Many of you may know that I helped initiate the Eco Island Vision working alongside the CEO and others within the Council to fuel the fires of sustainability on the Isle of Wight and move us towards energy self sufficiency by 2020. With an interest in the Eco Island Conference and having played a large part in the Big Green Picnic I was able to see first-hand how motivated Island residents are to “do the right thing” and commit to renewable energy solutions.
I was so inspired with the Eco Island vision that I have embarked on a whole programme of renewable energy installation at my home. With Solar PV already installed and plans to install Solar Thermal, a Bio-Mass boiler, rainwater harvesting and under-floor heating I hope to be effectively energy self sufficient by the end of 2009. There has been a great deal of talk about what is best and how we as an Island might take steps towards improved sustainability but I decided it was time for individual action and that it was better to just to put a foot forward on the basis that action speaks louder than words. As my plans for energy self sufficiency take shape I hear talk of the grid not being able to cope with demand in years to come and energy prices rising astronomically which further fueled my conviction that I was doing the right thing. I was not alone in my quest as Dame Ellen MacArthur (Eco-Island Ambassador) was also embarking on a similar project and we have progressed together (even getting our Solar PV installed at the same time to save carbon miles on a ferry trip for the installers) albeit with slightly differing energy solutions due to our differing locations. You can join us in making the Island a GREENER place and make your personal commitment to helping to turn the Eco Island Vision into reality.
THE PERFECT LOCATION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR HOME/BUSINESS
Summerfield Eco-Village Partnership in Birmingham where they fitted over 300 homes with Solar Thermal which is helping families (many of whom are on low income) generate up to 60% of their household hot water requirements. The project also included an Eco Office and 6 Eco Homes which demonstrate what can be achieved when modernizing existing homes. New World Solar beat fierce competition for the top slot in the UK for renewable energy installation making them your best choice for your energy solution.
“Having conducted research over a period of 18-months – visiting endless Eco Shows and conducting searches on the web – I selected New World Solar Installations for my system requirements. With a combination of some of the best equipment on the market at affordable prices they offered the best combination of service and experience of anyone in the UK.”
NEW WORLD SOLAR
BRITAINS NO.1. FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLATIONS
New World Solar specialize in a full range of renewable energy solutions. With experts who can advise you on what energy solution is the best for your particular location and with installers who meet the very highest standards of professionalism and customer service you are assured the very best in technology and performance.
- Solar Thermal - can provide enough energy for 60% of your hot water needs per annum.
- Solar Photo Voltaic - a typical 2kW installation can produce up to 2,000 kWH a year.
- Bio-Mass boilers - new condensing boilers which can use a range of alternative fuels.
- Ground Source Heat Pump - that uses the latent heat of the earth with a pump/heat exchange mechanism to heat your water
- Air Source Heat Pump - that use the differential temperature in the air as a heat source.
- Thermal Insulation - loft and cavity wall insulation, two of the first essentials for an energy efficient house.
- Rain water harvesting - providing you with rainwater for flushing toilets, washing cars/watering the garden.
- Grey water treatment systems - an alternative to mains drains for out of reach locations.
- Light tunnels - to help channel more light into your home saving on electricity.
- Under-floor heating - one of the very best ways to heat your home.
THE POWER OF NATURE, IN YOUR HOME AND BUSINESS
Many homes/businesses will benefit from a combination of renewable energy technologies to achieve the ideal energy solution. Your level of commitment to the Eco Island concept and being self-sustainable will be the measure of how far you are prepared to go with this BUT anything you do represents a
commitment to our collective effort and will make a difference. I cannot believe how good I feel on a sunny day to see generation figures in excess of what I am using registering up on my Solar PV meter. I really feel I am doing the right thing.
At the moment the government is supporting renewable energy installations in a big way. With a simple online application to the Energy Saving Trust (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk) quoting your energy installer and the system specification that you are fitting you can secure up to £2,500 in grant aid for a Solar PV Installation (or £900 for a Ground Source Heat pump or £400 for Solar Thermal).
IN ADDITION TO THAT…. The electricity companies (because they have to meet a certain quotient of energy
produced from renewable sources) are paying up to 15p per unit for 50% of all the energy you generate (if you have a generator meter) or 100% of all that you export to the grid (if you have an export meter fitted) irrespective of how much of the energy you generate you actually use yourself.
IN ADDTION TO THAT…. The electricity companies are prepared to buy your ROC’s off you which equate to another £35 for every 1,000 kWH of energy you produce (a typical Solar PV installation may generate 2,000 kWH per year).
AND AS IF THAT WASN’T ENOUGH…. The government is now talking about introducing “Feed-in Tariffs” which will ultimately replace the grants (but if you get in before the switch you should be able to receive both) which may pay you between 35p - 50p for every unit of electricity you export. This may bring the recovery time on the capital cost of installing Solar PV (for example) down to under 8 years and as the panels are guaranteed for 25 years you will see cost recovery in
record time.
