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on December 15th, 2011% ![]()
David WichnerARIZONA DAILY STARDecember 13, 2011
It wasn’t exactly a chamber-of-commerce day in Tucson as a key U.S. Energy Department official visited on Monday to talk solar energy with local researchers and industry folks.
But despite the rain and gloom outside, Ramamoorthy Ramesh delivered a message of hope and urgency in a meeting at the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park.
Ramesh is director of the DOE’s Sunshot Initiative program, which aims to cut the unsubsidized, installed cost of solar energy by 75 percent – to about $1 per watt – by the end of the decade.
It’s going to be tough to beat China and other Asian competitors in the solar market on the price of solar modules, as China in particular is pouring money into solar manufacturing, Ramesh said.
He noted that the state-run China Development Bank Corp. has committed $30 billion in loans to back solar energy companies, mainly silicon photovoltaics (PV) manufacturers. Such subsidies have been cited as unfair in a pending trade complaint by U.S. solar companies.
“We’re not just fighting companies: We’re fighting countries,” said Ramesh, who is on leave as a professor at the University of California-Berkeley. “This is now a global competitiveness issue – we can’t give that away.”
But it’s well worth the effort, and new technologies in such areas as installation and energy storage hold promise to set the U.S. industry apart, Ramesh said during a roundtable with local solar researchers, industry leaders and UA officials.
In September, the DOE announced the award of more than $145 million to companies, labs and universities for about 45 research projects on subjects including advancing solar cell efficiency, grid integration, next-generation photovoltaics and so-called “balance of system” costs – such as mounting structures, labor, cables, engineering and combiner boxes.
None of the awards were to researchers in Arizona, but Ramesh said his office is preparing to solicit proposals for new awards for balance-of-system research that might be right in the wheelhouse of local researchers.
During the discussion, Ramesh was told of local solar research, including the Solar Zone, a 225-acre technology demonstration area at the UA tech park.
The zone has two PV arrays with five more planned, and a project to study compressed-air and advanced battery storage technologies. the effort is being funded and conducted by the UA’s Arizona Research Institute for Solar Energy, local solar manufacturer Solon Corp. and Tucson Electric Power co.
Ramesh said his office plans to issue a solicitation for funding of storage projects in January.
The agency also will look to fund projects on cutting “non-hardware” balance-of-system costs, such as government permitting, he said, adding that he’d like to see standard, “plug-and-play” solar systems.
The balance-of-system cost-cutting approach resonated at the meeting.
Solon research chief bill Richardson noted that the company recently launched a commercial rooftop PV panel system with an integrated mount made from a wood composite, cutting installation costs by 85 percent.
Urs Schoop, chief technology for thin-film PV maker Tucson-based Global Solar Energy inc., said his company’s new flexible stick-on PV panels for the building-integrated commercial market are a good example of cutting balance-of-system costs.
Ramesh didn’t get to see the Solar Zone because of the rain, but he was favorably impressed by Monday’s visit, which was set up by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ office.
“It’s great. I think the UA and the tech park are doing a fantastic job,” he said.
“No one person has the resources to do this, so you need partnerships.”
Editor’s note: For more information on space available in the Solar Zone or UA Tech Park, contact PICOR’s Peter Douglas or UA’s John Grabo.
Read more: azstarnet.com/business/local/tucson-tech-cost-cutting-technologies-can-help-u-s-compete/article_eda428ca-85c7-5453-96f5-1b03c2cdac5a.html#ixzz1gWYLF9ui
on December 15th, 2011% ![]() Home » Business» Energy Loading… Published: 12/7/2011 – Updated: 1 week ago BY CLAUDIA BOYD-BARRETTBLADE STAFF WRITER
Toledo’s credentials as a solar-energy hub are in for a substantial boost over the next two years.
Two international energy companies have plans to install a giant solar-energy field on top of capped landfills in North Toledo next to I-75. the project would generate enough electricity to power as many as 7,000 homes and would be the largest solar-energy installation in the city.
