Study Finds More Energy Efficient Homes Command a Premium Price From House Buyers

The Green Deal could be set for a boost after a government study found improving the energy efficiency of a home could increase its value.

Research by the Department of Energy and Climate Change on over 300,000 homes found that improving the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of a house could add up to £41,808 to its value.

The increase in value was different depending on the location of the property. Properties in the North-east with a EPC rating of G could expected to see price increases of 38% if improved to an A or B rating. Properties in London could expect to see a 12% price increase for the same improvement.

Energy minister Greg Barker said the study was evidence of the “huge potential rewards” of taking-up energy efficiency.

He added: “The Green Deal is helping more people make these types of home improvements, reducing high upfront costs and letting people pay for some the cost through the savings on their bills. The Green Deal is a great option for anyone wanting to improve the look, feel and potentially the value of their home.”

John Alker, director of policy at the UK Green Building Council, said the study provided “evidence that the retrofit industry has been craving for a long time”.

He added: “It also provides a timely boost for the Green Deal, which will bring down the upfront cost of a retrofit package for those who choose to use it.”

James Brooks, director at Brooks Estate Agents, said energy efficiency was become a serious concern for house buyers.

He added: “With fuel bills continuing to rise, buyers are becoming more and more conscious about the energy efficiency of their prospective new homes and are willing to invest more in a property now if they know it will cost them less to run in the future.”

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

Get the Most Out of Your Solar PV Installation

Installing solar PV on your home is a great way to reduce your electricity bills and your carbon footprint and there are easy ways to get the most out of your system, therefore maximising your savings and also doing your bit to help save the world! Some small lifestyle changes and planning ahead can make all the difference to your savings.

• Use appliances during the day: Solar panels work by converting the energy in sunlight into electricity. This is done mostly during optimum conditions – the daytime. Therefore by using appliances during the day, the electricity being generated is used straight away. Washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners especially use a lot of power. When using them in daylight, even a low light day will supplement the energy usage, and a sunny day may power the whole operation.

• Pull the plug: many electrical appliances run in the background when they are not switched off at the plug, and this can use more electricity than you realise. Switch off your TV, chargers, and any other items that could be running on standby.

• Stagger your electricity usage: Using electricity during the day is the most effective way to get the most out of your solar panels. However if you use everything at once, you may still be importing the extra electricity needed from the grid. Stagger your energy usage throughout the day to maximise your solar energy; and keep this in mind when setting timers too

• Generate hot water from solar: By installing a solar immersion switch alongside your solar PV system, you can use the excess electricity generated by your PV to power your immersion heater. This means that you would get as much of the free energy generated by your system as possible. The switch works with intelligent controls which react to household demand, which means that is more electricity is needed somewhere else in your home, the electricity will be diverted there.

• Monitor your electricity: you can use a system monitor to access your generation and electricity consumption. Some monitors will work with your computer, smart phone or tablet so that you can access these figures easily. By utilising this information, you can work out how much energy you are generating at a given time, and then tailor your electricity usage to this so that you only use the energy your solar is producing.

• Convert your lighting to low energy: as most lights are used at night when the PV system is not generating, it is beneficial to install low energy or LED light bulbs. This will reduce the amount of energy the light needs to power itself, which will save you money on your bills.

Some of these actions are small changes you can make to your lifestyle, and others are things that may need some investment in time or money. When this is the case, it is vital to keep in mind how much these products/actions could save you in the long run, and you can guarantee that it will be worth it.

Urban Energy

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

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

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

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

Solar PV Myth Buster

Here we bust the top 6 myths that surround solar panels.

Myth #1: It’s too expensive.

The Reality: There are a number of government backed schemes that are designed to ease the burden on households.

The recently launched Green Deal gives families the chance to install solar panels in their homes through a loan that is paid back from the savings made on energy bills – essentially making them free – while the Feed-in Tariff (Fit) incentive scheme means that a well designed solar panel system can pay for itself in a fraction of its life span.

Myth #2: They don’t work in cloudy and cold climates.

The Reality: Energy producing technology that relies on sunlight sounds as though it might struggle somewhat in the UK, however it is the radiation from the sun rather than temperature that allows for photovoltaic generation.

Although it is true that they work better in the sunniest regions they still work effectively in cloudy conditions so there is no reason UK residents can’t enjoy the benefits of solar panels.

Myth #3: Solar panels are hard to maintain.

The Reality: With no moving parts solar panels in fact require hardly any maintenance at all.

The only thing you do need to ensure is that they stay free of dust, but as long as you live in a rainy climate such as the UK, they should stay clean.

