Eco Environments

A good day when all said and done

2012-02-10T11:27:00.001Z

I must confess to wakingup today with some trepidation, despite an overwhelmingly positive dispositionI wasn’t feeling optimistic about today’s FIT announcement at all. As thecoffees racked up, and the DECC website remained stagnant way past the 9.30amannouncement deadline, my expectations didn’t improve.

Springing between theDECC website and Twitter the frustrations for all of us grew. Then at about 10.15am we were off, documentsreleased, websites functioning. Delving into the immediate situation, and theoutcome of the Phase 1 consultation I was very pleasantly surprised.

A 21p FITrate, and best of all, we had been listened to by DECC; the linking of higherrate FIT tariffs to EPCs was still there, but at grade D, not C. This was oneof the things we’d been shouting about while everyone else was still focussedon the reduced FIT rate. By DECC’s own admission this would reduce theavailable market far more than the lower FIT rate. So a victory! A 21p tariffpost 1^st April, and only a grade D required on an EPC. But then as ever the devil is in the detail,we move through to the Consultation Phase 2, what happens to FITs next, andthen we find more pretty savage cuts, made pretty quickly and regularly. Notgood. Another coffee and a check to see what the industry was saying, and avery mixed bag it was. I had suppliers, customers and contacts on the phone,what does it all mean? What next? Are you ‘gutted’? Am I……..?

Having digested everythingno I’m not. I ended the day feeling far more positive than I had begun it. Yes,there are things we’re not entirely happy about, and in my various roles I willbe feeding in to the Phase 2 consultation, trying to get DECC to acceptslightly lesser rates of degradation, fighting to keep FIT rates high for wind,and fighting for higher FIT rates for community projects.

The new landscapewill be challenging, however it is definitely one we can work with. I do fearsome good companies, young ones, will suffer, but I also think this will drivesome of the cowboys from the industry, those just in it for a quick buck, thecharlatans, drop sellers and peddlers of lies, poor products and miss-selling.

None of the genuine companies out there will miss them, and the market will bea better place for their demise. Manufacturers will have to focus on pricereduction, installers on efficiency of operation, and consumers on avoidingthose cowboys whilst they have their last hurrah at 21p.

The sooner theindustry can achieve viability without FITs the better, with no real site ofdomestic RHI any time soon, the issue becomes one about energy. Energyefficiency, energy consumption and energy generation. As an energy company withmultiple technology offerings that suits us just fine, and for those justinvolved in the solar business, the good ones will survive and thrive I’m sure.It will be a tougher year than we had all hoped, but the fact remains, it couldhave been a lot worse!

DECC announces review of disastrous handling of Feed-in Tariff cuts

2012-02-08T11:43:00.000Z

Energy Ministers have ordered an internal review of the Feed-in Tariff fiasco in an attempt to learn “lessons for the future”.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has been widely criticised for its handling of the solar PV consultation, which was later ruled unlawful by a High Court judge.

Industry leaders, select committee reports and even the CBI supported the view the cuts were too hurried and would wreck the UK's developing solar industry.

In a written answer to Parliament, Energy Minister Greg Barker confirmed an inquiry has now been launched.

His letter to Shadow Energy Secretary Caroline Flint, added: “The Department has already commissioned a review of lessons for the future.”

It is understood the inquiry was launched before new Energy Secretary Ed Davey took over from Chris Huhne last Friday.

And news of the review comes before DECC reveals tomorrow changes to the Feed-in Tariffs scheme to provide more transparency and consistency in the market.

Jeremy Leggett, chairman of Solarcentury, said: "Of course DECC should launch an internal investigation into the Feed-in tariff shambles but they shouldn't have put the sector in this position in the first place.

“Two select committees and four judges have found the process shambolic and illegal, and it left a whole industry in shock. If we are to progress with clean tech investment in the UK Ed Davey MP should be sure his house is in order and he should welcome, not hinder, green investment still willing to look at the UK.

“We call for solar, in particular, not to be hindered by proposals to link FITs to Energy Performance - lets get on with green job creation now."

And David Hunt, director at Eco Environment, added: “We are pleasantly surprised but very pleased that DECC have been upfront in wanting to learn from the way the Feed in Tariff situation has been handled, a process that can at best be described as a débâcle, and factually, at the moment at least, illegal.

“All too often the overwhelming feeling given by government reviews and investigations is one of 'whitewash', we hope that Ed Davey and Greg Barker only proceed with a review if they genuinely want to learn from the feedback they receive.

“The industry and DECC do need to move forward constructively, and there are things we could all learn from an inquiry, the solar industry included.”

A DECC spokesperson refused to provide further details of the Energy Minister's review announcement.

Solar PV Installation from a Customer's Point of View

2012-02-07T14:44:00.005Z

In and around August 2010 there were a large number of news articles referring to the rise of companies offering to install ‘free’ solar panels on your roof whereby the home owner received free electricity although the installer benefited from a 25 year lease on your roof which would allow them to claim tax free FIT (Feed In Tariff) payments over a UK Government 25 year contract.

