Ecohouse Solar on the BBC

BBC Inside Out is a current affairs TV programme broadcast on Monday evenings. In March 2011, the show ran a special feature on solar energy and featured Ecohouse Solar installing a Photovoltaic (PV) system.  You can now watch the video via our website at http://www.ecohousesolar.co.uk/video. Please note, prices quoted during this [...]]]>

Ecohouse Solar on the BBC

BBC Inside Out is a current affairs TV programme broadcast on Monday evenings. In March 2011, the show ran a special feature on solar energy and featured Ecohouse Solar installing a Photovoltaic (PV) system.  You can now watch the video via our website at http://www.ecohousesolar.co.uk/video. Please note, prices quoted during this video are subject to fluctuation, so please contact us for an up-to-date quotation.

Article from Milton Keynes Citizen – Ecohouse Solar selected for case study for National Energy Saving Week. Click to read in full and watch the video.

From its leafy base in Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, the Energy Saving Trust is running [...]]]>

Ecohouse Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Solar Thermal case study for the Energy Saving Trust in Milton Keynes

Article from Milton Keynes Citizen – Ecohouse Solar selected for case study for National Energy Saving Week. Click to read in full and watch the video.

From its leafy base in Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, the Energy Saving Trust is running a special week inviting the people of Milton Keynes to discover the home truths of fighting fuel costs.

And one of the Trust’s satisfied customers, Terry Siggins, has spoken about exactly what that means.

The Great Holm resident, who lives with his wife Lynn and two children, started his energy-saving mission by having loft insulation fitted, followed by modern double glazing, which has both reduced heat loss and noise levels, but the most profitable improvement came from their roof.

“We were disappointed by the returns we were getting on savings, even from a tax-free ISA, so we decided to take our money out of the bank and put it on the roof.”

His top-down approach is, according to the Trust’s marketing manager Kathy Wyatt, the only way to go. She said there is no point in installing other, more green ways of producing energy at home if you haven’t insulated properly first.

After insulation, there are other ways of future-proofing your home.

In Terry’s case it meant reading up on the technology and terms involved, in order for him to calculate the savings – and he did so with the help of the Energy Saving Trust’s impartial advisers.

Armed with the information, he then chose local firm Ecohouse Solar to install the photovoltaic and solar thermal system.

He said: “We chose the largest system our roof could accommodate and one that qualified for the highest rate of the feed-in tariff, a type of financial compensation for generating our own electricity.

“We will be paid 41.3p per kilowatt hour on the electricity our system makes and three pence per kilowatt hour on electricity we don’t use that is fed back into the grid.”

“Additionally, we expect to make savings by using the electricity and these are calculated at 13p per kilowatt hour. The system was only commissioned in mid-September, but last month we generated 322 kilowatt hours, which already represents £138.”

However the money-saving figures aren’t limited to hundreds of pounds, as Terry’s stunning sums demonstrate.

He said: “The system should produce 3,263.9 units per year and avoid 2,884 kgs of CO2 emissions annually.”

“Using current prices and assuming 50 per cent of the electricity is exported and the remaining used, over the course of the 25 year feed-in tariff contract the total benefit works out at £40,216.48!”

If you want to take the first step towards massive energy savings, call Ecohouse Solar on 01525 223220.

Ecohouse UK are pleased to announce the opening of their new office in Wokingham which will operate alongside their current headquarters in Milton Keynes. Ecohouse celebrated the opening of the Wokingham office by attending the recent May fair where they were visited by the current Mayor [...]]]>

Ecohouse brings solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal energy to Wokingham

Ecohouse UK are pleased to announce the opening of their new office in Wokingham which will operate alongside their current headquarters in Milton Keynes. Ecohouse celebrated the opening of the Wokingham office by attending the recent May fair where they were visited by the current Mayor Ms Ulla Karin Clark.

The Mayoress was extremely pleased to have a renewable energy company opening in the Wokingham area.

Wokingham Mayoress Ms Ulla Karin Clark with Ecohouse Technical Director Mike Neal (left) and Surrey and Berks Director John McKeown (right)

Offering her support for the new enterprise and the move towards a cleaner Britain the Mayoress said that she would support any initiative that helped the environment.

Ecohouse are currently looking for solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal showhomes in the area. Ecohouse would be delighted to offer a ‘without obligation’ free quotation to any homeowners who would like to know more about energy savings and financial rewards available from energy generation.

Ecohouse are a fully accredited MCS government approved installer of solar photovoltaic electricity generation systems and solar thermal hot water systems, so all our customers will be able to access any government grants and generation tariffs which are available.

Ecohouse can be contacted on our National Freephone number 0800 9176234 for an informal chat or email us for further information info@ecohousesolar.co.uk and make your first move to a solar home.

Government loans for solar thermal and solar photovoltaic panels

Government unveils ‘green loan’ energy plan for solar homes.

Plans to encourage householders to make their homes much warmer and cheaper to run have been announced by ministers.