Myth #4: The efficiency of solar panels is still too low.

The Reality: Solar panel technology is improving year-on-year, so although this may have been true when the systems first came on the market, today solar PV is an effective way of generating your domestic energy.

Myth #5: Solar panels won’t last 20 years.

The Reality: The standard accepted lifespan of solar panels is approx. 25 years, however there are some installations that were first constructed in the 1970s that are still in operation today.

Myth #6: Solar panels are unattractive.

The Reality: Of course this comes down to peoples’ own personal preferences somewhat, but modern solar panels don’t have to look unsightly, appearing more like sky lights when they are fitted flush to the roof.

Their sleek and contemporary styling will actually look right at home on many properties.

Urban Energy

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

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

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

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

Solar Energy Can Compete

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

Green Deal: energy saving for your home or business

Householders are to be offered long-term loans to help make their homes more energy efficient and cut bills under a new government scheme launched today. Under the scheme, households can use cheap loans to spend on energy-saving improvements, such as insulation and new boilers, with no upfront cost.


The move to insulate the UK's aged housing stock is designed to save carbon emissions, keep people warm, and make energy affordable, the government said.

Anyone joining the scheme would first have their home reviewed by an independent assessor, advising on possible upgrades, costs and energy saving time scales.

Green Deal providers would then calculate quotes for the proposed work - with households free to get multiple quotes - before carrying out the changes.

Under the deal, improvements are installed at no initial cost. Instead, charges are covered with cheap loans via the not-for-profit Green Deal Finance Company, and recouped gradually over up to 25 years through customers' electricity bills.


How the Green Deal works

You can make energy-saving improvements to your home or business without having to pay all the costs up front through the Green Deal.

Energy-saving improvements include:

• insulation - eg loft or cavity wall insulation
• heating
• draught-proofing
• double glazing
• renewable energy technologies - eg solar panels or wind turbines

What you need to do:

Get an assessment of your property to see what improvements you can make and how much you could save on your energy bills.

Choose a Green Deal provider to carry out the work. You discuss with them what work you want done and whether the Green Deal is right for you.

If you go ahead with the improvements you must sign your Green Deal Plan - this is a contract between you and the provider stating what work will be done and how much it will cost. The provider will then arrange for a Green Deal installer to do the work.

Once the work is done, you’ll pay off the money in instalments through your electricity bill.


Urban Energy

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

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

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

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

Solar Feed in Tariffs from November 2012

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

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

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

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

Urban Energy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

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

UK Government Loses Court Appeal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Urban Energy

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

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

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

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

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

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

Court of Appeal Rejects Solar Feed In Challenge

The Government has failed to overturn a decision to block its attempts to reduce solar feed-in-tariffs.

The Court of Appeals today confirmed that it had rejected the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) challenge to a High Court ruling that its move to halve feed-in-tariffs were illegal.

However the Government has already confirmed that it will next seek to approach the Supreme Court in an attempt to introduce a new tariff, saying that current levels are unsustainable.

The feed-in tariff (FiTs) scheme- which pays households with solar panels for the electricity they produce currently pays just over 43p per kilowatt-hour generated. However the Government is concerned that the FiTs scheme has already exceeded its budget for the year and wanted to introduce a new tariff of 21p per kilowatt-hour for all solar panels installed after December 12, 2011.

The on-going challenge to the rulings means that homeowners and the solar industry alike cannot know what rate of incentive they will be able to claim.

Environmentalists and the solar industry had lead a challenge against the cuts, claiming that it threatens industry jobs and jeopardises the Government’s claim to be the ‘greenest’ ever.

Solar panels are particularly popular with electric car drivers as they can often mean drivers can recharge for free using their own green electricity.

Welcoming the news of the rejected challenge to the FiTs rate, Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director Andy Atkins said: "This landmark judgement confirms that devastating Government plans to rush through cuts to solar payments are illegal – and will prevent Ministers from causing industry chaos with similar cuts in future. ”

"Helping more people to plug into clean British energy will help protect cash-strapped households from soaring fuel bills."

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/

Solar panel supporters given slither of hope in battle to stop cuts to feed-in tariff scheme

Supporters of Britain's hugely generous solar panel subsidy scheme were thrown a lifeline today after the High Court agreed to hear an application for permission to challenge a decision that would see it scaled back.

Friends of the Earth and two solar companies will argue their case at a hearing on Thursday 15 December.

An earlier High Court ruling, on 25 November, rejected permission for a legal challenge.

But FoE will argue again that the Government's decision to dramatically reduce the amount paid by 'feed-in tariffs' - on 12 December - is unlawful because the Government is currently running a consultation into the system that will not end until 23 December.

