Consumers will have to pay hundreds of pounds more on their electricity bills in future because the Government has failed to invest enough in cheap alternative sources like wind and solar power, the Royal Society has warned.
The UK Government has committed to cutting greenhouse gases by 80 per cent by 2050 to tackle climate change. Most of the cuts will have to come from switching from fossil fuels such as oil and coal to renewable energy sources like the wind or waves.
However a new report by the Royal Society has found a “disappointing rate of progress” on new technology such as offshore wind turbines, solar panels and biofuels.
The document by the country’s leading scientists said the UK will have to invest billions more in developing new technologies as well as building a new generation of nuclear power stations and investing in “clean coal”. The bill is most likely to be paid by energy companies through a system of incentives and taxes.
Professor John Shepherd, lead author of the report, said ultimately consumers will end up paying.
“We have to be prepared to pay more for energy as a whole than we have been used to in order to avoid the side effects on the environment and have cleaner sources of energy in the future,” he said.
Lord Turner, the Government’s adviser on climate change, has already warned that electricity bills may have to rise by around £500 per annum over the next decade.
Prof Shepherd said it was likely to cost the consumer hundreds of pounds every year. However he said the cost could be even greater if the UK continues to rely on fossil fuels as the cost of oil and coal continues to rise.
“Would a few per cent on your electricity bills really be too much to pay for a sustainable energy future?” he asked. “I do not think it would.”
Prof Shepherd also said the UK will have to invest in nuclear despite safety concerns. Britain’s nuclear watchdog recently admitted there were more than 1,750 leaks, breakdowns or other “events” over the past seven years.
Again Prof Shepherd said the Government has failed to invest in the technology but the industry could be developed by employing more engineers and experts from abroad.
Coal will also have to be used in the future despite concerns about the carbon emissions through investing in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. The Royal Society are calling for any new power stations to capture 90 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions by 2020 – much tougher than the Government’s “disappointing” current policy.
However in the long run Prof Shepherd, a climate scientist at Southampton University, said the UK must rely on renewables like solar and wind.
“For the sake of future generations we cannot afford to wait until our climate is changed dramatically or the oil runs out before we end our dependency on fossil fuels,” he warned.
Ed Miliband, the energy and climate change minister, said the UK will be setting out a vision for renewables in a white paper due to be revealed next month.
“We have identified ways to tackle the challenges – we will need a mix of renewables, clean fossil fuels and nuclear and we’re already making world leading progress in those areas,” he said.
Source - The Telegraph
Showing posts with label electricity bills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label electricity bills. Show all posts
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Solar panels are helping us to save money
Solar panels are helping to not only save a Worcester family money but earn them some extra cash as well.
The Jenkins household is reaping the benefits of having 16 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels installed on the south- facing roof of their home in Hillery Road, Spetchley.
Dad Matthew Jenkins reckons the family save at least £400 every year on their electricity bills.
He said: “When it’s sunny, like it kind of is at the moment, the panels generate electricity. Even on a cloudy day we get a bit.
“On a sunny day we get quite a lot and if we generate more than we’re actually using we export that back onto the national grid.
“We actually get paid for that and get a fair bit of money for it.”
Mr Jenkins, a website designer who runs his business from home, said he used money from his redundancy at Kays to help pay for the PV panels which cost £15,500.
The panels absorb energy from the sun and a converter fitted in the loft of the semi-detached home turns that into electricity that can be used to power lighting and everyday items such as kettles, irons, computers and televisions.
The panels have generated more than 6,160 kw/h since they were installed in October 2006. Mr Jenkins said while it could take up to 20 years before the panels actually pay for themselves it has helped to ease a lot of financial worry for the family.
“It will take quite a long time to get the money back but it’s a long-term investment,” he said. “If the cost of electricity goes up it doesn’t affect us and we will probably get paid more for any extra we generate.
“We don’t have to worry about whether electricity bills are going to go up.”
Mr Jenkins, who lives with his wife Mitra and sons Harrison, aged six, and Anton, three, said the panels have also turned their house into a talking point. “Our road is quite quiet and not many people go past but when they do we often see a few people looking up and pointing at the roof because they look different to other types of panels,” he said.
Mr Jenkins, who recently became a member of the Green Party, is now urging other people to think about installing solar panels on their homes to make Worcester a more environmentally-friendly city.
He said he would be willing to meet people interested in learning more about the PV panels.
He has even set up a website mitrajenkins.org.uk, which records how much energy the solar panels produce every month.
Source - Berrows Journal
The Jenkins household is reaping the benefits of having 16 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels installed on the south- facing roof of their home in Hillery Road, Spetchley.
Dad Matthew Jenkins reckons the family save at least £400 every year on their electricity bills.
He said: “When it’s sunny, like it kind of is at the moment, the panels generate electricity. Even on a cloudy day we get a bit.
“On a sunny day we get quite a lot and if we generate more than we’re actually using we export that back onto the national grid.
“We actually get paid for that and get a fair bit of money for it.”
Mr Jenkins, a website designer who runs his business from home, said he used money from his redundancy at Kays to help pay for the PV panels which cost £15,500.
The panels absorb energy from the sun and a converter fitted in the loft of the semi-detached home turns that into electricity that can be used to power lighting and everyday items such as kettles, irons, computers and televisions.
The panels have generated more than 6,160 kw/h since they were installed in October 2006. Mr Jenkins said while it could take up to 20 years before the panels actually pay for themselves it has helped to ease a lot of financial worry for the family.
