Solar energy news and articles

Community Project in Lewes Installs 445 Solar Panels on Roof of Brewery

By Sunhive | January 8th, 2012

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/3151070927/ ©Ewan Munro

The Transition initiativein Lewes raised more than £350,000 in July to build their own community-owned solar power station, the first of its kind. The 98 kW solar array consists of 445 solar PV panels and was fitted to the top of a local brewery, Harvey’s. The money was raised in just two months by local residents and 250 shareholders and the power station is expected to cut £6,000 from the company’s annual electricity bill, producing power equivalent to 50 average residential rooftop installations.

Ovesco is the community-owned energy company from Lewes behind the project, which was headed by their sole employee, Chris Rowland.

They managed to finish the project in time to take advantage of government feed-in-tariffs for large solar projects which have now been cut to only apply to installations under 50W. Rowland says it would not have been possible to do without the feed-in-tariff.

Unfortunately, now even small-scale feed-in-tariffs are under threat, with likely reductions due to come in to force early next year. See if you are eligible for free solar panels today, before it is too late.

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Listed Cinema to be Knocked Down for Eco-Office Buildings

By Sunhive | January 6th, 2012

Soon this site will have a building using solar energy

source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominicspics/1127905779/ © Dominic Alves

Councillors in Brighton and Hove have recently announced that the grade II listed Astoria cinema at Gloucester Place will be demolished in order to build the most energy efficient offices in Brighton.

The new building will score ‘excellent’ on the national eco-rating and will maximise the use of passive solar heating, like the Jubilee Library. It will have natural ventilation through a ‘chimney’ effect and have an ‘earth duct’ in the basement which will circulate hot or cold air according to need. Rain and waste water will be used to flush the toilets.

The cinema has been declared a building of special interest due to its large auditorium and interior decoration; however there have been no viable plans submitted to be able to pay for the estimated £3.5m renovation costs. The building has been empty since 1996 when it was used as a Bingo hall.

While the conservation of historical buildings is very important, and their loss is a great shame, this news is promising in terms of the council’s acknowledgement of our need for more sustainable buildings. However we cannot afford to entirely replace all inefficient buildings so we must also eco-renovating and retrofitting existing building stock. Fortunately we are able to offer homeowners the opportunity to make their homes more environmentally friendly at no extra cost with our offer of free solar panels.

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The Solar Boom is Here

By Sunhive | January 4th, 2012

2011 has seen a massive rise in the solar PV markets, both in the UK and globally. There are now 2,400 MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme)registered installers in the UK and 50,000 PV installations. The installation rate is now increasing by an average of 5000 (12%) per month. In June 2010 there were just 2,708 PV installations in the UK, showing how the vast majority of this growth has taken place just this year. By June 2011 the figure had shot up to a huge 42,515 installations (a rise of 1400%).

An important consequence of the booming solar industry has been the creation of more badly needed jobs and a vital boost to the economy. In 2010, 2,500 jobs were created from the success of solar PV with a further 10,000 predicted to be created by April 2012. The prospects are still set to look better with another 15,000 extra solar jobs predicted for 2014 and a massive 50,000 by 2015 (these figures are however assuming there is little change in subsidies, a subject we shall address in a further article). The overall economic benefits of solar PV have been calculated in Spain as providing 3 Euros for the economy for every 1 Euro invested in solar PV, which you could reasonably expect to be not too different for the UK.

What these facts and figures mean for the potential consumer is that it is clear that solar PV is establishing itself as a useful, viable and popular technology. We have addressed in previous articles common misconceptions about PV such as it being inappropriate for English weather, inefficient, short-lived or producing toxic waste. Now the huge rise in the uptake of PV let the practical and economic benefits speak for themselves.

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Blackfriars Bridge to Have a Solar Makeover

By Sunhive | January 4th, 2012

The solar panels will stretch the whole length of Blackfriars Bridge.

Source: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/16833 © Stuart Taylor

New plans have been approved for Blackfriars Bridge in London to fit 4,400 solar panels across the roof of the station. The panels cover in total, will be 6000 m2 London’s largest solar array and the world’s largest solar bridge. The bridge is estimated by the company overseeing it, Solarcentury, to produce 900,000kWh per year which will supply half of the station’s energy needs and reduce its carbon footprint by 511 tonnes of CO2 per year. The solar array will cost £7.3m to build and is funded by the Department of Transport’s environment and safety fund.

Solarcentury’s chief executive, Derry Newman says this installation will be a landmark demonstration of how solar energy works and an important step towards a clean energy future.

The only other known solar bridge is in Brisbane, Australia, the Kurilpa footbridge. There have also been 16,000 solar panels fitted on top of a train tunnel in Belgium which produce enough power to run all the trains in the country for one day a year.

