Skip to main content

Quick Find

Observer Ethical awards Winners 2011
2009 Green Web Awards Winner!
Good Energy

YouGen Blog

Browse blog entries by tag: renewable energy

Welcome to YouGen

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th December 2008 at 5:29 pm

This is a great week for YouGen to go live, as renewable energy is high on the international agenda. On Tuesday EU leaders agreed that a fifth of Europe’s energy mix should come from renewable sources by 2020. Politicians and green campaigners alike welcomed the decision (“a ray of hope admidst …

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency


Read More | No comments

Government fails to lead on energy efficiency

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 23rd December 2008 at 2:36 pm

Energy efficiency is the main way that we can cut carbon emissions fast (also saving us money while we stay cosy and warm). So it's a big disappointment to read in this morning's Guardian that, despite the government's ambitious plans and positive rhetoric, energy efficiency in public buildings is d…

Posted in: Energy efficiency


Read More | No comments

Scots make renewable energy easier

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 23rd February 2009 at 11:06 am

Scots make renewable energy easier

The Scottish Government has made it easier for people to get renewable energy for their home following a consultation on planning reform. The aim of the consultation was to increase renewable energy generation and cut carbon emissions. The result is that anyone living in Scotland will be able to ins…

Posted in: General, Biomass, Heat pumps, Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water


Read More | No comments

Is bigger better?

Posted by Barry Nutley on 11th February 2009 at 9:38 am

Is bigger better?

Renewable energy can be a little confusing. For example, explaining to some people that doubling the size of a solar thermal system isn't necessarily a good thing, but doubling the size of a solar PV system is; doubling the size of a heat pump isn't a good idea, but doubling the size of a wind turbi…

Posted in: Rainwater harvesting


Read More | No comments

Monbiot launches war on Agas

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 13th January 2009 at 10:34 am

Monbiot launches war on Agas

Agas are the antithesis of energy efficiency and renewable energy, so when I heard on the Today programme this morning that George Monbiot has launched a war on Agas in today's Guardian a lightbulb pinged on. Why didn't I use Agas as the ultimate example of the heart winning over head in yester…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency


Read More | 2 comments

Renewable energy grants still available

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 15th January 2009 at 9:23 am

Renewable energy grants still available

Homeowners who want to install energy generating equipment such as solar panels, wind turbines or biomass boilers will be able to apply for grants until June 2010. It is anticipated that a feed-in tariff should be in place by then, which will incentivise homeowners and communities to invest in micro…

Posted in: General


Read More | 1 comment

Bring some heart into renewable energy

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th January 2009 at 4:31 pm

Bring some heart into renewable energy

I’m fascinated by the psychology of how we spend money. Is it our heads or our hearts that rule? While we probably like to think of ourselves as rational, logical human beings – and we even sometimes spend lots of time researching things to back up our beliefs – my feeling is that the he…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Microgeneration makes you feel good

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 7th January 2009 at 10:55 am

Microgeneration makes you feel good

What makes you feel good? For me, the sun is one of many things. When it pops it's head out on a cloudy day life just perks up. When it streams through my office window on a winter's afternoon, not only am I warmer, but I feel better, and I think I get more done. Watching it light up the hills as i…

Posted in: General, Solar heat & hot water


Read More | 1 comment

Rainwater harvesting: isn't it just a large water butt?

Posted by Barry Nutley on 8th January 2009 at 11:40 am

Rainwater harvesting: isn't it just a large water butt?

For many people, the idea of collecting rainwater, doesn't seem as sexy as, say, solar, and I know from personal experience, it's not a conversation for a first date. But it is just as important as solar and other renewable energy technologies. For my first blog, rather than write an essay on ra…

Posted in: Rainwater harvesting


Read More | 5 comments

Great British Refurb gets the thumbs up

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 21st April 2009 at 2:34 pm

Great British Refurb gets the thumbs up

Generating your own renewable energy, increased energy efficiency and whole-house eco-makeovers received the thumbs up from the UK public yesterday, according to new research. The survey aimed to establish what is needed for the public to take action to install renewable energy and generation and en…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency


Read More | 1 comment

Every home a low-carbon home

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 8th April 2009 at 1:55 pm

Every home a low-carbon home

Friends of the Earth reacted to Gordon Brown's promise today that he would set out measures to make Britain a world leader in producing and exporting electric cars in this month's budget with calls for investment in renewable energy. "Gordon Brown's electric dream is commendable but essent…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency


Read More | No comments

Blueprint for feed-in tariffs proposed by industry

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 30th March 2009 at 11:58 am

Blueprint for feed-in tariffs proposed by industry

The renewable energy industry presented its proposals for how feed-in tariffs could best be introduced to energy minister Mike O’Brien last week. Last year’s Energy Act outlined plans for a feed-in tariff to pay microgenerators for the electricity and heat that they produce from April 2010. The …

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Will feed in tariffs deliver for us?