“It will take quite a long time to get the money back but it’s a long-term investment,” he said. “If the cost of electricity goes up it doesn’t affect us and we will probably get paid more for any extra we generate.
“We don’t have to worry about whether electricity bills are going to go up.”
Mr Jenkins, who lives with his wife Mitra and sons Harrison, aged six, and Anton, three, said the panels have also turned their house into a talking point. “Our road is quite quiet and not many people go past but when they do we often see a few people looking up and pointing at the roof because they look different to other types of panels,” he said.
Mr Jenkins, who recently became a member of the Green Party, is now urging other people to think about installing solar panels on their homes to make Worcester a more environmentally-friendly city.
He said he would be willing to meet people interested in learning more about the PV panels.
He has even set up a website mitrajenkins.org.uk, which records how much energy the solar panels produce every month.
Source - Berrows Journal
Monday, 26 January 2009
SunRun Helps Homeowners Go Solar With New, Flexible Plans
SunRun has announced two new flexible payment options that will make residential solar more accessible to homeowners. SunRun offers a simple and affordable alternative to purchasing or renting a home solar system.
All SunRun customers receive comprehensive maintenance, repairs and insurance through its Full System Management offerings, which remove the complexity and risk of going solar.
With the introduction of the SunRun Power Plan and SunRun Total Solar, SunRun gives its customers additional flexibility on how they can pay for their solar service with the new SunRun Power Plan opening up SunRun's trusted solar service to more homeowners through a low upfront payment option.
Both SunRun Power Plan and SunRun Total Solar offer immediate savings on monthly electricity bills.
SunRun Power Plan: This plan offers customers who may have ruled out home solar due to high upfront costs new access: homeowners can pay as little as $2,000 upfront for solar service, with financing options available. Following the initial payment, the homeowner enjoys a fixed, low rate for his/her solar electricity.
SunRun Total Solar: This plan allows customers to pay for their solar electricity entirely upfront. Homeowners often choose this option over purchasing a system because they don't want to deal with the hassles of ownership and maintenance. SunRun Total Solar also allows customers to get the value of the Federal Incentive Tax Credit (ITC) immediately, rather than waiting up to twelve months or more to receive it.
"When my wife and I first looked into going solar, the original bid we received was far too much for what we were looking to spend at the time," said Chris Jordan, Camarillo resident and SunRun customer.
"When we were approached by a SunRun sales representative shortly thereafter, he showed us an affordable new service option that we couldn't refuse. Before we got our SunRun Power Plan we paid an average of $300 a month for electricity from SCE.
"Last month our SunRun bill was $74.98 and our SCE electricity bill was $1.10. The savings speak for themselves, and we never have to worry about our solar panels because SunRun takes care of everything."
"Our new flexible payment options are in line with SunRun's longstanding approach to providing homeowners long-term, affordable and hassle-free solar," said Nat Kreamer, president and co-founder of SunRun.
"Going solar is part of a thoughtful and considerate process, and we have found that SunRun's customers are responsible homeowners who want to reduce electricity costs without making any significant lifestyle changes.
"We're making home solar accessible to everyone who wants to reduce their energy costs and make a smart and reliable investment, regardless of how much they can pay upfront."
Source - Solardaily
All SunRun customers receive comprehensive maintenance, repairs and insurance through its Full System Management offerings, which remove the complexity and risk of going solar.
With the introduction of the SunRun Power Plan and SunRun Total Solar, SunRun gives its customers additional flexibility on how they can pay for their solar service with the new SunRun Power Plan opening up SunRun's trusted solar service to more homeowners through a low upfront payment option.
Both SunRun Power Plan and SunRun Total Solar offer immediate savings on monthly electricity bills.
SunRun Power Plan: This plan offers customers who may have ruled out home solar due to high upfront costs new access: homeowners can pay as little as $2,000 upfront for solar service, with financing options available. Following the initial payment, the homeowner enjoys a fixed, low rate for his/her solar electricity.
SunRun Total Solar: This plan allows customers to pay for their solar electricity entirely upfront. Homeowners often choose this option over purchasing a system because they don't want to deal with the hassles of ownership and maintenance. SunRun Total Solar also allows customers to get the value of the Federal Incentive Tax Credit (ITC) immediately, rather than waiting up to twelve months or more to receive it.
"When my wife and I first looked into going solar, the original bid we received was far too much for what we were looking to spend at the time," said Chris Jordan, Camarillo resident and SunRun customer.
"When we were approached by a SunRun sales representative shortly thereafter, he showed us an affordable new service option that we couldn't refuse. Before we got our SunRun Power Plan we paid an average of $300 a month for electricity from SCE.
"Last month our SunRun bill was $74.98 and our SCE electricity bill was $1.10. The savings speak for themselves, and we never have to worry about our solar panels because SunRun takes care of everything."
"Our new flexible payment options are in line with SunRun's longstanding approach to providing homeowners long-term, affordable and hassle-free solar," said Nat Kreamer, president and co-founder of SunRun.
"Going solar is part of a thoughtful and considerate process, and we have found that SunRun's customers are responsible homeowners who want to reduce electricity costs without making any significant lifestyle changes.
"We're making home solar accessible to everyone who wants to reduce their energy costs and make a smart and reliable investment, regardless of how much they can pay upfront."
Source - Solardaily
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