Solar Water Heating
Do you want to generate your own electricity, and get paid to do it?
Under the Feed in Tariff scheme, energy suppliers have to make regular payments to householders and communities who generate their own electricity from renewable or low carbon sources such as solar electricity panels or wind turbines.
This makes the payback time for renewable technology shorter than ever before, and you could even make some extra money for yourself.
Once your renewable energy is installed by an accredited installer, you notify an energy company, who will then install one or more meters to measure how much electricity you produce. You then provide meter readings at regular intervals and your chosen energy company will pay you the feed in tariff rate for every unit of electricity you have produced – whether you have used it yourself or exported it to the national grid.
Some companies will offer to pay for the installation of the renewable technology in return for a share of the feed in tariff in future years, allowing you to enjoy clean, green energy without having to pay the up-front cost of the installation.
The government is planning to introduce a similar scheme in 2011 for renewable heat generation, such as ground source heat pumps, solar thermal panels and biomass boilers.
Most types of renewable energy do not need planning permission, but this may be different depending on the type of installation and whether you live in a conservation area. You should check with the council’s planning department. Call 01423 556666.
Visit the Energy Saving Trust or call the advice centre for detailed information on the schemes. Call 0800 512012
Essential Steps
- Make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible
- Decide what kind of renewable energy is suitable
- Shop around for the best price from the list of MCS approved installers
- Find out if you need planning permission or not and arrange for the work to be done
- When it’s done, contact an energy supplier to arrange for the tariff payments to be made