Consumers will be offered long-term loans to install insulation, solar panels or other green technology, which they can repay through [...]]]>

Government loans for solar thermal and solar photovoltaic panels

Government unveils ‘green loan’ energy plan for solar homes.

Plans to encourage householders to make their homes much warmer and cheaper to run have been announced by ministers.

Consumers will be offered long-term loans to install insulation, solar panels or other green technology, which they can repay through energy bills.

The government wants to save 29% of carbon emissions from UK homes by 2020.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the scheme would lower energy costs but campaigners say not enough is being done in the short term for renters.

Moves to compel private landlords to make energy efficient improvements to their properties are not planned to come into effect until 2015.

Pilot scheme

The government says its plans will allow seven million British households to benefit from upgrades and create up to 65,000 jobs in the green homes industry. 

Ministers say upgrades such as solid wall insulation can reduce energy bills by £380 a year. 

Some 500 homes in Birmingham, Sunderland, the London borough of Sutton and Stroud, in Gloucestershire, have already tested a £4m pilot for the Pay As You Save scheme. 

Mr Miliband told the BBC: “If you’re potentially buying the house, what will you find? 

“You’ll find that the energy bills are significantly lower so, say, you’ll be having a few hundred pounds off your energy bills and offsetting that you’ll have a couple of hundred pounds in payments. 

“So you’ll think, well I’m better off, actually, because this house has significantly lower energy bills, although it’s got this repayment built into it.”

The Tories and Liberal Democrats say they came up with similar ideas in the past.

The Conservatives suggested energy efficiency loans for homes in proposals outlined in January 2009.

A host of measures were contained in the Zero Carbon Britain plan unveiled at the Liberal Democrats conference in 2007. 

Please follow the link to watch the BBC news video  

Solar photovoltaic panels being installed

Is solar power a bright investment?   

It costs approximately £12,500 to install solar cells on your roof, but new tariffs should give you a return of at least £25,000. So what’s the catch? There isn’t one, says Miles Brignall of The Guardian Newspaper   

If the government offered to pay you £1,000 a [...]]]>

Solar photovoltaic panels being installed

Is solar power a bright investment?   

It costs approximately £12,500 to install solar cells on your roof, but new tariffs should give you a return of at least £25,000. So what’s the catch? There isn’t one, says Miles Brignall of The Guardian Newspaper   

If the government offered to pay you £1,000 a year for the next 25 years, in return for an up-front investment of £12,500, you’d snap it up in a second. Well, that’s pretty much the deal on offer this week after the government finally revealed what it will pay those who install electricity generating solar panels – in and around their homes – through the new “Feed-in Tariffs” (FITs).    

After years of campaigning by environmental groups – helped in small part by this newspaper (The Guardian) – the government has finally agreed to reward households and businesses installing electricity-generating measures with enough of a return to make it a serious financial, as well as an environmental, investment. If you’ve got the money (which is a big “if”) and, crucially, a sunny, south-facing roof, you can earn a 7%-10% tax-free return, an income that will rise in line with inflation. At the same time, you get to do more than your fair share in reducing the UK’s carbon­ emissions.    

In the week that the energy regulator, Ofgem, warned the nation to expect 20% electricity price hikes by 2020, and warned future supplies were in jeopardy, investors in solar panels will have the added benefit of being a net provider of electricity, and largely insulated from future price hikes that could see household bills top £2,000 a year by 2020.    

Announcing the new tariffs’ introduction this week, the energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband said the guaranteed income would be a big incentive for householders “to make the move to low carbon­ living”.­   

“The feed-in tariff will change the way householders and communities think about their future energy needs, making the payback for investment far shorter than in the past.”    

Although Milliband announced a number of tariffs – including what the government will pay those installing wind turbines – the one that will appeal most to the average UK householder will be for installing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels – at a typical cost of £10,000-£12,500. From 1 April, households with approved­ schemes will be paid for the electricity they generate, even if they use all of it themselves. The level of payment depends on the technology and whether it is being fitted to an existing­ home, or installed as part of newbuild. Importantly, future payments are guaranteed for the next 25 years and have been, unexpectedly, linked to inflation.    

Anyone fitting a typical £12,500, 2.5 kW PV system to their existing home will initially be paid 41.3p per kilowatt hour (kWh) generated. Enough, according to Miliband, to reward them with up to £900 in the first year on top of a £140-a-year saving on their bills.    

The measure, which is inevitably quite complicated, is designed to reward those who reduce their own electricity consumption by installing low-energy lighting and A-rated white goods, and to ultimately export excess electricity generated back to the grid. Households get an extra 3p for each kWh they export on top of the 41.3p they get paid for all units generated. Those building PV roof panels into a new-build home get a slightly lower tariff (36.1p per kWh). The fact that the payments are not taxed make it a particularly rewarding investment for higher-rate taxpayers – those earning more than just over £43,000.    