The two companies — Atlanta-based OCI Solar Power and Boston-headquartered CME Energy — are partners in the project and would invest an estimated $20 million, CME representative Jeffrey Ruggiero said. They plan to build the solar field on about 80 acres of the city-owned Dura and Tyler landfill sites, located close to Chrysler’s Toledo Assembly complex.
Mr. Ruggiero said the solar field would be “huge,” generating between five and seven megawatts of energy a year. Each megawatt is enough to power about 1,000 homes, he said. by contrast, another solar field at the City of Toledo’s water treatment plant generates just one megawatt a year, environmental services commissioner Tim Murphy said.
Drivers along I-75 would be able to see the solar field, which is expected to be completed in 2013.
“It’ll be very dramatic,” mr. Murphy said. “This is a great opportunity for the city.”
CME and OCI, who as a partnership have named themselves OCI Solar Toledo City LLC, would lease the landfills from the City of Toledo for just more than $20,000 a year. Precise details of the project have yet to be worked out, but mr. Murphy said it’s possible Toledo Public Power, a municipal power utility, would buy the energy generated from the field and resell it. End users of the power could be local residents or businesses, he added.
Although they invest in other kinds of energy plants, CME and OCI are focused on solar because the price of panels has declined and capital is cheap, mr. Ruggiero explained.
The companies also see a market for solar power in Ohio because of the state’s renewable energy law. That law mandates Ohio utilities find 12.5 percent of their power from renewable sources such as solar and wind by 2025.
Mr. Ruggiero said he identified Toledo for the solar-field project because he is familiar with the city. CME and OCI plan to contract with area solar firms to supply components for the project and local labor will be used for construction, he said, providing a potential boost to the local economy.
Old landfills make good sites for solar projects because the land cannot be used for much else and is therefore inexpensive, mr. Ruggiero said. Landfills also tend to be located in urban areas close to where the power is needed, he said.
Mayor Mike Bell said Tuesday the project makes sense on several angles.
“It’s a very positive use of the land and from the standpoint of renewable energy and creating great green initiatives,” he said. “It’s land that we couldn’t do anything else with, so it’s nice that we’ve found something positive to do on that piece of property that will help our community.”
Councilman Joe McNamara, a proponent of solar power, also championed the project. he said it’s another step toward reducing the use of fossil fuels, makes good use of space, and could contribute to economic development in Toledo.
“It’s a very exciting project for many reasons,” he said.
Contact Claudia Boyd-Barrett at: cbarrett@theblade.com or 419-724-6272.
STORY:201112070072 Solar-energy field envisioned toledoblade.com/Energy/2011/12/07/Solar-energy-field-envisioned.html -1 Loading…
on December 13th, 2011% ![]()
RAYNHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Munro Distributing Company Inc., a leading supplier of clean energy solutions and electrical supplies, announced the launch of a new product line and the immediate availability of U.S.-manufactured SolarWorld Sunmodule™ solar panels. Munro’s solar division, which facilitates residential and commercial solar electric and thermal systems, has leveraged its expertise and market presence to form a strategic distribution alliance with SolarWorld, the largest and most experienced U.S. solar manufacturer.
“this partnership joins SolarWorld’s 35-plus years of solar-manufacturing experience with Munro’s decades of expertise supplying electrical products in new England”
“Partnering with SolarWorld is consistent with our goal to assist customers in choosing the best components for their projects in order to minimize costs, while ensuring maximum system production,” said Glenn Maltais, Vice President Market Development and Sustainability. “By promoting American- made modules as an integral part of our product line, we are doing our part to support the US solar manufacturing market.”
Sunmodules™ are available in both mono-and polycrystalline in a wide range of sizes, making them suitable for all applications – from a residential rooftop to a large-scale facility. With plus sorting, SolarWorld only delivers modules that are factory-tested to meet or exceed their name plate power rating – even after initial light-induced degradation. Now available at Munro’s locations throughout new England, Sunmodules™ come with a 25-year linear performance guarantee and a 10-year product workmanship warranty.
