posted Wednesday, 25th of January | 29 comments
DECC have lost their High Court Appeal which means until 3rd March 2012 all Solar PV systems 4kW and under will qualify for 43.3p per kWh for 25 years. All systems installed since 12th December until that date will also qualify retrospectively. Whilst good for the industry this ruling will cost Fossil Fuel Domestic customers approximately £100 million over the next 25 years through their bills as the Energy Supply Companies ultimately foot the bill not the Government.
posted Saturday, 18th of June | 29 comments
On 25th May near Holt, in Norfolk, the first Nova Wind 5kW turbine was installed by RLE, Hutchinson Engineering and Solar Energy Alliance. This is one of the first new wave of highly geared turbines which promises to yield 11,000 kWh's of electricity a year in prevailing conditions. Designed and manufactured in Basildon, Essex, this beautifully crafted turbine with active blade control is very steady in changing wind directions. Erected on a 15 metre mast in a back garden surrounded by fields this turbine is sure to attract a lot of interest as it begins generating. SolarInsider will be giving regular updates on it's performance over the coming months. For more informaton please use the 'contact us' page.
posted Wednesday, 8th of June | 29 comments
On Friday 10th June the government plans to annouce the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) details. SolarInsiders have managed to obtain the details in advance. The orginally allocated £15M fund has been split into £3M for social housing through competitive tendering and £12M for households up to a maximum of 25,000 installations. The Energy Saving Trust will administer the scheme and applications will be accepted from 1st August 2011. In the intervening time a 'register your interest' page will appear on the Energy Saving Trust website shortly after the announcement.
Solar thermal hot water and Air source heat pumps will get a voucher worth £300 to be redeemed within 3 months of application for any existing heating fuel used in the property. Ground source and water source heat pumps, and biomass where the heating source is not mains gas will get 6 months for redemption for £1250, £1250 and £950 payments respectively. That is to say that the property has to be off the mains gas grid network to qualify. Householders will also have to ensure that appropriate energy efficiency measures are installed prior to the MCS certificated renewable energy technology being installed.
Householders can apply for more than one technology provided the two aren't both for central heating, i.e solar thermal hot water with an heat pump or biomass. No vouchers will be valid after 31st March 2012. Successful applications, installations and subsequent submission of completed paperwork will enable the voucher value to be paid directly into your back account. This scheme is available to householders in England, Scotland and Wales only.
What is somewhat of a surprise is the inclusion of Air source heat pumps, not only for the RHPP but for mains gas properties where other heat generating technologies are excluded. The reasoning behind this significant diversion from the original announcement is unclear but the generation based RHI scheme planned for October 2012 is still wide open to change and speculation.
posted Wednesday, 18th of May | 29 comments
Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, speaking on 11th May moved the Energy Bill to it's second reading focusing on 'our energy choices' and in particular the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO). Referencing the UK's housing stock as the 'oldest and least efficienct buildings in Europe' Mr Huhne went on to explain how every building in the UK could benefit from measures and technologies to reduce energy consumption through an energy bill charge where by the annual savings outweight any annual costs associated with that charge. Households are expected to be able to install technologies up to £10,000. Households could save up to £400 a year once the charge for the technologies has been paid off. Householders selling their property would sell the technologies and their associated annual savings as part of the house purchase price so that the new owner could benefit from the savings and the energy company charge would still be paid off. Householders will also be able to change energy supplier if they choose thus not restricting free choice.
Mr Huhne then continued with an explanation of the Energy Company Obligation or ECO. This is a replacement for the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target and Community Energy Savings Programme. Energy companies will be obliged to help 'hard to treat' properties and the ECO will be bundled with the Green Deal to ensure it is available to all.
Mr Huhne concluded by saying that Green Deal was a flagship policy which will enable the Government to deliver it.
Link to web page http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/EnBill_second/EnBill_second.aspx