Regulated payments    

The feed-in rates change depending on which year you install the technology. They will also apply to installations commissioned since July 2009 when the policy was announced. The payments will physically come from your existing electricity supplier, but will be overseen by the regulator Ofgem. Homeowners need a largish (8m²), unshaded, roofspace, non North facing for optimum efficiency to mount panels.    

Feed-in tariffs are going to be a big boost for the industry and for the first-time, homeowners can see a decent financial return, we estimate homeowners can save and earn more than £1,000 per year for 25 years, increasing with inflation, giving a payback in around 10 years.”    

Homeowners with flat roofs may well find they can install a system, as will those with conventional roofs that face a few degrees either side of south, east or west. Panels perform best in unshaded sites angled towards the sun at a pitch of 30-40 degrees. Prior to this week’s announcement, grants of up to £2,500 had been available to those installing PV panels under the terms of the government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme. There are still grants available for other green technologies. FITs now provide the entire financial incentive for PV installers.    

Dave Timms, climate and energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth says the new tariffs will allow people to turn their homes into mini-power stations. “We were hoping the government would go further, but this is very welcome and long overdue,” he says.    

“For householders who have a south-facing roof, PV panels are really worth looking at. Not only are they a sound financial investment, they will also allow you to do your part in tackling climate change.    

“Our homes are responsible for over a fifth of UK emissions, but by fitting renewable electricity systems and wind turbines, we can be part of a greener, safer future.”    

There is an expectation, that once investors and banks see the benefits of the scheme, specialist loans or top-up mortgages will become available for those who want to install a system, but can’t raise the capital.    

(Original article published in The Guardian Saturday 6^th Feb 2010)

On Monday 1st February 2010 the Government announced the much anticipated final details of the proposed new feed-in tariff and from April 2010 microgeneration from systems such as solar photovoltaics will be eligible to receive the new tariff.

The proposed new tariff will pay for all energy generated [...]]]>

Government finalises feed-in tariff proposals for solar power installations

On Monday 1st February 2010 the Government announced the much anticipated final details of the proposed new feed-in tariff and from April 2010 microgeneration from systems such as solar photovoltaics will be eligible to receive the new tariff.

The proposed new tariff will pay for all energy generated by your system, irrespective of if you use it yourself or sell it back to the grid. The amounts paid are in addition to any saving you will make by purchasing less electricity from your supplier and any income you earn from selling your surplus power to your electricity supplier.

The rates that have been announced are significantly higher than previously proposed and were welcomed by the renewables industry and Friends of the Earth:

The feed-in tariff will be set at 41.3p/kWh for a typical domestic scale solar PV installation. These rates will be index linked to inflation over the life of the scheme and guaranteed for 25 years.

It was confirmed that there will be no income tax for home owners on revenue from the feed-in tariff, providing the energy generated is used mainly by your own property.

The feed-in tariff will be effective as of the 1st April 2010, but all systems commissioned from July 2009 onwards will qualify for the additional income from the 1st April 2010.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to announce energy feed in tarrif (FIT)

Payment change to boost solar power, much greater incentive to homeowners and business. 

Households and businesses will soon have a far greater incentive to install solar panels and wood-fired boilers and use other forms of renewable energy as the government announces new payments for home [...]]]>

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to announce energy feed in tarrif (FIT)

Payment change to boost solar power, much greater incentive to homeowners and business. 

Households and businesses will soon have a far greater incentive to install solar panels and wood-fired boilers and use other forms of renewable energy as the government announces new payments for home energy generation today.But some environmentalists say the scheme, to be announced by Ed Miliband, energy secretary, might not be enough to stimulate large-scale microgeneration. 

Makers of generation equipment are hoping for a boom in sales and expect to take on more workers as those buying the devices can look forward to hundreds of pounds a year from electricity companies. Only a tiny fraction of homes have such equipment, and critics blame the lack of an effective subsidy system to reward householders. The current subsidy system was designed mainly for utility scale generation. 

Mr Miliband will announce “feed-in tariffs” by which people will gain a fixed sum for every unit of electricity they produce, far in excess of that on offer for commercial-scale fossil fuel generation. 

The microgeneration industry expects the feed-in tariffs to be broadly in line with the amounts mooted during the consultation process, by which people with solar panels would be paid up to 36.5p per kilowatt hour produced, and owners of small wind turbines up to 30.5p.

Friends of the Earth and the Renewable Energy Association called for an annual return on investment of 10 per cent instead of the 5-8 per cent in the consultation. This demand is unlikely to be met, said a government source, because if the tariff was too generous it would lead to higher bills for other homeowners buying conventional power. 

Industry leaders have welcomed the tariff even at the expected level. Dave Sowden, chief executive of the Micropower Council, an industry association, said it would be a “big boost to our industry”. 

Jeremy Leggett, executive chairman of SolarCentury, said an average solar panel system for a household would cost about £12,000 but at the expected tariffs yield £1,000 a year in payments. “That’s a better return on investment than you’d get from a bank,” he said.