a number of obstacles are overcome. In order to ‘capture' this potential growth, individuals, government and firms must focus on the five big barriers: Consumer awareness, upfront funding, consistency of policy, access to capital and a UK skills shortage.
Once everyone has adapted to the changes, the FiT and other incentives will drive significant future growth while Solar PV will cease to be a ‘cottage industry' in Britain. The encouraging growth forecasts are tempered, however, by the realisation that current installed capacity of Solar PV is miniscule. Only 0.1% of the country's renewable energy is supplied by PV and after ten years of a FiT, the UK is only likely to reach the levels that Germany is at today.
Many people in the UK do not understand that, especially under a feed-in tariff, the UK can provide more than enough sun to justify a solar panel set-up. The payback achievable on solar PV installations in the UK compares favourably with levels known to have stimulated markets in other countries. Gus Schellekens, the sustainability & climate change director at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP said, "The focus on PV is timely with recently published roadmap documents outlining the future global potential for PV technologies. While its use in the UK is small today, PV has a promising future if supported by strong government policy that sustains early deployments and supports the technology's transition to cost competitiveness."
One of the main points of the PwC analysis is that incentives and policy must be maintained to ensure consistency and confidence in future returns. Regularly changing incentives and uncertainty could lead to investors holding back causing lower growth. Currently, the UK government is considering a change to the Feed-in Tariff system, promising to establish a full system of feed-in tariffs for electricity. No greater detail has been released at a time when increased clarity would promote economic growth in this area.
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Emergency Budget: Coalition Government sets June 22nd date.
The coalition government will hold its emergency Budget on 22 June.
The Tories pledged before the election to hold a Budget within 50 days of coming to power to show their intention to get to grips with the deficit.
Mr Osborne confirmed the date at a briefing with Lib Dem David Laws, who is the Treasury Chief Secretary.
As part of their coalition deal, the two parties agreed to make £6 billion in spending cuts in the current year.
Labour's last Budget was held at the end of March, weeks before the start of the general election. When they came to office in 1997, Labour also held a Budget within three months of being elected.
Mr Osborne refused to be drawn on the details of next month's statement - which is expected to start at the later time of 1530 BST - but said the "bulk" of his deficit-reduction measures would take the form of spending cuts rather than tax rises.
"A new, strong coalition government is going to do what the Labour government failed to do and let Britain live within its means," he said.
New Coalition British Govt. agrees on More Feed-in Tariffs:
Less than two months after Britain's Labour Party launched its highly regarded feed-in tariff (FiT) program, the newly elected conservative/lib-dem government has announced the program will be expanded. The announcement is included in the coalition government's agreement published as the new government took office.
The coalition government of the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Democrats have issued statements in the past supporting the principle of feed-in tariffs for developing Britain's renewable energy potential.
In his first press conference since becoming chancellor, Mr Osborne announced an audit of all government spending over the past year - to be carried out by the new Office for Budget Responsibility.
He said the government will announce next week how it plans to make £6 billion in spending cuts this year, focusing on reducing the size of quangos and cutting IT, consultancy and advertising expenditure.
New Coalition British Govt. pledges to increase targets for renewables:
A document outlining the basis of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat administration states: “We are agreed that we would seek to increase the target for energy from renewable sources, subject to the advice of the climate change committee."
Both the Tory Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy, Lib Dem Nick Clegg, expressed support for a low carbon economy in their first press conference.
Cameron promised the new government would be "passionate about building a green economy", with Clegg outlining plans to ensure "fine words on the environment are finally translated into action".
There has been considerable unease in the wind sector about Conservative plans to abolish the Renewable Obligations (RO) scheme and replace it with a feed in tariff (FiT) for large scale renewables.
The Lib Dem position has been to maintain RO, although a party environment adviser says that "positions will be worked out jointly from now on" adding that "nothing has been decided yet".
In a pledge yet to be clarified by the new government, the document promises "the full establishment of feed-in tariff systems in electricity – as well as the maintenance of banded ROCs".
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) coming April 2011:
Next April, the new Renewable Heat Incentive begins. As currently proposed, it will expand twelvefold during the decade the amount of heat generated from renewable sources.
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme will guarantee payments for up to 23 years for those who install technologies such as solar thermal, ground or air source heat pumps, biomass boilers or bio-methane or bio-diesel projects.