Posted by Matthew Rhodes on 27th March 2009 at 7:38 am

Will feed in tariffs deliver for us?

I spent most of yesterday at a conference about feed in tariffs, the new incentive mechanism proposed for renewable energy technologies from next April (2010) to replace the existing grant regime. It was organised by the Renewable Energy Association (REA) It is encouraging to see the government …

Posted in: General


Read More | 1 comment

Calculators shed light on renewable choices

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 25th March 2009 at 11:16 am

Calculators shed light on renewable choices

Comparing costs of different renewable technologies and working out potential savings in cash and carbon has just got a whole lot easier. Encraft has developed a range of calculators that help you work out all the figures, so that you can see what's best for your house much more easily. Anyone can u…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency, Biomass, Heat pumps, Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water, Wind turbines


Read More | No comments

PV shipments grow as community grants dry up

Posted by Graham Eastwick on 18th March 2009 at 10:29 am

PV shipments grow as community grants dry up

Shipments of photovoltaic (PV) panels (solar electricity) are growing year on year at a rapid rate around the world. Much of this is driven by multi-MW PV farms or so called Solar Parks. These require large areas of land and are best suited to sunnier climes and places where land is more available. …

Posted in: Solar electricity


Read More | No comments

Stupid, or not stupid?

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 17th March 2009 at 9:20 am

Stupid, or not stupid?

I went to the premiere of The Age of Stupid on Sunday night. That's a first for me, having never been to a premiere before. But I didn't walk down the green carpet in Leicester Square - just a trip to Exeter Picture House - where we watched what was going on in London, before the simultaneous showin…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

YouGen community starts here

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 27th April 2009 at 9:52 am

YouGen community starts here

Last week a dream became reality for me. Three and a half years after I threw my hands in the air and bought a condensing gas boiler because, despite days of research, I couldn't be sure whether the various biomass boilers suppliers were trying to sell me were appropriate for my house; whether there…

Posted in: General


Read More | 1 comment

Electricity meters about to get smarter

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 13th May 2009 at 1:55 pm

Electricity meters about to get smarter

A smarter grid, more suitable for transmitting renewable energy, is a step closer with the Government’s announcement on Monday that every home in the UK must have a smart meter installed by 2020.Smart meters transmit and receive information from your electricity or gas supplier in real time. This …

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency


Read More | No comments

Planning for solar panels

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 6th March 2009 at 11:59 am

Planning for solar panels

Living in a listed building or conservation area doesn't mean that you can't have solar panels, as Anne Robbins' experience shows. You may, however, need determination and energy, and money for an appeal, if you want to leap over all the planning hurdles. Anne lives in a conservation area in Gre…

Posted in: General, Solar heat & hot water


Read More | No comments

Sustainable energy solutions recognised by Ashden Awards

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th June 2009 at 2:42 pm

Sustainable energy solutions recognised by Ashden Awards

Inspirational people combined with sustainable energy technologies makes me feel hopeful for the future, and at the Ashden Awards ceremony last night both abounded. The winners spoke humbly about their achievements, yet many of them are significantly transforming people's lives. For example the …

Posted in: General, Biomass, Solar electricity


Read More | No comments

UK renewables lag behind Europe

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 17th June 2009 at 10:53 am

UK renewables lag behind Europe

I’ve got good news and bad about the UK’s efforts at introducing renewable energy. For all the Government talk, you’d think that we’re doing quite well at generating heat and power from renewable sources. But, no, we’re not. In fact, if we compare ourselves with other European countries, o…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Renewable energy for Devon

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 21st June 2009 at 11:19 am

Renewable energy for Devon

As a Devon resident it's great news to hear that our county council has won a prestigious award for its efforts to support renewable energy and boost a green rural regeneration. Devon County Council won the second local authority prize in the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy earlier this mon…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Wood fuel supply website launched

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 3rd July 2009 at 9:32 am

Wood fuel supply website launched

Finding a wood fuel supplier just got easier – as long as you live in the south west of England – with the launch of the South West Woodshed website. Aimed at both the domestic and the business market it has information about the different types of wood fuel available, and a search function to h…