“This partnership joins SolarWorld’s 35-plus years of solar-manufacturing experience with Munro’s decades of expertise supplying electrical products in new England,” said Kevin Kilkelly, president of SolarWorld Americas. “Key distribution partners, like Munro, offer our installers access to local knowledge and relationships along with SolarWorld’s trusted, American-made product.”
Munro’s renewable energy professionals are available to assist novice and experienced solar patrons through value-add services designed to meet a wide range of needs. Munro provides contractors with a host of services relating to system design, installation, product selection, federal grants, state rebates and energy efficiency. for more information, visit munrodistributing.com.
About Munro Distributing
Munro Distributing Company Inc. is a forward-thinking distributor of clean energy solutions and electrical supplies. for 6 decades and 3 generations, Munro has leveraged its experience and buying power to deliver quality products and value-add services. they have locations throughout MA, RI, NY, NJ and CA. munrodistributing.com
on December 11th, 2011% ![]()
Grants for home solar systems are ending soon…
For the past couple years, the U.S government has offered federal grants amounting to 30% of the total installation value of a new solar system*, wind generator* or other renewable energy system. But is all that about to end?
Probably. The Federal Grant for Renewable Energy is not set to be renewed at the end of this year. Quietly and discreetly, no one has mentioned it. It appears that if you have not started your installation, then tough luck to you.
For most of us that leaves us with only two options: either get moving or miss out… your home renewable energy system has to be “started” by the end of this year in order to qualify for the grant.
If you want to get started you can take a look at our information on solar grants for your home to begin the application process.
Recently we have been asked if it is worthwhile to actually borrow money to install a renewable energy system, just to take advantage of the 30% grants. Jane and I have always been proponents of debt free living and feel that it is very important to extend that thinking into everything we do.
Installing solar panels or a wind generator on your property is about independence: about being free of the power company (at least for off-grid installations). Why would you want to enslave yourself to the bank with another mortgage, or second mortgage to save money in other parts of your life?
There have been times when we have been tempted to borrow to make our plans move ahead a little faster… so tempted at times. And we have succumbed to those temptations on two occasions. Each time we wished we had waited…
Please feel free to disregard this, though: it is up to you and your family. But from personal experience (16 years worth), we have seen various installations built on borrowed money. In over 90% of those cases, the family was not better off; the money simply went to a different source. The savings slipped right through their fingers, leaving a bad taste in their mouth. Or worse, creating a feeling that renewable energy was not the answer to their energy needs, when really it was the decision-making process.
Start with good decisions for your family. Discuss them in detail. You have time. Why pay for mistakes that could have been corrected before they were implemented.
If it is your time to have renewable energy, AND your family is fortunate enough to be able to do this without borrowing money, then we say go for it.
If not, discuss your options carefully. after all, missing out on a 30% grant is not the end of the world, but borrowing money that perhaps in a year you can’t pay back because of a change in your life could hurt a lot.
Jane and I will help you in any way we can with your decision, and when you are ready we will even help you with free system design help.
Thinking about trying to take advantage of this grant? Check out our listings of solar technology… including solar panels, grid-tie systems, and inverters.
on December 8th, 2011% ![]() By Dawn WotapkaKB Home
Builder KB Home is turning to rooftop solar panels to brighten home sales.
The company this week made solar power systems standard across most of its Southern California division, the company?s largest that includes Los Angeles and San Diego and boom-to-bust Riverside County. KB Home, one of the nation?s largest builders, hopes the offering, which it says can reduce monthly power bills by more than half, will stand out in a market brimming with bargain-priced foreclosed homes.
As we?ve reported, builders have spent the last few years rolling out one environmental feature after another, only to be disappointed that buyers haven’t shown great interest. Buyers are far more concerned about location and price and are largely unwilling to pay extra for features that may be hard to understand and difficult to value. Consumers might be willing to cough up a few grand for granite countertops, but a super-efficient HVAC system won?t likely make the cut.