It is envisaged that you will earn a fixed income for every kilowatt hour (kWh) of heat you produce. Solar thermal is expected to receive the following tariff:
Up to a 45 kW system will attract an RHI of 18 pence per kWh for 20 years*
45 kW to 500 kW will attract an RHI of 17 pence per kWh for 20 years*
The sums involved are huge. According to the published cost benefit analysis, the cumulative gross resource costs of all these payments may reach £26.7 billion. Officials are quoting publicly an even higher figure of £36 billion.
It is hoped that the scheme will help deliver 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide savings by 2020, though two million of these are already accounted for by the European Emissions Trading Scheme. Around 85 per cent of the 73 terawatt hours of savings anticipated will be from non-residential buildings. Conversely, of the 1.87 million installations, some 1.72 million – or one in 14 – households will participate; just 144,000 installations will be made in the commercial and public sectors.
So, one in 14 households – predominantly those with spare cash to invest – will get a 12 per cent tax free return on investment. While the remaining 13 out of 14 will just see their fuel bills rise that much more.
*TBC out for consultation
URBAN ENERGY:
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
The Tories pledged before the election to hold a Budget within 50 days of coming to power to show their intention to get to grips with the deficit.
Mr Osborne confirmed the date at a briefing with Lib Dem David Laws, who is the Treasury Chief Secretary.
As part of their coalition deal, the two parties agreed to make £6 billion in spending cuts in the current year.
Labour's last Budget was held at the end of March, weeks before the start of the general election. When they came to office in 1997, Labour also held a Budget within three months of being elected.
Mr Osborne refused to be drawn on the details of next month's statement - which is expected to start at the later time of 1530 BST - but said the "bulk" of his deficit-reduction measures would take the form of spending cuts rather than tax rises.
"A new, strong coalition government is going to do what the Labour government failed to do and let Britain live within its means," he said.
New Coalition British Govt. agrees on More Feed-in Tariffs:
Less than two months after Britain's Labour Party launched its highly regarded feed-in tariff (FiT) program, the newly elected conservative/lib-dem government has announced the program will be expanded. The announcement is included in the coalition government's agreement published as the new government took office.
The coalition government of the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Democrats have issued statements in the past supporting the principle of feed-in tariffs for developing Britain's renewable energy potential.
In his first press conference since becoming chancellor, Mr Osborne announced an audit of all government spending over the past year - to be carried out by the new Office for Budget Responsibility.
He said the government will announce next week how it plans to make £6 billion in spending cuts this year, focusing on reducing the size of quangos and cutting IT, consultancy and advertising expenditure.
New Coalition British Govt. pledges to increase targets for renewables:
A document outlining the basis of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat administration states: “We are agreed that we would seek to increase the target for energy from renewable sources, subject to the advice of the climate change committee."
Both the Tory Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy, Lib Dem Nick Clegg, expressed support for a low carbon economy in their first press conference.
Cameron promised the new government would be "passionate about building a green economy", with Clegg outlining plans to ensure "fine words on the environment are finally translated into action".
There has been considerable unease in the wind sector about Conservative plans to abolish the Renewable Obligations (RO) scheme and replace it with a feed in tariff (FiT) for large scale renewables.
The Lib Dem position has been to maintain RO, although a party environment adviser says that "positions will be worked out jointly from now on" adding that "nothing has been decided yet".
In a pledge yet to be clarified by the new government, the document promises "the full establishment of feed-in tariff systems in electricity – as well as the maintenance of banded ROCs".
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) coming April 2011:
Next April, the new Renewable Heat Incentive begins. As currently proposed, it will expand twelvefold during the decade the amount of heat generated from renewable sources.
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme will guarantee payments for up to 23 years for those who install technologies such as solar thermal, ground or air source heat pumps, biomass boilers or bio-methane or bio-diesel projects.
It is envisaged that you will earn a fixed income for every kilowatt hour (kWh) of heat you produce. Solar thermal is expected to receive the following tariff:
Up to a 45 kW system will attract an RHI of 18 pence per kWh for 20 years*
45 kW to 500 kW will attract an RHI of 17 pence per kWh for 20 years*
The sums involved are huge. According to the published cost benefit analysis, the cumulative gross resource costs of all these payments may reach £26.7 billion. Officials are quoting publicly an even higher figure of £36 billion.
It is hoped that the scheme will help deliver 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide savings by 2020, though two million of these are already accounted for by the European Emissions Trading Scheme. Around 85 per cent of the 73 terawatt hours of savings anticipated will be from non-residential buildings. Conversely, of the 1.87 million installations, some 1.72 million – or one in 14 – households will participate; just 144,000 installations will be made in the commercial and public sectors.