WHATEVER your motivation for fitting renewable energy … whether it is a desire to save the planet or a simple matter of long term economies the next year looks like being the sweet spot in the cost/benefit equation. The efficiency of renewable energy systems has increased dramatically over the years and the cost of oil/gas/electricity seems destined to rise in the future as resources become scarce so the benefits of such an installation are only going to improve with the years. You can be at the front of the curve in the introduction of a new scheme of things and help the IOW fulfill its Eco Island vision.
ONE LAST SCARY THOUGHT…. it is well known in the energy community that “lights may go out in the UK by 2015” … with demand rising steadily every year, the fact that even if they committed to nuclear power they could not bring it online before 2020 and the planners reluctance to allow new coal/oil fired stations “in their back yard” means that we will reach a critical point with energy within the next decade ….
WILL YOU BE READY ??
What to do if you are interested in the possibility of renewable energy solutions:
Contact David Green of 3greenlights.com and he can arrange a visit from a qualified New World Solar Installation specialist who can advise you on the best renewable energy solution for your home/ business. Alternatively you might like to visit his home – the “GreenHouse” in Cowes – which has all the makings of an Eco Dwelling and provides a working example of some of the technology in action.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO INVEST IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
Eco Island and New World Solar
PRESS RELEASE ... PRESS RELEASE ... PRESS RELEASE .....
INDUSTRY LEADERS … NEW WORLD SOLAR GET ONBOARD WITH “ECO ISLAND” …
NEW WORLD SOLAR have just won a National Energy Award in the Public sector category for their groundbreaking work as part of the Summerfield Eco-Village Project, in Birmingham. The project saw them install more than 250 Solar Hot Water systems and create 6-Eco Houses as part of a Family Housing Association project, along with Urban Living and Birmingham City Council. In the wake of their triumph they have committed to Eco Island as the next region they wish to support with the roll-out of renewable energy solutions.
NEW WORLD SOLAR bring with them a wealth of technical expertise, the newest technology and vast experience in the sector. They come armed with the latest news on grant aid and a real determination to provide the best renewable energy solution for each installation. They provide everything from “ground source” heat and “air” pumps / Solar PV / Solar Thermal / hot water accumulators / biomass boilers / home insulation / rainwater recycling and grey water treatment systems / under-floor heating and can recommend and install the best solution for your home / business / public building.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME to consider fitting renewable energy. There are concerns throughout the energy industry and the power generators of the possibility of the lights going out in the UK in 2015! With the pending decommissioning of many existing Nuclear Power Stations, the lack of new Coal / gas / oil fired ones being built and the overall increase in demand it is likely that the grid will not be able to cope within the next decade. Add this to the increasing cost of carbon fuels and the obvious impact that all this has on the environment and you can be sure that many more people will be turning to renewable energy solutions in the years to come. Added to this the IOW benefits from more sunshine hours than almost anywhere else in Britain so if it is Solar PV or Solar Thermal you are considering there really is no better place to be living than here.
THERE IS GOOD NEWS ON FUNDING AS WELL … the power companies need to produce up to 10% of their quotas from renewable sources and they, and the government, are so keen to encourage people to generate their own that they are constantly ramping up the rewards to those who install renewable energy solutions. At present many electricity companies are paying up to 15p for every unit of electricity you export to the grid ( or 50% of everything you generate if you don’t have an export meter ) and the government are providing grants of up to £2,500 for Solar PV, £900 for a ground source heat pump and £400 for Solar Thermal. For those who are responsible for public buildings there are grants for up to 50% of the installation cost but at the moment these will only be available until mid-2009. Even better news is on the horizon … as the government has just introduced the concept of Feed-In Tariffs to be introduced in 2010 and beyond which may pay between 35p and 50p for every unit of electricity generated – bringing cost recovery on the installation of your system down significantly. It won’t be long before many of us are seeing reductions in our fuel bills as a result of repayments for micro-generation while at the same time feeling good about the positive contribution we are making to the environment.
WHETHER YOU ARE COMMITTED TO SAVING THE PLANET OR NOT … now may be the time to make the commitment to renewable energies. There can be no doubt that the energy situation in the UK is only likely to get worse. Costs are predicted to rise, demand is likely to increase and the earth’s resources are only going to diminish – it may not seem like it but installing renewable energies to your home / business might be the smartest thing you can do to safeguard your future on this planet. In doing so you will be making your personal contribution to the Eco Island Vision and helping to move us all towards being the first sustainable region in the UK by 2020.
Anyone interested in fitting Renewable Energy Solutions or who would like a FREE home survey from one of the experts at New World Solar should contact David Green of 3greenlights.com
To find out more about New World Solar go to: www.newworldsolar.co.uk
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