Same goes for solar panels. few people ?know what a photovoltaic panel really is,? says Steve Ruffner, president of KB Home?s Southern California division. ?Solar can get real technical ? it will put a lot of people to sleep.? (For the record, a photovoltaic panel is simply the panel of the roof.)
This lack of consumer understanding is something KB Home came across this year as it tested the solar program in 10 California communities. the company decided to downplay the environmental aspects, make the panels standard and play up the cost savings they offer over new and existing homes.
Consumers seemed to get it: Sales in the 10 test communities were 30% higher than in areas where they weren?t offered. the company wouldn?t give specific sales numbers, but in this environment, where new home sales are expected to come in at the lowest number on record and few consumers can actually qualify for a mortgage, any sales increase is an accomplishment.
The panels ? each community comes with a set number of rooftop panels, but customers can pay for more – use sunlight to generate electricity. this unused electricity is sold back to the grid, reducing the home owner?s electricity bill. KB Home says home owners can save about $2,000 each year.
Ashly Gage purchased a KB Home that came with a six-panel solar energy system this summer. the power bill in a rented townhome was near $400 ? which we assume includes plenty of air conditioning. but, according to the Press-Enterprise, the first power bill in her 2,200-square-foot Eastvale home was $132. Mr. Ruffner says he?s seen monthly bills as low 11 bucks.
KB Home declined to say how much the panels cost, but Mr. Ruffner says the company got a good deal because it purchased in bulk. the offering raises the home?s price slightly, though the builder maintains its price tags remain competitive.
So, is there any chance of KB Home making solar panels standard on rooftops nationwide? ?I wouldn?t go that far right now,? says spokesman Craig LeMessurier. (It is an option in other divisions.)
Still, don?t count out coast-to-coast panelization. As Mr. Ruffner points out, ?a lot of stuff that?s new starts in California.?
Follow Dawn on Twitter @dwotapka
on December 7th, 2011% ![]()
You want the best value for your money, and knowing all the facts about solar energy is the best way forward. Whether you’re looking for a whole home electricity or heating installation or a portable power supply for camping, it’s better to know what’s a great deal and what’s not. Let’s take a look at some more solar energy facts:
- the energy yield of a 1 kilowatt solar power system is approximately equal to the burning of 170 lbs of coal and 300 lbs of CO2 being discharged into the atmosphere.
- at the closing of 2005, the entire global peak power production of installed solar panels was near 5,300 MW.
- the world’s biggest solar electric system was claimed by Germany. Their 10 MW Bavaria Solarpark covers 25 hectares with over 57,000 photovoltaic panels. the new Arnstein solar electric plant in Bavaria is now claiming to be the greatest. It provides 12 MW of energy to about 3,500 households from over 1,400 movable solar panels. However, in the Mojave Desert in North America is the world’s largest solar energy plant. It covers 1000 acres of solar reflectors. An amazing ninety percent of the world’s presently commercially produced solar power is produced there.
- Africa’s Sahara desert, presuming 15% efficient solar cells, could produce more than 450 TW annually. Current yearly worldwide energy consumption, including fossil and renewable sources is about 13 TW.
- Approximately one-half of global output of solar panels is consumed by Japan. Their purpose is for the most part grid linked residential applications.
- Israel is constructing a 100 MW solar power plant. It should provide more than 200,000 homes with electricity. There are advanced plans for a further 500 MW solar power plant. this would make Israel a solar energy leader.
- Establishing that solar power isn’t only for hotter climates, the British have decked out Manchester’s biggest building, the CIS Tower, with solar panels. in 2005 it began pumping energy into their national energy grid.
