Following on from an announcement that SSE would be freezing domestic energy prices in the UK until 2016.  Today the news has been announced that the larger Energy providers in the UK the “Big Six” are to be the subject of an investigation with regard to preventing effective competition with the UK energy Markets.

British Gas, Eon, Npower, SSE, Scottish Power and EDF combine to make up the “Big 6” of energy providers who account for around 95% of the market in the UK.

The published Ofgem report does not make any accusations of the group having colluded over pricing. Ofgem have referred the case to the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) and the CMA will conduct an Read the rest of this entry »

Solar energy has huge environmental benefits so it stands to reason that commercial Solar can make a big difference, the bigger the supply of commercial Solar the larger the benefits to the environment.

Factories are huge buildings which regularly emit enormous levels of harmful, even toxic waste into the air which results in detrimental effects on our delicate planet. Switching to commercial Solar energy really can make a substantial difference to air pollution, noise pollution – there really is no need to rely on burning the dwindling supply of fossil fuels to create power – commercial Solar panels can do the job quickly, easily, effectively, cheaply and cleanly. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you considered Solar panels but thought to yourself “how can they work here? We’ve got a flat roof they won’t catch any sun”.Well did you know that a flat roof can be one of the most efficient roofs for the installation of Solar PV? Because there is no sloping angle or dominant direction the roof faces in the panels can be mounted at the correct orientation to face the sun the most and the angle can be adjusted in design to maximize Solar ray capture throughout the day. Unlike with a pitched roof system a flat roof installation can be conducted in a non penetrative way meaning, it will not require fixing to the roof through bolts etc.

A flat roof mount system is constructed of a rail grid on which a mounting system is fixed; the panels are then mounted via this system. To prevent movement via wind the system is then weighed down using a ballast system. Read the rest of this entry »

How do you go to green energy ? Where to start?

Well, there are many simple steps you and your household can make to help make the world a greener place.  Here are some ideas you can try today;

• Start washing at a cooler temperature, we don’t mean cold showers here, turn your washing machine down and then dry those clothes out in the fresh air. Most clothes can easily be washed at a lower temperature and sunshine can help to break down stubborn stains to help them fade away and give older clothes a new life. Read the rest of this entry »

According to the Government Department of Energy and Climate Change the value of a home in the north east of the UK can be increased by up to £19,000.  The reasons behind this statement are that buyers who are looking for a new home are increasingly conscious of the energy efficiency of a prospective property and are actively looking towards homes with Solar panels already installed.

If you are looking to purchase a house and for example you know that it has made good use of renewable energy solutions its relatively easy to get a good indication from the current owners about what their energy bills are like, from there you can work out your long term savings. Read the rest of this entry »

London based Solar PV generators may soon be able to sell the electricity they generate to the at an increased rate following an application for a Licence Lite by the city.  The Greater London Authority is the very first authority to apply to Ofgem for the new type of electricity supply license.   The license will initially allow the GLA to buy excess electricity produced by London’s boroughs and public bodies before able to sell it on, at cost price, to other public sector organizations such as Transport for London, the Met Police and NHS hospitals.

However, London Mayor Boris Johnson is currently actively exploring the possibility of widening the license to include private sector small energy producers as well, including Solar PV arrays. Read the rest of this entry »

Eight in ten people surveyed as part of a report published by the government support the UK using renewable energy scheme to generate electricity, fuel and heat and save money on their energy bills.

2,107 people were polled in December and January and just four per cent were opposed to using renewable energy.  This number has remained relatively consistent across the previous three surveys conducted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Solar energy was found to have the highest levels of support, with 82% favoring this type of technology, followed by offshore wind with an approval rating of 72% and wave and tidal arrays with a 71% rating. Read the rest of this entry »

MCS have announced recently that the current Feed in Tariff (FIT) rates for all non PV technology types are to remain at the same level until 31st March 2014.

It has also now been confirmed that the 15.44p / kWh rate, for eligible PV installations with a total installed capacity of 4kW or under, will apply to installations with an eligibility date on or after 1st November 2012 and before 1st July 2013.

These announcements follows Ofgem’s publication of the latest tariff tables and looks set to bring a very welcome stability to the UK renewables market this year. Read the rest of this entry »

Smart meters are the next generation of gas and electricity meters and they can offer a range of intelligent functions. For example, they can tell you how much energy you are using through a display in your home, and no one will need to come and read your meter because the smart meter can communicate that directly to your energy supplier.

There are significant opportunities for smart meters to help change how people use energy at home and help households stop wasting energy. But simply installing the meters will not, by itself,  lead to major energy savings. The changes need to be supported with policy. Read the rest of this entry »