Posted in: Biomass


Read More | 1 comment

Breakthrough ideas for sustainability

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 6th July 2009 at 10:26 am

Breakthrough ideas for sustainability

Energy efficiency and renewable energy ideas featured heavily in the 19 breakthrough ways to transform the UK into a sustainable society launched by the Sustainable Development Commission last week. In the normal deluge of doom and gloom (and Andy Murray being knocked out of Wimbledon) it made a nic…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency


Read More | No comments

Pioneering renewable energy finance scheme wins award

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 8th July 2009 at 8:50 am

Pioneering renewable energy finance scheme wins award

Loan schemes and finance for energy efficiency or renewable energy schemes are thin on the ground, so it's always good to hear about a new one. It's especially good to hear about a pioneering new approach that has the potential to be replicated around the country. I recently wrote about Kirklees…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency


Read More | No comments

BBC's Freefall points to solar sales danger

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 15th July 2009 at 12:37 pm

BBC's Freefall points to solar sales danger

Dodgy salesmen, and the terrible impact they can have on their victim’s lives, was one aspect of last night’s powerful BBC drama Freefall (catch it here for a week). It took a look at the financial disaster we’re all in from three points of view: a City trader packaging up sub prime mor…

Posted in: General, Solar heat & hot water


Read More | No comments

What the renewable energy strategy and low carbon transition plan mean for your home

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 20th July 2009 at 3:01 pm

What the renewable energy strategy and low carbon transition plan mean for your home

Households are expected to make cuts in their carbon emissions of 29% by 2020 according to the Government's Low Carbon Transition Plan, announced by Ed Miliband last week (houses currently emit more than a third of the UK's carbon). This will be done through a combination of cutting the amount o…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | 2 comments

Will feed in tariffs change the market?

Posted by Matthew Rhodes on 7th August 2009 at 9:03 am

Will feed in tariffs change the market?

The announcement by the Government last month of proposed feed-in tariffs (FiTs) for renewables from next April marks a fundamental change in the way small scale renewables are incentivised in the UK, and is long overdue. There is no question that feed-in tariffs are the right mechanism to use. …

Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | No comments

Welsh ease planning rules for renewable energy

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th August 2009 at 9:40 am

Welsh ease planning rules for renewable energy

Welsh planning rules for domestic renewable energy installations have been changed to make it easier for homeowners to generate their own heat and electricity. Following Scotland's lead, the Welsh Assembly has announced new regulations which mean that some microgeneration technologies will no lon…

Posted in: General, Biomass, Combined heat & power, Heat pumps, Hydro electricity, Rainwater harvesting, Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water, Wind turbines


Read More | No comments

Feed-in tariffs are not fair to renewable energy pioneers

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 14th August 2009 at 9:17 am

Feed-in tariffs are not fair to renewable energy pioneers

Renewable energy pioneers have been dealt a dismal hand by DECC's proposed rates for the feed-in tariff. Existing microgenerators (whose installation has been accredited under the Renewable Obligation) will be automatically transferred to the feed-in tariff on a rate of 9p per kWh (kilowatt hours)…

Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | 1 comment

Existing generators angry at feed-in cuts to income

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 15th September 2009 at 8:32 am

Existing generators angry at feed-in cuts to income

Feed-in tariffs are designed to incentivise people to invest in renewable sources of energy generation. Yet, the government's proposals will give much lower rates to existing microgenerators, leading to a cut in income for many. This seems a perverse move from government. The numbers of micro wi…

Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | 6 comments

Island grid increases energy security aspect of microgeneration

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 28th September 2009 at 10:04 am

Island grid increases energy security aspect of microgeneration

Security of electricity supply is one of the main reasons that people install their own solar panels or wind turbine. However, a system that is connected to the national grid currently doesn't afford total control. The benefit of grid connection is that you can sell any excess you generate to the…

Posted in: Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | 2 comments

Scots pilot loan scheme for energy efficiency

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th October 2009 at 9:43 am

Scots pilot loan scheme for energy efficiency

Homeowners in Scotland can apply for interest free loans to improve their insulation, replace inefficient boilers or install small scale renewables thanks to a new government pilot scheme. The £2m Energy Saving Scotland home loans scheme is being administered by the Energy Saving Trust in Scotla…

Posted in: Energy efficiency


Read More | No comments

Green party promises best finance scheme for microgeneration

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th November 2009 at 11:59 am

Green party promises best finance scheme for microgeneration

Proper insulation for every home and interest-free loans for domestic renewable energy are just some of the policies promised by the Green party if they win the next election. While it would be expensive, says Paula Black, Totnes councillor, and prospective Green Party parliamentary candidate for Ex…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | No comments

Feed-in rate announcement may be delayed

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th November 2009 at 4:07 pm

Feed-in rate announcement may be delayed

The much awaited results of the consultation on feed-in tariffs may take a little longer than hoped. Internal wrangling between government departments is to blame according to the Guardian, and it's not clear when we're going to find out. Ed Milliband had apparently hoped to have the policy i…

Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | 5 comments

What will 2010 bring for microgeneration?