It will also ask the court to cap its potential legal costs for the case because, it says, international rules specify that costs should be limited in public interest cases on the environment.

Andy Atkins, FoE director, said: 'We strongly believe Government plans to abruptly slash solar subsidies are illegal, we hope the High Court agrees to allow our case to be heard as soon as possible.

'In a time of economic gloom, the solar industry has been one of the UK's brightest success stories, enabling homes and communities across the country to free themselves from expensive fossil fuels.'

More than 14,000 households registered for the scheme in October, the last time full figures were published, taking the total to 90,000. It compares with just 2,000 home registering in October 2010.

But November's full-month figures are expected to show another 40,000 households have taken advantage of the scheme, taking the total to 130,000.

Changes to the scheme were announced on 31 October, sparking a rush to beat the 12 December deadline.

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/

Five Ways to Cut Energy Bills

The political battle over energy bills intensified after David Cameron met with the main energy providers in the UK to discuss ways that households could save money on fuel this winter.

But consumer groups say that the plans discussed, such as setting up a new government website with advice on the cheapest tariffs and clearer bills, will add little to the existing options.

Since 2004 the average annual bill for a duel-fuel energy customer has risen by 117 per cent, to £1,293.

Providers say that they are simply passing on the increase in wholesale energy prices, which were pushed up this year after unrest in the Middle East and the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan.

Five of the largest energy companies in the UK: SSE, Scottish Power, E.ON, npower and British Gas have promised to hold prices steady until next year. In the meantime, there are a number of ways that households can act now to save money on gas and electricity bills.

● Switch tariff and pay by direct debit – save £350

The government has warned that consumers are confused by the sheer scale of tariffs available and are not given the correct information by providers about the cheapest deals available.

Scottish Power, for example, has the most expensive standard plan on the market at the moment. Its dual-fuel tariff, which consumers pay on receipt of the bill, costs on average £1,391 a year. If customers switched to the same company’s Online Energy Saver 16 plan, an online-only offer, they would pay £1,045 – saving themselves £346. (These figures are based on a user consuming 3,300 kWh electricity and 16,500 kWh gas each year).

Despite the size of savings on offer, Ofgem says that only 15 per cent of households switched their gas supplier last year, and only a fraction more changed their electricity provider.

Consumer groups say this may be down to the complexity of tariffs, rather than inertia.

And providers don’t always make it easy to move. After a provider announces a price increase, consumers have just 30 days to switch their supplier. If they want to move after this, they may find themselves slapped with a £50 exit fee.

● Insulate your home – save between £175-£300

Installing insulation to stop heat escaping through the roof costs between £50 and £350 and could save the average non-insulated three-bedroom semi-detached house £175 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Even if a house already has insulation of 100mm thickness, topping it up to the recommended 270mm could save an extra £25 each year.

Homes built before 1920 may find they have a gap between their inner and outer walls. Filling this could snip another £135 from annual bills.

Some companies, such as British Gas, offer free loft and cavity wall insulation, so check with your provider before you get a quote.

● Use an energy monitor – save £135

Energy monitors are cheap, wireless gadgets that check how much energy you are using – they won’t make an automatic difference to your bill but they can help households understand where they might be able to make a saving.

The average monitor costs about £40 and some providers such as E.ON and npower offer free monitors with certain tariffs, although these are not always the cheapest deals available.

Energy monitors should not be confused with smart meters, which send accurate energy use information to providers and are the gizmos that the government wants all homes to have by 2020.

● Turn down the thermostat, switch boiler, install glazing, replace lightbulbs – save between £50-£450

Making a series of changes to your home, not all of them expensive, can dramatically cut the size of your fuel bill. Official government figures say that reducing the temperature in rooms by 1C can cut heating bills by 10 per cent, and turning off radiators in rooms that aren’t used can save another £50 or so on average.

The EU has already banned incandescent lightbulbs in favour of low-energy bulbs but opting for the most energy-efficient products on the market can trim about £11 from the average bill, according to green campaigners.

For a little more outlay homeowners can save even more. Fitting energy-efficient glazing on windows should save the average home £165 a year. The cost will differ according to the number of windows and their size but will often start at about £3,000. Those thinking of replacing their old boiler with a condensing boiler will spend £500 more but could save £300 each year, although some users have reported problems with frozen pipes in winter.

● Install renewable energy – save between £70-£1,200

The unpopular hikes in energy bills this year threaten to derail the government’s plan to spend £200m on renewable energy infrastructure, which would also be passed on to customers. But for the moment, subsidies for those who adopt green energy sources remain intact.