- Solar energy can play a huge role in the transportation industry. the 3000+ KM Australian Darwin-Adelaide yearly car race for solar-powered vehicles leads solar research. It draws in multinational competition and is making lots of headway in the field. in the first race in 1987, the racer’s average speed was 67 km/hr. By 2005 it was 103 km/hr. Speed isn’t necessarily the most crucial aspect of solar energy, but to the solar transportation industry it is. Car exhausts are a leading cause of global warming.
- the human being ecological footprint is huge, some countries bigger than others. There are approximately 2 billion global citizens with no electricity whatsoever. To these people, the facts about solar energy are that they can’t just hit a switch to turn it on and are often engulfed in poverty. By contrast, America accounts for over 25% of global energy consumption, but only 5% of the global population.
- Shell has forecasted that 50% of the world’s electrical energy will come from renewable sources by 2040. Shell will also unite in a monumental renewable energy development project backed up by the UAE. Numerous industrial heavyweights will join, such as British Petroleum, Total, Occidental Petroleum Corp, General Electric, Rolls Royce, Fiat and Mitsubishi.
- the facts about solar energy are not only about technology. the fact is the acceptance of solar energy alone isn’t going to give rise to a sustainable Earth. without a larger passion of favorable human being fundamental interaction it will still be a frigid, and unsustainable, world.
Are these enough facts about solar energy for you? of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. To learn more solar energy facts, go to squidoo.com/solarcabin.
on December 7th, 2011% ![]()
It is not everyday high school students become enthused about a guided tour of the roof, but at Delta Secondary, students recently had ample reason to get excited about a trip to the top of their school.
Delta school district energy manager Jim White visited the school to show the environment club the solar panels installed on the roof. these panels were installed last year to provide a solar hot water heating system for the school.
Although contributing just a small percentage to the overall hot water system, the educational benefits of having students monitor the system are invaluable. the solar hot water system can be monitored online and is incorporated into classroom work. Students learn about clean, solar energy as a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The solar panel initiative is of great interest to the Delta Secondary environment club, which has a mandate of finding and implementing sustainable initiatives in the Ladner high school. the group is taking part in B.C. Hydro’s Energy Ambassadors program, which empowers students to take action with regards to energy conservation.
A partnership between secondary school teams, school districts and B.C. Hydro, the Energy Ambassadors program focuses on awareness, action and leadership. Student teams identify areas where conservation and sustainable actions could be implemented, and then take action to do so in their school as well as in surrounding elementary schools.
Last year, all of Delta’s seven high schools took part. Delta, Seaquam and Burnsview all installed solar panels thanks to grants from Solar B.C., Natural Resources Canada and Fortis B.C.
Above and beyond the solar panels, Delta and Seaquam really stood out in their conservation efforts. Delta, among other initiatives, received a $6,000 grant from the Delta school district to install low energy lights in the school foyer and outdoor areas, initiated a soft plastic recycling program and created a centennial garden to teach students about gardening and the importance of sustainable food growth.
Seaquam, just to name a few projects, was involved with preserving local streams, reducing paper in classrooms, organizing lights-out days and presenting environmental initiatives to elementary schools.
Due to their efforts, both Delta and Seaquam were recently awarded a $1,000 grant from B.C. Hydro to help with their future endeavors. Seaquam will be installing a second water bottle refilling station at their school and Delta is considering doing the same.
Each secondary school had a water bottle refilling station installed at the beginning of this school year. it is estimated this initiative is preventing 1,000 to 2,000 water bottles each month from entering the landfill.
Four of Delta’s high schools are taking part in the Energy Ambassadors program again this year. Delta Secondary students recently made a presentation regarding conservation efforts to Ladner Elementary. the presentation was interactive with energy conservation trivia and tips as well as relay games for the entire school.
© Copyright (c) Delta Optimist
on December 4th, 2011% ![]() December 03, 2011, 9:08 PM EST
By William McQuillen and Zachary Tracer
Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) — the U.S. International Trade Commission took the first step toward imposing added tariffs on Chinese solar imports, saying subsidies for the products harm equipment makers such as SolarWorld AG.
the trade panel voted unanimously in Washington yesterday in a preliminary ruling on the petition by Bonn-based SolarWorld calling for antidumping and countervailing duties. the commission will now proceed with a full investigation.