Posted by Matthew Rhodes on 18th January 2010 at 9:39 am

What will 2010 bring for microgeneration?

I have a growing feeling that 2010 will mark a watershed in the development of microgeneration in the UK . The introduction of feed-in tariffs (FiTs) from April marks a sea change in established attitudes to small scale renewables, and a very belated attempt by the UK to catch up with the rest of…

Posted in: General


Read More | 1 comment

Public wants ambitious support for microgeneration

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 28th January 2010 at 9:32 am

Public wants ambitious support for microgeneration

Renewable energy in homes, communities and businesses got a public vote of confidence this week, but needs ambitious goals and support from government to succeed. A new survey found that people are prepared to pay higher energy bills to support a stronger feed-in tariff. Two thirds of the pop…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | No comments

Renewable energy is coming to a supermarket near you

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 1st March 2010 at 10:31 am

Renewable energy is coming to a supermarket near you

"I'm just popping down to Tesco for a solar panel" doesn't sound right somehow. Maybe it's just me, but I not sure that the entry of the supermarkets into the renewable energy market is a good thing.  Sainsbury is first out of the starting gates. It opened Home Energy Centres in three of its…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency, Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water


Read More | 6 comments

Warm homes, greener homes: the government's vision for 2020

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 3rd March 2010 at 9:32 pm

Warm homes, greener homes: the government's vision for 2020

Reduced energy use, savings on energy bills and more comfortable homes in cold weather are the benefits claimed by government of its household energy management strategy, Warm Homes, Greener Homes launched on Tuesday at Ecobuild by Ed Miliband. Its aims are that: Every home, where practic…

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency


Read More | No comments

Barriers to microgeneration part 2: finance

Posted by on 31st May 2010 at 9:37 pm

Barriers to microgeneration part 2: finance

Initial capital outlay is a major barrier to installing microgeneration systems, whatever someone's motivation. Renewable energy installations can cost from £4,000 to £25,000. Access to sums of capital of this size is not realistic for most UK homeowners. So how do we get around this? Especiall…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Ashden Award winner an inspiration for community energy schemes

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 2nd July 2010 at 12:12 pm

Ashden Award winner an inspiration for community energy schemes

Energy use on the Isle of Eigg is half the national average and carbon emissions have fallen by 47% since the islanders switched to renewable energy. The islanders' pioneering approach has won them the 2010 UK Ashden Award, and you can watch the video case study here. Until Febuary 2008 each …

Posted in: Energy efficiency, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines


Read More | No comments

Scottish home renewables grants expected to close in 3 weeks

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 5th July 2010 at 10:01 am

Scottish home renewables grants expected to close in 3 weeks

Scottish householders are being urged to snap up grants for home renewables before the cash runs out. Grants are still available for 30% of the cost, up to a maximum of £4,000 for heating technologies like wood pellet boilers, heat pumps or solar water heating. (The LCBP grants in England is alread…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Feed-in tariffs: make sure your installer is accredited

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th September 2010 at 8:53 am

Feed-in tariffs: make sure your installer is accredited

Feed-in tariffs are only available if you are installing an MCS accredited product and using an MCS accredited installer. There's no margin for error on this, so it's worth checking that this is the case before going ahead with an installation. Without the feed-in tariff the return on your investmen…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity


Read More | 1 comment

New installer training centre planned for Devon

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 13th December 2010 at 10:24 am

New installer training centre planned for Devon

  Renewable energy installers of the future are going to have a great place to learn at a new development at Bicton College in East Devon. A couple of weeks ago, I had a tour of the site of Bicton EaRTH (Environmental and Renewable Technologies Hub) site and was impressed by the detail t…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Access to finance is a major barrier to microgeneration

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 18th January 2011 at 9:58 am

Access to finance is a major barrier to microgeneration

Access to finance for renewable energy installations is a critical barrier for consumers, especially those for whom renewable heat would have the most benefits in reducing fuel poverty, according to research published by Consumer Focus Scotland.  In its report Power at Home, published in Nov…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Interest-free loans available for renewable energy in Scotland

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th March 2011 at 8:33 am

Interest-free loans available for renewable energy in Scotland

Scotland is leading the game when it comes to UK investment in renewable energy, and last Friday it demonstrated that again. Energy minister Jim Mather announced that people living north of the border can apply for interest-free loans of up to £2,000 each, to help install a range of renewable energ…

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Is your council blocking your solar PV installation?