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MP Caroline Lucas Speaks Out On UK Pollution Problem

By LaylaR | July 14th, 2011

Green MP Caroline Lucas on the UK pollution problem

Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton and Hove has made an appeal this week for more to be done about the ignored issue of pollution in the UK. She condemned the government for continued inaction, despite a law suit being filed against us by the Europ ean Commission. Lucas revealed we are in the midst of a hidden health crisis with 1000s of immature deaths happening each year as a result of pollution. Health problems include asthma, lung capacity reduction and heart attacks. Professor Frank Kelly of the environmental research group in King’s College London has reinforced her claims, stating that that 3000 people died from pollution in 2008 and an average individual’s life will be shortened by 3 years.

While the main focus of Lucas‘ concern was with vehicle emissions, The British Lung Foundation has warned that while car fumes may seem the most obvious source of pollution, there are also other dangers of which we are not so aware. One such danger is that posed by emissions from fossil fuel power stations, especially coal. Currently 2 thirds of our electricity in the UK comes from coal and gas power and there are 19 coal power stations in the UK.

The main pollutant is carbon dioxide, a dangerous greenhouse gas causing global warming, with thousands of tons pumped into the atmosphere each year from coal power stations. A further problem is the release of sulphur dioxide an acid pollutant which forms ‘acid air’ which when breathed in causes a narrowing of the airways, wheezing and coughing. It is especially dangerous for asthmatics and young children. When S02 subsequently falls as acid rain it can then be very harmful for plants and trees. Not only is the pollution caused by emissions from the power stations a problem but further emissions are caused from lorries delivering the coal and there are severe health hazards to coal miners including emphysema and black lung disease, or pneumoconiosis.

While to cut vehicle emissions we are urged to cut back on the use of our cars, is it possible for individuals to take action and cut back on the use of fossil fuel power stations? Find out if you are eligible for free solar panels and you can significantly cut your fuel bills as well.

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British Gas Raise Prices Yet Again

By LaylaR | July 11th, 2011

An Excellent Time to Start Thinking About Free Solar Panels

Free solar panels could stopmounting energy prices from leaving us with nothing.

British Gas announced today that they would be raising their prices again, in addition to the 7% increase that happened in December. The price hike, which will take effect on the 18^th August, will put electricity up by 16% and gas by 18%. Overall it has been predicted that prices could go up by as much as 24% with a minimum increase of 12%. Household bills are now forecasted to increase by up to £200 per year as a result.

Taking into account the price increase in December, British Gas have now raised their prices by 25% in the past 12 months, the first double price increase in a single year since prices peaked in 2008. Wholesale prices have risen by 30% over the winter however and British Gas have actually made a loss over the past 2 months. They have still made significant profits over the year. British Gas are not the first of ‘the big 6′ to make a price increase this time around; Sottish Power recently announced a 19% rise in gas prices and 10% increase in electricity. It is expected that others will soon follow.

British Gas owners Centrica blame a volatile energy market and instability in the Middle East for the rising prices as does energy secretary Chris Huhne who sees this news as a prime justification to work harder to reduce Britian’s “fossil fuel addiction”. Ann Robinson, consumer policy director of price comparison website Uswitch claims that the ‘days of cheap energy are over’ and we need to start thinking about what do do about it now, rather than when prices have already gone through the roof. One good option to take, as well as increasing the energy efficiency of your home, would be to see if your house is eligible for free solar panels as the more energy prices rise, the more money you will be saving.

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Alternatives to installing solar panels

By Sunhive | June 15th, 2011

Is it not possible to fit solar panels to your home? Fortunately there are still options for using renewable energy. These include using green energy companies such as Good Energy and Ecotricity or taking advantage of the green tariffs offered by companies such as British Gas.

Good Energy is the UK’s only electricity company that uses 100% renewable energy. They source their energy from over 2000 independent suppliers up and down the country. The electricity is made up of a combination of wind, solar, water power and biofuels. The tariffs are more expensive by an average of £1 per week because as the supply is variable it must be managed on a day to day basis.

Ecotricity do manage to price match the ‘Big 6′ regional energy suppliers such as British Gas but they do this by using a mix of around 50% brown and green energy. They do however invest their profits in building more renewable energy generators. Ecotricity get their green energy from wind, solar and water power and are building the UK’s first solar farm which they expect to have running by April.

British Gas have two green energy tariffs- Future Energy and Future Energy Plus. With Future Energy, the electricity comes from ‘green sources’ and some bill payments are put towards green energy initiatives. Future Energy Plus covers gas as well as electricity and offsets the carbon produced by gas emissions.

If you want to find out what the fuel mix is of your current supplier, a list of companies and their sources can be found at http://www.electricityinfo.org/suppliers.php. With all of these options, there are not only price considerations but also the ethics of each company, where your money is going and the overall impact on the environment of the work they do.

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How to get the most value out of your solar panels?