So, one in 14 households – predominantly those with spare cash to invest – will get a 12 per cent tax free return on investment. While the remaining 13 out of 14 will just see their fuel bills rise that much more.
*TBC out for consultation
URBAN ENERGY:
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care."
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, MCS certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Sunday, 21 February 2010
OFGEM WARNS HOUSEHOLDS COULD FACE 25% INCREASE TO BILLS IN 10 YEARS TIME!
In a report out 03.02.2010, Ofgem has given its biggest indication yet that bills will rise dramatically over the next decade. It has announced that bills could rise by up to 25% in the next ten years due to factors such as the global financial crisis, tough environmental targets and increasing gas import dependency. Based on today’s average bill size of £1,239, this will mean bills could hit £1,549 in ten year’s time[1].
However, uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, is warning that Ofgem could be underestimating the increases. It says that ongoing pricing trends coupled with required investment could see household energy bills hit as high as £4,733 a year by 2020[2], nearly four times higher than they are today. The additional cost of investment alone is expected to add £548 a year onto household bills[2].
Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch, says: “Today’s report is one of many recent announcements from Ofgem, which have gradually lifted the lid on what household energy bills are expected to look like in the future. When you add the pieces together it’s a big wake-up call and raises serious concerns about the ongoing affordability of our energy. While investment in the sector is crucial, there can be no doubt that it will have a big impact on household energy bills and this has to be explained to consumers now so that they can start taking action to protect themselves in the future.
"The £5,000 a year energy bill may seem like an outside possibility, but we have to remember that energy bills doubled in the last five years alone and that the huge investment needed to keep the lights on in Britain will alone add £548 a year onto our bills. The fact is we are entering a new era of high cost energy and households will have to adapt their behaviour accordingly by paying the lowest possible price for their energy and reducing the amount they use.”
£233.5 billion investment – what are the key costs?[2]
Renewable energy generation - £112.5 billion
Power plants (including gas-fired, coal-fired and nuclear) - £52.1 billion
Upgrading pipes, networks and gas storage - £39.8 billion
Roll-out of smart metering - £13.4 billion
Carbon emissions reduction target - £15.7 billion
Total = £233.5 billion
Reference: uSwitch.com
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
The Feed in Tariff (FiT) announced earlier this month, for introduction in April 2010, means that every household installing solar electric photovoltaic (PV) panels could earn over £1000/year for 25 years.
These new tariffs will allow people to turn their homes into mini-power stations. For householders who have a south-facing roof, PV panels are really worth looking at. Not only are they a sound financial investment (approx.10% return on your initial investment), they will also allow you to do your part in tackling climate change.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
1. Based on a medium user consuming 3,300 kWh electricity and 20,500 kWh gas, on a standard plan, paying on receipt of bill with bill sizes averaged across all regions. In 2004, the average annual dual fuel bill was £580. At present it is £1,239.
2. Based on a medium user consuming 3,300 kWh electricity and 20,500 kWh gas, on a standard plan, paying on receipt of bill with bill sizes averaged across all regions. The £4,733 figure takes into account pricing trends over the last 5 years and investment costs required by the energy industry. According to Ernst & Young, reported in The Times on Monday 25th May, 2009 in an article written by Robin Pagnamenta, these investment costs total £233.5 billion and imply a total bill of £8,977 or £598 a year for the next 15 years for every household. However, Ernst & Young factored in £112.5 billion for renewable generation and £15.7 billion of Carbon Emission Reduction Targets (CERT) investment. Consumers are already contributing for these items on their bills: according to Ofgem, in 2006/07, the Renewable Obligation cost each domestic consumer about £10 a year plus, under the CERT scheme we are all paying an extra £19 a year on gas and £18 on electricity to provide funding to support energy efficiency measures. Therefore, to reflect these costs across all domestic energy accounts we have added £548 a year onto household energy bills instead of the £598 a year predicted by Ernst & Young.
However, uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, is warning that Ofgem could be underestimating the increases. It says that ongoing pricing trends coupled with required investment could see household energy bills hit as high as £4,733 a year by 2020[2], nearly four times higher than they are today. The additional cost of investment alone is expected to add £548 a year onto household bills[2].
Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch, says: “Today’s report is one of many recent announcements from Ofgem, which have gradually lifted the lid on what household energy bills are expected to look like in the future. When you add the pieces together it’s a big wake-up call and raises serious concerns about the ongoing affordability of our energy. While investment in the sector is crucial, there can be no doubt that it will have a big impact on household energy bills and this has to be explained to consumers now so that they can start taking action to protect themselves in the future.