Households that install solar panels, wind turbines or hydroelectricity systems are all eligible for the government’s feed-in tariff scheme, whereby your energy supplier pays you for the electricity you generate.

A typical domestic solar electricity system with an installation size of 2.9kWp could earn about £1,200 a year from the government, in addition to any reduction in energy bills that the system generates.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change will be reviewing feed-in tariffs before the end of 2011.

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/

Current size of the UK PV market

Ofgem’s register tells us that in this current FiT year there have been 197MW of PV installed to date. Still to be added are more than 75MW of large-scale projects already connected to the grid, while an estimated further 15MW in projects were extended under the FiT loophole.
Most in the industry assume that Ofgem is three months behind in logging registrations. By adding the latest installation figures with the confirmed large-scale projects, deployments in this current FiT year amount to around 287MW.

We can also add to this figure a number of large-scale social housing projects with as many as 5,000 homes at a time that have recently started deployment. This is likely to raise the run rate for domestic installs considerably and, as we are half way through the FiT year already, it looks likely that the UK will exceed 550MW by year end 31 March 2012.

Remember this is just PV installs the other technologies are just starting to ramp up.

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/

50kW PV installations: Will there ever be a better time for commercial solar in the UK?

The cost of a 50kW commercial solar photovoltaics (PV) system in the UK has now reached a price range of £100k to £130k. With the UK feed-in tariff set at 32.9p/kWh generated -  UK solar PV is currently in a bubble - one that serves up a golden opportunity for businesses to add solar PV to their property. It is unlikely that there will ever be a better time to act. 

THE FACTS:

A commercial 50kW PV system, taking up the rooftop area approximately the size of two tennis courts and located in the middle of the UK, would typically generate between £13k and £17k in FiT income and energy bill savings annually, generating a profit of approximately £260k over 25 years. Now, when you consider that the FiT income is index-linked to the CPI as well as being Government-backed, as a business case, commercial solar PV is a now a ‘no brainer’. This point is only accentuated as electricity prices escalate. 

TIMING:

To avoid disappointment businesses thinking of installing ~50kW solar systems must now act quickly or risk missing out. With less than six months remaining for solar PV systems to become operational and registered on the current FiT rates, there is effectively only two months left for businesses to begin the process of adding new solar to their property portfolio.

It is important to remember that although a survey and PV system design can be done quickly, planning permission typically takes three months and an application to connect the system to the electricity network is generally a two month exercise.

New applications must be in by the end of November 2011 to have realistic chance of being installed in time.

Urban Energy

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

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

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

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

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

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

UK: Solar panels are looking good

Renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar PV panels sometimes get a bad press because of their aesthetic appearance. Now the results of a new survey should finally put this argument to bed - for solar PV panels at least!

Over 700 people from across the country completed an online survey, which asked them to describe the look of solar PV panels on domestic roofs.  Only seven percent of respondents described them as an ‘eyesore’.  The majority of respondents gave the panels a thumbs up describing them as ‘eye catching’ (12 percent), ‘futuristic’ (25 percent) and ‘green’ (56 percent).

Solar panels are now much more common, and across the UK are the most popular method of generating small scale renewable power, sales have largely been driven by the Government’s current feed-in-tariff, which is very generous.  With traditional energy prices continuing to soar, people can expect to see a lot more solar PV panels over the coming years.

Regionally, people in the East Midlands were most likely to find solar panels an ‘eyesore’ – though that was still only a minority of eight percent. Yorkshire looks to have really embraced solar PV panels as more people here than elsewhere described the panels as ‘green’ (48 percent). This comes hot on the heels of another report which listed Sheffield and Leeds as top of a UK renewable energy installation list.

Since the Government introduced the feed-in-tariff, over 38,000 domestic users have benefited from solar PV panels. The soaring price of traditional energy sources coupled with what is a very generous feed-in-tariff has seen canny purchasers make an investment, which some describe as giving better returns than an ISA.

The current  feed-in-tariff will be reviewed in April 2012 – so now is the best time to invest in solar and make your home eye catching, futuristic and green!

Urban Energy

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

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

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

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

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

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

UK solar panel installation hotspots revealed

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

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

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

1. Sheffield

2. Leeds

3. Bristol

4. Bradford

5. Birmingham

6. London

7. Liverpool

8. Edinburgh

9. Manchester

10. Glasgow

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

Solar panels on the rise

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

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

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

Solar power benefits

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

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

Urban Energy

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

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

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

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

For further information about Urban Energy products and services:

Call: 0800 232 1624

Email: info@urbanenergy.org.uk

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