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th May 2011 at 11:05 am

Is your council blocking your solar PV installation?

A new campaign is calling for local councils to stop making it difficult for householders to install renewable energy. Government policy says that in most cases domestic renewable energy installations are permitted development. Yet this isn't stopping councils like Eden Valley in Cumbria from ma…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity


Read More | 12 comments

How to use an air source heat pump to heat your hot water

Posted by John W Lightfoot on 20th July 2011 at 11:32 am

How to use an air source heat pump to heat your hot water

Q: Can you use air source heat pumps for heating domestic hot water? A: If you are reading this and looking for a quick answer, it's yes! For those of you who would like a little more information here we go... Just because you can use a heat pump, should you? Well, of cours…

Posted in: Heat pumps


Read More | 3 comments

How to maintain and service your ground source heat pump

Posted by John Barker-Brown on 3rd August 2011 at 9:03 am

How to maintain and service your ground source heat pump

The Government's microgeneration strategy states: "More work is required on understanding the durability of microgeneration installations, including their key components. We want consumers to be aware, at least in general terms, of the minimum requirements for aftercare service and maintenance for e…

Posted in: Heat pumps


Read More | 4 comments

Using an air source heat pump with an existing heating system: 5 key things to consider

Posted by John W Lightfoot on 15th August 2011 at 9:24 am

Using an air source heat pump with an existing heating system: 5 key things to consider

I’ve tried below to give an overview of whether you could consider using your existing heating system without going into too much technical hype! (Hope I’ve succeeded – let me know!). The guidance below will give you some pointers as to whether it is worth considering, but of course your l…

Posted in: Heat pumps


Read More | No comments

What to expect from your biomass boiler

Posted by HETAS on 19th August 2011 at 9:27 am

What to expect from your biomass boiler

Biomass has an important role to play in the generation of heat for domestic users, according to the Microgeneration Strategy published by the department for energy and climate change (DECC) in June. It also highlighted the universal requirement for a greater understanding of the ‘durability of m…

Posted in: Biomass


Read More | 1 comment

Your experience of small scale renewable energy is needed

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 13th September 2011 at 8:32 am

Your experience of small scale renewable energy is needed

Have you installed small scale renewable energy such as solar panels or a wind turbine in the past 18 months? If so, Consumer Focus would like to hear how it went for you. Consumer Focus will use the findings of its research to feed into the government's consultation on the future of the feed-in …

Posted in: General


Read More | No comments

Auto control enables use of solar PV for immersion heater

Posted by Chris Rudge on 16th September 2011 at 10:38 am

Auto control enables use of solar PV for immersion heater

Chris's previous article on how to use excess solar generated electricity in the home generated so much interest that he has written a follow up that goes into more detail about about the control he has built to use solar-generated electricity to heat water. One of the side issues of the Feed…

Posted in: Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water


Read More | 31 comments

How to know if your roof is sound enough for solar panels

Posted by Chris Rudge on 19th September 2011 at 3:29 am

How to know if your roof is sound enough for solar panels

Q: I've built a few houses and know how important it is to have calculations for roof trusses, considering the weight and "sail" potential of PV (I'm considering a 3.99kw 21 panel Schuco system in excess of £10k). Who takes responsibility if this lot blows off or you get some structural damage? The…

Posted in: Solar electricity


Read More | 4 comments

How SAP ratings are used to measure the annual efficiency of a biomass boiler

Posted by HETAS on 23rd September 2011 at 10:15 am

How SAP ratings are used to measure the annual efficiency of a biomass boiler

Q: I understand that biomass boilers come with SAP ratings to measure annual efficiency. Please can you explain what an SAP rating is and how effective it is as a measure of efficiency. A: What is SAP? Standard Assessment Procedure (more commonly known as SAP), is a home energy rating that i…

Posted in: Biomass


Read More | 4 comments

Can solar panels improve the efficiency of your ground source heat pump?