"The £5,000 a year energy bill may seem like an outside possibility, but we have to remember that energy bills doubled in the last five years alone and that the huge investment needed to keep the lights on in Britain will alone add £548 a year onto our bills. The fact is we are entering a new era of high cost energy and households will have to adapt their behaviour accordingly by paying the lowest possible price for their energy and reducing the amount they use.”
£233.5 billion investment – what are the key costs?[2]
Renewable energy generation - £112.5 billion
Power plants (including gas-fired, coal-fired and nuclear) - £52.1 billion
Upgrading pipes, networks and gas storage - £39.8 billion
Roll-out of smart metering - £13.4 billion
Carbon emissions reduction target - £15.7 billion
Total = £233.5 billion
Reference: uSwitch.com
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
The Feed in Tariff (FiT) announced earlier this month, for introduction in April 2010, means that every household installing solar electric photovoltaic (PV) panels could earn over £1000/year for 25 years.
These new tariffs will allow people to turn their homes into mini-power stations. For householders who have a south-facing roof, PV panels are really worth looking at. Not only are they a sound financial investment (approx.10% return on your initial investment), they will also allow you to do your part in tackling climate change.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
1. Based on a medium user consuming 3,300 kWh electricity and 20,500 kWh gas, on a standard plan, paying on receipt of bill with bill sizes averaged across all regions. In 2004, the average annual dual fuel bill was £580. At present it is £1,239.
2. Based on a medium user consuming 3,300 kWh electricity and 20,500 kWh gas, on a standard plan, paying on receipt of bill with bill sizes averaged across all regions. The £4,733 figure takes into account pricing trends over the last 5 years and investment costs required by the energy industry. According to Ernst & Young, reported in The Times on Monday 25th May, 2009 in an article written by Robin Pagnamenta, these investment costs total £233.5 billion and imply a total bill of £8,977 or £598 a year for the next 15 years for every household. However, Ernst & Young factored in £112.5 billion for renewable generation and £15.7 billion of Carbon Emission Reduction Targets (CERT) investment. Consumers are already contributing for these items on their bills: according to Ofgem, in 2006/07, the Renewable Obligation cost each domestic consumer about £10 a year plus, under the CERT scheme we are all paying an extra £19 a year on gas and £18 on electricity to provide funding to support energy efficiency measures. Therefore, to reflect these costs across all domestic energy accounts we have added £548 a year onto household energy bills instead of the £598 a year predicted by Ernst & Young.
Best Green Blogs
Urban Energy blog added to 'Best Green Blogs' website!
Best Green Blogs is the web’s largest directory of green and sustainable themed weblogs. Writers from all over the world are publishing articles and stories dealing with a wide variety of topics dealing with environmental issues and green living; and Best Green Blogs is an attempt to capture some of that independent publishing spirit.
Their selection of categories is diverse, but what they all have in common is the desire to educate people about making smarter, more sustainable choices for themselves and the planet we call home.
URBAN ENERGY:
"To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Their expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Please visit our website for more information: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
To view our page on Best Green Blogs go to: http://www.bestgreenblogs.com/urban-energy/
Best Green Blogs is the web’s largest directory of green and sustainable themed weblogs. Writers from all over the world are publishing articles and stories dealing with a wide variety of topics dealing with environmental issues and green living; and Best Green Blogs is an attempt to capture some of that independent publishing spirit.
Their selection of categories is diverse, but what they all have in common is the desire to educate people about making smarter, more sustainable choices for themselves and the planet we call home.
URBAN ENERGY:
"To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Their expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Please visit our website for more information: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
To view our page on Best Green Blogs go to: http://www.bestgreenblogs.com/urban-energy/
Saturday, 13 February 2010
The Sun’s Abundant Energy
It is often underestimated the amount energy which can be harnessed from the sun’s radiation. In the UK, we receive a vast amount of solar energy. In an average year we receive as much as 60% of the solar energy which is received on the equator. In other words, this can be compared to the yearly output of 1,000 power stations. It is often argued that solar technologies can only be used within the summer months, this is untrue. In fact, the UK has a large number of clear spring, autumn and winter days, where the Sun’s radiation can be harnessed, meaning that solar technologies can contribute to energy consumption for the whole year.
The total average solar irradiation falling on a one square metre surface on the horizontal (the sun's rays falling on the ground), measured in kilowatt hours (kW-h) ranges from more than 1200 kW-h m2 in the far south west of the UK, to less than 900 kW-h m2 in central and northern Scotland.
