improving and decorating your home

Size of installation Approx cost of PV Approx electricity units per year (kWh)
kW
Sqm
1 10 £7000 - £8000 760
1.5 15 £10,500 - £12,000 1140
2 20 £14,000 - £16,000 1520
2.5 25 £17,000 - £20,000 1900
Source: Solar Century Ltd. www.solarcentury.co.uk/content.jsp?sectno=4&subno=9
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Available area: The more surface
area available, the greater the power
potential. For a grid-connected
system the minimum required area
is approximately 10m 2 .
Planning permission: PV roofs do
not usually require planning per
mission unless the building is listed
or in a conservation area. However
you should always call your council
to check on local policy.
Benefits
The key benefits of a solar roof are:
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Your own clean power source
that helps reduce global warming.
Reduces your electricity bills,
since daylight is free.
Increases the value of your
property.
Extremely low maintanance, with
long functional lifetime of 30 years
or more.
High reliability.
Silent in operation and visually
unobtrusive.
The solar meter tends to increase
your awareness of electricity use,
and encourages more energy
efficient behaviour.
(Opposite right) This house in Richmond, was
sold at over £10,000 extra compared to similar
houses in the area as it had a PV roof.
Further information on
Solar Energy
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Solar Century is one of a number
of companies specialising in
installing PV systems,
www.solarcentury.co.uk
Sustainable Energy Action:
www.sustainable-energy.org.uk
The British Photovoltaic
Association: www.pv-uk.org.uk
For information on photovoltaic and
solar water heating, and a list of
suppliers,
www.greenenergy.org.uk/sta
Energy Efficiency Advice Centre:
You can get free, impartial advice
on solar energy and other aspects
of energy use in your home by
contacting your local Energy
Efficiency Advice Centre (EEAC)
on 020 8683 6655. Energy
Efficiency Installer can tell you
about grants and offers available in
your area if you want to take action.
Solar Trade Assn:
Tel 01908 442290,website address:
wwwgreenenergy.org.uk/sta/
email: enquiries@solartradesassociation.org.uk
Solar Energy Society:
email: uk-ises@brookes.ac.uk,
website:http://www.thesolarline.com
Lighting & Appliances
Light bulbs
Although they may look simple things,
today’s bulbs contain complex, everevolving
technology. Energy efficient
ones are particularly clever. They are
able to produce light using a fraction
of the electricity usually needed -
energy bills can be cut by up to £10 a
year per bulb. They also help the
environment by demanding less
energy from the power stations that
pump damaging greenhouse gases
into the atmosphere.
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In most homes, lighting accounts
for around 10-15 per cent of the
electricity bill. So it is worth your
while switching off when you leave
the room. We can cut wastage and
bills by turning off any lights - even
fluorescent strip bulbs.
Adjust your curtains or blinds to let
in as much light as possible during
the day.
Take a look around your home and
decide where the best place for
energy saving light bulbs are.
Where do you have your lights on
most often and for the longest
period? If you have outdoor security
lights that are on for several hours
at a time, these could be good
candidates. Other high-usage areas
could be hallways, landings and
childrens’ bedrooms. Note: Energy
saving bulbs don’t work with
electronic sensors, dimmers and
timers. So always check your
manufacturer’s instructions first.
Energy saving lightbulbs come in a
variety of shapes and sizes - as
well as bayonet and screw fittings.
HOUSEHOLDERS GUIDE 33