Posted by John Barker-Brown on 3rd October 2011 at 5:05 am

Can solar panels improve the efficiency of your ground source heat pump?

There is a growing interest in using solar panels to deposit heat within the ground during the summer periods and then using a ground source heat pump to extract this deposited heat during the winter. These systems are commonly called inter-seasonal storage systems and can usually be classed as:- …

Posted in: Heat pumps, Solar heat & hot water


Read More | 5 comments

Solar PV tiles: the pros and cons explained

Posted by Paul Hutchens on 14th October 2011 at 9:06 am

Solar PV tiles: the pros and cons explained

Q: We are currently in the planning process to build our own house and have lots of questions regarding the use of solar roof tiles. 1. Do you generate as much electricity with these roof tiles with the equivalent amount of panel space ? 2. I have noticed you can have panels that heat water an…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity


Read More | No comments

Solar Thermal - a guide to life expectancy and maintenance

Posted by Gabriel Wondrausch on 7th November 2011 at 4:15 am

Solar Thermal - a guide to life expectancy and maintenance

The UK will see a huge increase in solar hot water (solar thermal) installations, with the recent announcement on the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). When you’re investing in a new technology, you want to be sure that it’s going to be reliable and not over-costly in terms of maintenance and repa…

Posted in: Solar heat & hot water


Read More | 2 comments

Feed in Tariffs- The new landscape

Posted by David Hunt on 11th November 2011 at 5:05 pm

So the dust is settling on a truly manic few weeks. From rumour and leaks to the final announcement, we now know what the new Feed in Tariff (FIT) regime will be. Of course there is ongoing lobbying and campaigning to fight the depth of the tariff cut, and we’ll be playing our part in that cam…

Posted in: pending


Read More | No comments

Do I need to clean my solar panels to maintain efficiency?

Posted by Chris Rudge on 17th November 2011 at 7:33 am

Do I need to clean my solar panels to maintain efficiency?

Q: Research seems to suggest that solar PV panels are not especially durable and suffer from failure. Even if they lasted 25 years of time (and I have not seen one company offering the domestic user anything like that length of guarantee), I have read that they deteriorate in efficiency and nee…

Posted in: Solar electricity


Read More | 2 comments

Four major reasons to join in the mass lobby of Parliament on changes to the Feed-in Tariff

Posted by Howard Johns on 17th November 2011 at 9:08 pm

Four major reasons to join in the mass lobby of Parliament on changes to the Feed-in Tariff

Now we have all got over the shock of the announcement of potential changes to the feed-in tariff (FIT) some people in the industry are saying we should just get on and make the 21p work. In many ways if that was what the plan really was I would agree, but having sat in the Ministerial Roundta…

Posted in: Solar electricity


Read More | 3 comments

Just another day in the Commons - where we merrily destroy the PV sector with spin

Posted by Howard Johns on 29th November 2011 at 9:31 am

Just another day in the Commons -  where we merrily destroy the PV sector with spin

Anyone working in the solar industry will have been appalled,  dismayed and almost certainly angered to watch the debate on their future and the feed in tariff that took place in the House of Commons. I was sat in the viewing gallery watching and despite the best efforts of Caroline Flint and m…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity


Read More | No comments

£30m of new funding for energy efficiency in communities and public sector

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 8th December 2011 at 9:13 am

£30m of new funding for energy efficiency in communities and public sector

The good news: there's £10m worth of funding for local communities to use to assess the potential for energy efficiency and local renewable energy generation. The bad news is that the deadlines for applications are tight, and the work must be finished by the end of March 2012. There is also £20…

Posted in: General


Read More | 1 comment

Using range cookers and wood burning stoves with a back boiler to heat your home

Posted by HETAS on 4th January 2012 at 11:29 am

Using range cookers and wood burning stoves with a back boiler to heat your home

There are several ways of using biomass to heat the home. I recently blogged about independent biomass boilers that run on pellets, wood chip and logs. However, there are two other noteworthy ways of using a biomass fuel source in conjunction with a central heating system. Although these appli…

Posted in: Biomass


Read More | No comments

Get the best out of your renewable energy system: make sure your installer tells you how

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 30th January 2012 at 9:18 am

Get the best out of your renewable energy system: make sure your installer tells you how

Renewable energy installers are failing to help consumers understand the value of their system or how to get the best out of it (and thus maximise the return on their investment). Research by Consumer Focus and the Energy Saving Trust found that while value for money is more of an influence on ch…

Posted in: General


Read More | 5 comments