By tilting a surface to an angle the amount of solar radiation falling on it will be greater than that falling on a flat surface. Fortunately, in this country, the average tilt of a UK house roof is about the optimum for receiving solar energy.
By using the Sun’s abundant energy, we can reduce our consumption of conventional fuels thus reducing our emission of harmful greenhouse gases, as well as gaining enhanced fuel security and cost effective savings.
Reference: The Solar Trade Association
WATTS? & KILOWATTS?:
A human climbing a flight of stairs is doing work at a rate of about 200 watts.
A typical passenger car engine yields a power output of 25,000 watts while cruising.
A typical household bulb has an average power rating of 60 watts.
The kilowatt (1 kW) is equal to one thousand watts (1000 w). It is typically used to state the output power of engines and the power consumption of tools and machines. In old money, a kilowatt is approximately equivalent to 1.34 horsepower.
The average annual electrical energy consumption of a household is about 8,900 kilowatt-hours (kW-h = see below explanation), equivalent to a sustained average power use of about 1 kW.
The kilowatt hour (kW-h) is commonly used by power companies for purposes of billing, since the monthly energy consumption of a typical residential customer ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand kilowatt hours.
One kilowatt hour = 1 kW-h = 1000 watts per hour, is the amount of energy used if work is done at a constant rate of one thousand watts for one hour.
Megawatt hours (MW-h), Gigawatt hours (GW-h), and Terawatt hours (TW-h) are often used for metering much larger amounts of electrical energy to industrial customers and in power generation.
kilo = thousand: 1000 watts = 1 kilowatt = 1kW
mega = million: 1000,000 watts = 1 megawatt = 1MW
giga = billion: 1000,000,000 watts = 1 gigawatt = 1GW
tera = trillion: 1000,000,000,000 watts = 1 terawatt = TW
URBAN ENERGY:
"To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Their expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
URBAN ENERGY SOLAR HEATING:
Solar panels are typically located on the roof of your house or commercial property. These panels are able to convert everyday sunlight into heat energy stored within a cylinder, where it can be used to provide hot water for your home or business.
URBAN ENERGY SOLAR ELECTRICAL POWER:
Photovoltaic (PV) panels can be installed ‘on’ or ‘within’ the roof of your commercial property or home and are designed to convert day light into usable solar electricity. The solar electricity generated will be able to power any electrical device within the building without compromising quality of delivery. Their Photovoltaic panels have been designed to work within a grid system to permit the sale of redundant electricity to power suppliers, eradicating the need for unnecessary and costly battery systems found on other types of installations. Please visit our website for more information: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
The total average solar irradiation falling on a one square metre surface on the horizontal (the sun's rays falling on the ground), measured in kilowatt hours (kW-h) ranges from more than 1200 kW-h m2 in the far south west of the UK, to less than 900 kW-h m2 in central and northern Scotland.
By tilting a surface to an angle the amount of solar radiation falling on it will be greater than that falling on a flat surface. Fortunately, in this country, the average tilt of a UK house roof is about the optimum for receiving solar energy.
By using the Sun’s abundant energy, we can reduce our consumption of conventional fuels thus reducing our emission of harmful greenhouse gases, as well as gaining enhanced fuel security and cost effective savings.
Reference: The Solar Trade Association
WATTS? & KILOWATTS?:
A human climbing a flight of stairs is doing work at a rate of about 200 watts.
A typical passenger car engine yields a power output of 25,000 watts while cruising.
A typical household bulb has an average power rating of 60 watts.
The kilowatt (1 kW) is equal to one thousand watts (1000 w). It is typically used to state the output power of engines and the power consumption of tools and machines. In old money, a kilowatt is approximately equivalent to 1.34 horsepower.
The average annual electrical energy consumption of a household is about 8,900 kilowatt-hours (kW-h = see below explanation), equivalent to a sustained average power use of about 1 kW.
The kilowatt hour (kW-h) is commonly used by power companies for purposes of billing, since the monthly energy consumption of a typical residential customer ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand kilowatt hours.
One kilowatt hour = 1 kW-h = 1000 watts per hour, is the amount of energy used if work is done at a constant rate of one thousand watts for one hour.