“It’s an incremental step, but it is a major step forward,” Gordon Brinser, the president of SolarWorld’s U.S. unit, said in a Dec. 1 interview anticipating the vote. “the ITC is saying there’s harm or a threat of injury.”
the Chinese government uses cash grants, raw-materials discounts, preferential loans, tax incentives and currency manipulation to boost exports of solar cells, according to SolarWorld’s Oct. 19 complaint to the trade commission and the U.S. Commerce Department. SolarWorld, a maker of solar modules, is seeking duties to offset the practices.
the ITC is examining possible economic harm to SolarWorld from Chinese imports, while the department determines the penalty for Chinese companies that illegally dump products. the department may decide on preliminary remedies as early as January 12.
Tariffs may raise the cost of modules by 10 percent, Aaron Chew, a senior analyst at new York-based Maxim Group LLC, said in a research note yesterday.
SolarWorld and six other companies that haven’t been publicly identified, have requested tariffs of 100 percent, saying Chinese solar manufacturers benefit from unfair government support.
the U.S. group asked the federal government to slap duties on more than $1 billion of Chinese imports.
Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter yesterday to President Barack Obama urging an investigation into the Chinese imports, which they say don’t fairly compete with domestic products.
Imports of Chinese solar products have more than quadrupled from 2008 to 2010, lawmakers said in the letter. Chinese imports control half the market, benefiting from government-provided loans, cheap land, tax breaks and an undervalued currency, the lawmakers, including Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, and Representative Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said.
Representatives of Chinese companies told the commission Nov. 8 that tariffs sought by U.S. competitors would make it more difficult to expand the use of renewable energy. China and the U.S. are among nations encouraging use of alternative energy sources, driving costs down across the board, so it would be unfair to penalize China, they told the panel.
China responded to the initial probe by saying it would begin its own investigation into American state support for renewable energy. China’s Ministry of Commerce will consider the stimulus programs of the states of Washington, Massachusetts, Ohio and California, and two others in new Jersey, it said Nov. 25.
SolarWorld said Sept. 2 that it was cutting almost 200 jobs at its facility in Camarillo, California. Solyndra LLC, a California maker of solar panels that received $535 million in U.S. loan guarantees, blamed cheap Chinese imports for its collapse. Solyndra filed for bankruptcy on Sept. 6.
“There’s a serious concern going forward with the current situation,” Brinser said. “SolarWorld is a strong company, but others in the industry are struggling.”
Attorneys for Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. and Trina Solar Ltd., two of the biggest China-based makers of crystalline silicon panels, told the trade commission Nov. 8 that added tariffs would increase the cost of solar panels, which would then be passed on to the consumer.
Chinese solar manufacturers have said they may shift manufacturing to other countries to avoid tariffs if they’re imposed.
Executives at four of China’s biggest solar-panel makers have said they don’t receive special treatment from the Chinese government and that they pay higher interest rates for loans than U.S. or European competitors.
SolarWorld has said that China’s rapid growth in solar products is possible only with government support as it seeks to push out U.S. competitors by selling products for less than cost.
“if they continue at the rate they are going, it’s not a sustainable situation,” Brinser said.
China provided $30 billion in credit to its biggest solar manufacturers last year, about 20 times the amount provided by the U.S., Jonathan Silver, executive director of the Energy Department’s loan program, told a congressional panel Sept. 14. Silver resigned on Oct. 6.
first Solar Inc., based in Tempe, Arizona, and SunPower Corp., based in San Jose, California, may benefit from higher sales prices stemming from the tariffs, Ahmar Zaman, an analyst at Minneapolis-based Piper Jaffray Companies Inc., wrote in a Dec. 1 research note.
first Solar isn’t involved in the ITC case, spokeswoman Melanie Friedman wrote in an e-mail yesterday. SunPower is neutral, Chief Executive Officer Thomas Werner said in a Nov. 30 presentation at the Baird clean Technology Conference.