By Sunhive | June 10th, 2011

Once you have had your solar panels fitted, what will be the next thing you will need to start thinking about? An important thing, especially if you have opted for free solar panels scheme, is to match up your household’s demand for electricity when the supply is most abundant, i.e. during sunlight hours. This is not always easy if you are out at work in the day but there are things you can do to maximise the value of having your solar panels.

The recommended time period to use power hungry items is from 10am to 3pm as this is when the sun is strongest. If you are out during this time, having washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers with a delay start function is extremely useful. For other devices such as computers, battery chargers or dehumidifiers that you can leave running during the day, timers can be used to switch them on and off when you need. Electric showers also take up a lot of power so should be used during the day if possible.

Of course, during the night you will still need to draw power from the grid so it is always wise to try and minimise your electricity usage overall. One good way to achieve this is to buy products with certification such as the Energy Saving Trust Recommended mark or EU energy label. Some other tips for general energy saving include turning devices off at the plug rather than leaving them on standby, not letting frost build up in your freezer, and only using as much water in the kettle as you need.

or more ideas on how to save electricity, see the following websites:

http://www.electricity-guide.org.uk/tips.html

http://www.uk-energy-saving.com/energy_saving_tips.html

http://www.energysavingadvice.co.uk/energy-saving-tips/energy-saving-tips.php

http://www.whatprice.co.uk/environmental/energy-saving-tips.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6076658.stm

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Energy consumed vs energy produced by solar PV panels

By Sunhive | June 4th, 2011

It is commonly believed that a major problem with solar panels is that they consume such a significant amount of energy in their manufacture that the energy they produce is negligible in comparison. So how much energy does it take to make a solar panel and is it still worth it considering how much energy they can be expected to produce?

According to a study in 2000 by Knapp and Jester, it takes around 5600kWh per kWp in the manufacture of monocrystalline panels. It must be considered however that this figure may vary according to the scale of production, larger batch sizes resulting in greater efficiency. This is divided roughly in half between material production and processing. While energy expenditure in such things as labour and transportation were not included in calculations it was concluded that these were relatively insignificant.

Considering that in Sussex solar panels can be expected to produce 900kWh per kWp in a year then in just over 6 years the panels will have produced the same amount of energy as it took to make them. Monocrystalline panels have a minimum life expectancy of 20 years and can last for over 50. If we then assume an average life of 35 years we will have the result that solar panels will in fact produce around five times the energy it takes to make them.

Sources

http://solarbus.org/documents/pvpayback.pdf

http://www.energyfits.co.uk/solar-pv-feed-in-tariff-calculator.html#anchor

http://www.solarpowerfast.com/build-solar-panel/monocrystalline-solar-panels/

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Thermal or Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels

By Sunhive | May 30th, 2011

Of the two different types of solar panel on the market, thermal (for hot water) and photovoltaic or PV (for electricity) how can a householder choose which is best?

Currently a feed-in tariff (FIT) exists in the UK for PV panels where the government will pay up to 43.3p per kWh of electricity produced, depending on the type of house and panel. This enables schemes such as the one offered by Sunhive to be set up where householders can have PV panels fitted for free which is paid for by the return from the FIT. A similar FIT scheme for thermal panels is due to be set up from April 2011 with the government paying 18.3p per kWh of energy produced.

An average 2kWp PV system can cost around £8,000 and needs 16m2 of space. This produces around 1800kWh of electricity per year in Sussex, making £745 from the FIT. Assuming that 50% this is used, a further £27 can be made from selling the excess back to the grid at 3p per kWh with a saving of around £117 in bill reductions. This then makes the financial gain of PV panels roughly £890 per year. The amount of carbon saved yearly equates to around 1.35 tons.

Thermal panels can cost around £4,800 for a 3.4m2 panel and will produce about 1750kWh per year, making an initial payout of £320 and with a further £68 reduction on heating bills. The financial gain from using thermal panels will then be around £388 per year. The amount of carbon saved amounts to roughly 1.1 tons.

The figures given here are calculated based on averages and actual results will differ according to a household’s particular heat and electricity requirements as well as the type and location of their panels. For more detailed information please consult the list of sources below.

Sources

http://www.solaruk.net/solarpv/feedintariffs.asp

http://www.energyfits.co.uk/solar-pv-feed-in-tariff-calculator.html#anchor

http://www.solaruk.net/solarheating/RHI-return-on-investment.asp

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Solar-electricity#Howdophotovoltaic%28PV%29cellswork

http://www.carbonify.com/carbon-calculator.htm

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Solar-water-heating#Howdosolarwaterheatingsystemswork?

http://www.solar-trade.org.uk/solarHeating/efficiency.cfm

http://www.energysavingsecrets.co.uk/should-i-use-solar-thermal-solar-pv-system.html

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