Megawatt hours (MW-h), Gigawatt hours (GW-h), and Terawatt hours (TW-h) are often used for metering much larger amounts of electrical energy to industrial customers and in power generation.
kilo = thousand: 1000 watts = 1 kilowatt = 1kW
mega = million: 1000,000 watts = 1 megawatt = 1MW
giga = billion: 1000,000,000 watts = 1 gigawatt = 1GW
tera = trillion: 1000,000,000,000 watts = 1 terawatt = TW
URBAN ENERGY:
"To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Their expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
URBAN ENERGY SOLAR HEATING:
Solar panels are typically located on the roof of your house or commercial property. These panels are able to convert everyday sunlight into heat energy stored within a cylinder, where it can be used to provide hot water for your home or business.
URBAN ENERGY SOLAR ELECTRICAL POWER:
Photovoltaic (PV) panels can be installed ‘on’ or ‘within’ the roof of your commercial property or home and are designed to convert day light into usable solar electricity. The solar electricity generated will be able to power any electrical device within the building without compromising quality of delivery. Their Photovoltaic panels have been designed to work within a grid system to permit the sale of redundant electricity to power suppliers, eradicating the need for unnecessary and costly battery systems found on other types of installations. Please visit our website for more information: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Solar Thermal (Hot Water) Systems
Solar thermal (hot water) systems can be extremely efficient, reducing costs and energy consumption. For a solar system to work, all they need is daylight as they can collect both direct radiation, direct sunlight on clear days, and diffused radiation, light which is present on cloudy days.
Both flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors have selective and non selective surfaces. In terms of which collector has best efficiency, it is dependant on your domestic use. At low temperatures the efficiency for all the collectors is very similar, but as temperatures increase all the collectors show a slight reduction in efficiency. For lowest temperatures an unglazed non-selective surface flat plate collector can be seen as most effective, hence they are commonly used to heat swimming pools, however for highest temperatures there is a very marginal difference between selective surface evacuated tubes and selective surfaces flat plate collectors, with the former being the most efficient.
In terms of costs you would expect to save between 50 -70% on your annual heating costs, as the more hot water used the greater the saving. For a family of four, a well designed solar water heating system should contribute around 1,500 kW-h and 2,000 kW-h, which will be equivalent to 50 to 65% of the household’s water heating energy needs.
Reference: The Solar Trade Association
Urban Energy
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings.
We can provide systems eligible for grants of between 50% up to 100% through arrangements in place with our partners.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Both flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors have selective and non selective surfaces. In terms of which collector has best efficiency, it is dependant on your domestic use. At low temperatures the efficiency for all the collectors is very similar, but as temperatures increase all the collectors show a slight reduction in efficiency. For lowest temperatures an unglazed non-selective surface flat plate collector can be seen as most effective, hence they are commonly used to heat swimming pools, however for highest temperatures there is a very marginal difference between selective surface evacuated tubes and selective surfaces flat plate collectors, with the former being the most efficient.
In terms of costs you would expect to save between 50 -70% on your annual heating costs, as the more hot water used the greater the saving. For a family of four, a well designed solar water heating system should contribute around 1,500 kW-h and 2,000 kW-h, which will be equivalent to 50 to 65% of the household’s water heating energy needs.
Reference: The Solar Trade Association
Urban Energy
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings.
We can provide systems eligible for grants of between 50% up to 100% through arrangements in place with our partners.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Greening Britain's Energy Supply
A fortnight ago Ed Miliband, the Climate Secretary, confirmed generous payments for home solar panel and wind turbine systems.
This scheme could transform Britain's poor record on renewable power. At present only 5 per cent of UK power comes from renewable sources, while 2 per cent of energy customers are on "green" tariffs. So will this initiative lead to low-carbon power for the people – and what's in it for you?
First, don't bother generating your own electricity or buying a "green" tariff until you have stopped energy leaking from your home; it's like pumping fuel into a car without fixing a hole in the petrol tank. Put plastic strips round draughty windows and reflective paper behind radiators, lag lofts to 27centimetres and fit eco-lightbulbs in every socket.
From April, a "Feed in Tariff" will guarantee payments to homes with solar panels and other micro-generation. A "well-sited" 2.5kWh PV solar scheme, the Department for Energy & Climate Change (DECC) says, should earn £900 a year and £140 in energy savings. And the financial case for going solar may improve if, as expected, banks offer renewable power loans later this year.
Reference: The Independent
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
This scheme could transform Britain's poor record on renewable power. At present only 5 per cent of UK power comes from renewable sources, while 2 per cent of energy customers are on "green" tariffs. So will this initiative lead to low-carbon power for the people – and what's in it for you?