–Editors: Judy Pasternak, Larry Liebert
To contact the reporters on this story: William McQuillen in Washington at ; Zachary Tracer in new York at
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Larry Liebert at ; Reed Landberg at
on December 4th, 2011% ![]()
The idea of a fighting force showing cleantech savvy seems to make heads spin (if the comments are any indication), but for better or for worse the U.S. might just be our best proving ground for new technologies. and a whole bunch more are about to get play, with the Department of Defense (DOD) 27 new projects that will be demoed in the current fiscal year as part of the Installation Energy Test Bed initiative.
The Pentagon said some 575 proposals were submitted by private firms, universities and federal organizations, and that a competitive process yielded the winners in five areas: smart microgrids and energy storage; component technologies for building energy efficiency; building energy management and control technologies; tools and processes for design, assessment and decision-making associated with energy use and management; and technologies for renewable energy generation.
image via Cogenra
One of the lucky few in this DOD derby was , which copped a $2 million contract to deliver hot water and electricityat two military sites using its technology that combines photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies. the company it will deploy a 242-kilowatt (kW)rooftop array at the in Ventura County and a 121-kW system at the in Dublin.
Cogenra says its systems capture up to 75 percent of the sun’s delivered energy by turning waste heat from PV generation into hot water. Thatll be tested at the military sites and assuming things go as planned, it appears there could be more work for the company. In addition to doing the installations, the project scope includes development of design tools in order to facilitate rapid adoption of solar cogeneration on other DOD sites, Cogenra said.
on December 1st, 2011% ![]()
Solar panels are an attractive option; they’re environmentally friendly, they can save you money and there are even grants available for their installation. Sadly, not all houses are suitable for solar panel installation.
There are all sorts of extra regulations applying to buildings in conservation areas or World Heritage Sites. This type of system generally comes under the category of permitted development, meaning that although you won’t have to apply for planning permission, you will have to stick to a few extra requirements;
1) as far as is possible, the panels should be sited so as to minimise their aesthetic intrusion. that is, try to make them as inconspicuous as possible.
2) they shouldn’t affect the amenity of the area too drastically, i.e. the solar panel installation shouldn’t spoil those things that make the conservation area so attractive in the first place.
3) This system should be removed as soon as possible should they no longer be in service. So, for example, if you sell the property and the new owner does not want to continue using the solar panels, they should be taken down.
4) they cannot be installed above the ridgeline. Neither should they project more than 200mm from the roof.
5) although solar panel installation does not require planning permission, if your house is listed the standard listed building consent is still necessary (just as if you were installing a satellite dish, for example).
Even if you house isn’t listed or in a protected area, they are still a number of regulations to which you must adhere. obviously, the roof of your house has to be physically able to bear the weight of the panels. If your roof is in a poor state of repair, then it may not be strong enough to carry the weight, or may not offer a sufficiently secure anchor for the panels. In these cases, even were solar panel installers to fit them, there is a chance the panels may break the roof or even fall off. the strength of your roof will need to be checked and proven before you have solar panels installed. If it is not found to be up to scratch, then some strengthening or repair work may be necessary.
Obviously, this type of system will only work if they have a good, constant supply of sunlight. all of the usual jokes about the British weather aside, roofs with a northern aspect are not suitable, and neither are those which are completely in the shade. In such cases, solar panel installation would be a complete waste of time and money, as the panels would simply not receive enough sunlight to function.
There are, in addition, all the usual regulations regarding major electrical work. It’s advisable to get qualified solar panel installers in to check your house meets all of the essential requirements.
Don’t be put off solar panel installation. the majority of houses will require no work to be done at all. even if your roof does need a little repair work or strengthening, the cost will easily be offset by the savings you make from your own private source of renewable energy. the secret to green energy and lower fuel bills might be right above your head.
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