First, don't bother generating your own electricity or buying a "green" tariff until you have stopped energy leaking from your home; it's like pumping fuel into a car without fixing a hole in the petrol tank. Put plastic strips round draughty windows and reflective paper behind radiators, lag lofts to 27centimetres and fit eco-lightbulbs in every socket.
From April, a "Feed in Tariff" will guarantee payments to homes with solar panels and other micro-generation. A "well-sited" 2.5kWh PV solar scheme, the Department for Energy & Climate Change (DECC) says, should earn £900 a year and £140 in energy savings. And the financial case for going solar may improve if, as expected, banks offer renewable power loans later this year.
Reference: The Independent
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Employment in Renewable Energy Sector Could Rise to 500,000!
Energy minister David Kidney has claimed that the Renewable Energy Strategy, combined with a growing market for renewable energy globally, could increase UK employment in the renewables sector by up to a further 500,000 people by 2020.
The statement was made in the House of Commons earlier this month when Mr Kidney was asked to provide details of how many people have been employed in the renewable sector since 2003 and what recent assessment he has made of the potential for the creation of new jobs.
Mr Kidney replied that although there will be some displacement as the UK restructures its economy, the Renewable Energy Strategy would create significant job opportunities. He estimated that in 2007/08 up to 390,000 people were employed in the sector and that this could increase by up to a further 500,000 people by 2020.
URBAN ENERGY
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers, all of which are fully qualified, certified and Government approved to carry out installation of solar energy system, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association. Urban Energy are always looking to employ the best quality MCS accredited installation engineers, for further information please contact Urban Energy:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
The statement was made in the House of Commons earlier this month when Mr Kidney was asked to provide details of how many people have been employed in the renewable sector since 2003 and what recent assessment he has made of the potential for the creation of new jobs.
Mr Kidney replied that although there will be some displacement as the UK restructures its economy, the Renewable Energy Strategy would create significant job opportunities. He estimated that in 2007/08 up to 390,000 people were employed in the sector and that this could increase by up to a further 500,000 people by 2020.
URBAN ENERGY
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers, all of which are fully qualified, certified and Government approved to carry out installation of solar energy system, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association. Urban Energy are always looking to employ the best quality MCS accredited installation engineers, for further information please contact Urban Energy:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Sunday, 7 February 2010
New plan gives solar power to the people!
Government launches scheme to light a fire under microgenerators, and help them save – and make – money.
Short-term, the prospects for home-energy prices are looking brighter – British Gas has just reduced tariffs by 7 per cent and the other big suppliers are likely to follow. However, Ofgem, the regulator, is warning that down the line we could see our bills rise by 25 per cent over the next 10 years, and even that energy supplies could become scarce. But just as news came in that energy prices are set to rise dramatically, homeowners were offered hope with the launch of a new government incentive.
Hoping to encourage a movement towards renewable energy, the Government has finalised details of its feed-in tariffs, which reward people who produce their own energy by investing in technology such as solar panels and small wind turbines.
"This new scheme is a fantastic opportunity for householders to make money, cut fuel bills and play their part in slashing carbon-dioxide emissions," says Dave Timms, green homes campaigner for eco-action group Friends of the Earth. "Developing the UK's massive small-scale renewable energy potential will help to tackle climate change, create new green jobs and industries, and increase our energy security."
From 1 April, any household generating its own energy will be rewarded with tax-free payments. The cashback levels will depend on the technology used, with solar panels attracting the most generous payments. Further payments will be awarded to householders directing any energy they don't need back to the National Grid.
The type of technology used will depend on the property type. So a solar photovoltaic (PV) system needs a south-facing, preferably sloping, roof. In England and Scotland, planning permission is not usually required, although there are some restrictions in terms of size, and exceptions apply for any listed buildings, and properties near a conservation area, national park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In Wales and Northern Ireland, householders must consult their local authorities about planning permission.
With the new tariffs, the potential returns that this type of technology can reap are impressive. A typical domestic solar system of 12 panels, for example, will generate £1,048 in savings and income a year.
Overall, householders can expect a pay-back of between 5 and 8 per cent a year, so the move will go some way to alleviate the high initial costs. The Government has also confirmed that tariffs will be paid for up to 25 years, and, as the tariffs are linked to inflation, the real rate of return could end up as high as 10 per cent.
Anyone who has had an installation commissioned since July 2009, when the policy was first announced, will be able to apply for the scheme. The incentives are also open to businesses, communities, farmers, schools and hospitals, although the payments vary.
Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has said that over the next decade he predicts that one in 10 homes will have installed renewable power. These tariffs are going to generate rates of return that will beat high-street savings accounts by a mile, at the same time as they save carbon and generate jobs in a new fast growing, British industry.
Reference: The Independent
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Short-term, the prospects for home-energy prices are looking brighter – British Gas has just reduced tariffs by 7 per cent and the other big suppliers are likely to follow. However, Ofgem, the regulator, is warning that down the line we could see our bills rise by 25 per cent over the next 10 years, and even that energy supplies could become scarce. But just as news came in that energy prices are set to rise dramatically, homeowners were offered hope with the launch of a new government incentive.
Hoping to encourage a movement towards renewable energy, the Government has finalised details of its feed-in tariffs, which reward people who produce their own energy by investing in technology such as solar panels and small wind turbines.
"This new scheme is a fantastic opportunity for householders to make money, cut fuel bills and play their part in slashing carbon-dioxide emissions," says Dave Timms, green homes campaigner for eco-action group Friends of the Earth. "Developing the UK's massive small-scale renewable energy potential will help to tackle climate change, create new green jobs and industries, and increase our energy security."
From 1 April, any household generating its own energy will be rewarded with tax-free payments. The cashback levels will depend on the technology used, with solar panels attracting the most generous payments. Further payments will be awarded to householders directing any energy they don't need back to the National Grid.
The type of technology used will depend on the property type. So a solar photovoltaic (PV) system needs a south-facing, preferably sloping, roof. In England and Scotland, planning permission is not usually required, although there are some restrictions in terms of size, and exceptions apply for any listed buildings, and properties near a conservation area, national park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In Wales and Northern Ireland, householders must consult their local authorities about planning permission.
With the new tariffs, the potential returns that this type of technology can reap are impressive. A typical domestic solar system of 12 panels, for example, will generate £1,048 in savings and income a year.
Overall, householders can expect a pay-back of between 5 and 8 per cent a year, so the move will go some way to alleviate the high initial costs. The Government has also confirmed that tariffs will be paid for up to 25 years, and, as the tariffs are linked to inflation, the real rate of return could end up as high as 10 per cent.
Anyone who has had an installation commissioned since July 2009, when the policy was first announced, will be able to apply for the scheme. The incentives are also open to businesses, communities, farmers, schools and hospitals, although the payments vary.
Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has said that over the next decade he predicts that one in 10 homes will have installed renewable power. These tariffs are going to generate rates of return that will beat high-street savings accounts by a mile, at the same time as they save carbon and generate jobs in a new fast growing, British industry.
Reference: The Independent
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
Thursday, 4 February 2010
The Prospect of a Power Cut!
When the energy regulator sounds the alarm over the risk of national power failure we should all listen. Yesterday Ofgem released a report warning of "reasonable doubt" over the security and sustainability of Britain's power supplies. It points to a combination of dwindling domestic gas reserves, a reliance on unstable foreign suppliers and a shortage of infrastructure investment. The regulator also reiterated a previous warning that without drastic action to expand supply many homes will soon find energy prices unaffordable.
The regulator rightly argues that the energy sector needs an overhaul if we are to meet this challenge. But what, precisely, is to be done? The solutions to the shortage of infrastructure investment already exist. The problem is that they are not being implemented speedily enough. Greater government support for wind, solar and wave generation would address the challenge of energy security and carbon emissions at the same time.
Reference: The Independent
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
The regulator rightly argues that the energy sector needs an overhaul if we are to meet this challenge. But what, precisely, is to be done? The solutions to the shortage of infrastructure investment already exist. The problem is that they are not being implemented speedily enough. Greater government support for wind, solar and wave generation would address the challenge of energy security and carbon emissions at the same time.
Reference: The Independent
URBAN ENERGY
Our mission: “To provide and install, sustainable, world class, clean energy products with the highest level of service and care”.
Urban Energy is an innovative organisation specialising in the financing, design and installation of economic and environmentally sound solar powered energy systems for commercial property (private and public) and domestic dwellings. Our expertise in the field of Government sponsored funding programmes and solar power products will provide individuals and organisations with an excellent opportunity to overcome capital cost barriers, save money on energy bills, increase profit margins, increase the value of their property and reduce their carbon footprint.
Urban Energy employ the very best engineers in this field, all of which are fully qualified, certified and Government approved to carry out this task, complying with strict guidelines and are members of the Solar Trade Association.
0% interest instalment payment program available for domestic solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
For further information about Urban Energy products and services:
Call: 0800 232 1624
Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk
Website: http://www.urbanenergy.org.uk/
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