This did not make sense to us, but importantly, it focused our attention on the revenue that could be earned from having a suitably ‘sun facing’ roof that whose only benefits (so far) were from sheltering us from the weather and allowing pigeons a perch. Following extensive research, I contacted Eco Environments who then conducted a site survey coupled with a full (Question & Answer) explanation of the various issues including (but not limited to) installation, FITs etc.
We received the comprehensive quotation within 2 days (without importantly any ‘chasing’ calls and emails) and within 10 days the (18 panel) installation was complete i.e. we were generating power (and saving on imported units) by 17:00 on the day of installation (24 September 2010) even though I had complicated the matter by requesting additional electrical works i.e. not connected to the solar installation.
This is a very ‘customer facing’ company (and I speak as a Service Director) – a culture and co-ordinated approach that extends throughout the small number of ‘office’ staff right through to the on-site installation specialist teams (roofers, electricians and project manager).
"This is important given the ‘new technology’ aspects which means that customers like us always have questions – questions that Eco Environments patiently (and comprehensibly) answered across weekends and evenings – before/during/after the installation.
They also helped in completing the various forms for our electricity supplier (EDF Green Energy Team) who were to be fair, very helpful in their own right. Further, the documentation was exact as was the installation.
The installation has changed our energy usage behaviours. For example: we schedule dishwasher, clothes washer activity during the day, we heat the immersion tank during the day (having previously used gas) and so on.
After all we formally get paid for every unit we generate @ 41.3p per unit, plus 3p per unit we export to the national grid (based on 50% of our generation), plus we save an average of 14p per unit we do not import via EDF.
Visual observations apart, I have a desktop (solar powered) unit supplied by Eco Environments (as part of the installation) that allows me to import data into an Microsoft spreadsheet that forecasts a yearly income of £1,800 – £2,000 (savings, FITs and export) i.e. a return of 12% Overall, we are impressed to the extent that we have offered Eco Environments the opportunity to use our installation as a reference site i.e. a site that prospective customers can visit via Eco Environments.

Mr Vincent decided to install a 3.87kW system in order to maximise his energy generation and the Feed-in Tariff payments under the 4kW limit. The system is made up of 18 Sungrid 215W solar panels and a SMA Sunny Boy 3300 inverter. Sungrid panels were chosen for their superior build quality and high performance levels for their cost.

They are also the market leader for their warranties with a 10 year product and 25 year performance warranty. Mr Vincent’s 3.87kW system is predicted to generate approximately 3,169kWh per year which will earn him around £1,308 per year in Feed-in Tariffs (41.3p per kWh of energy produced).

As well as the Feed-in Tariff payments, Mr Vincent will save around £247 per year from his electricity bills and generate around £38 for exporting his excess electricity back to the grid. This gives him an approximate income/saving of £1,593 per year, which gives a payback time of around 10 years for the system.

He will also save around 1,723kg of CO2 per year by producing his own green electricity. However from initial results Mr Vincent’s system seems to be outperforming our initial estimates.

12 months after the installation, Mr and Mrs Vincent have generated 4359 kWh of electricity, 37.6% than originally estimated!

Off-Beam Decision: Big Issue North January 2012

2012-02-01T16:04:00.001Z

At 91 years of age, Harry Brown may not be interested in the latest renewable technologies but he certainly recognises the importance of saving money. Living in a bungalow in Blackley, Manchester, he has just had a solar panel fitted on to his roof by his housing association. “The way things are today and with prices going up, anything that makes my bills smaller is a good thing,” he says. “I am usually able to make sure I pay my bills on time but the solar panels will help. I think everyone should have them where possible.”

Brown, however, is one of the last tenants who will benefit from solar panel installations by Northwards Housing. A recent government decision to slash solar power subsidies means that plans to install panels on 2,000 roofs across Manchester have come to an abrupt end. As well as undermining Cameron’s claim to be the “greenest government ever”, the decision also raises concerns about the government’s promise to eradicate fuel poverty by 2015.

Until very recently, installing solar panels was touted by the government as an important way to help reduce bills and pull people out of fuel poverty. Nationwide, one in four English households are now in fuel poverty, which is defined as those who spend 10 per cent or more of their income on energy bills. In the North West, the number of people struggling to pay their energy bills rose from almost 650,000 in 2009 to over 860,000 by 2011, according to research by Consumer Focus. In Yorkshire and Humber the figure rose in the same period from 444,182 to 558,138 people.

The decision to cut the government subsidy supporting solar panels by 50 per cent last month has faced a backlash and many fear it will affect the most vulnerable. David Hunt, director at renewable energy installer Eco Environment, based in Liverpool says: “Of all the areas, social housing and fuel poverty are the ones that have suffered the most from this government cut. Installing solar technology was one way that they could help their tenants reduce their bills but with the reduction in tariff, social landlords are finding it hard to make the figures stack up and so various council projects have been completely scrapped now.”

The tariff for solar panels was launched in April 2010 with an £867 million budget that paid 43p per kilowatt generated by photovoltaic (PV) systems. Based on this scheme, each house that installed PV could save around £100-£190 on their annual energy bills and landlords also benefited from a quarterly tax-free cash

payment guaranteed for 25 years.

It was a win-win situation and there was a huge uptake of the scheme, with councils and housing associations planning extensive programmes for their properties. Once the government realised that the feed-in tariff scheme was close to exceeding its budget, however, it decided to drastically reduce the subsidy rate. It also enforced this change on 12 December, two weeks before consultation on the tariff officially ended, a move the High Court has now declared unlawful.

Manchester City Council and its housing provider Northwards Housing were forced to scale back plans to install solar panels on 2,000 homes to just 300. Steve Kirkham,Northwards head of home improvements, says it was hugely disappointed to cut its plans and rush through the 300 installations so it could receive the premium tariff rate. “We knew that changes to the tariff rate had been proposed at the end of March 2012.However, due to the new cuts we had only five weeks to install 300 solar panels with our partner Carillion.

“Although we have no current plans to install any more solar panels, we are speaking to companies that can work at the reduced tariff rate. Hopefully it’s not the end of it yet.”

As well as the cut to the solar subsidy, the budget for Warm Front – which is one of the government’s remaining grant programmes for the fuel poor and provides heating and insulation improvements to households on certain income-related benefits – has been cut by two-thirds and will close down completely in 2013.

Once constituting a booming industry, solar energy providers are now in limbo as the government deals with the High Court decision and confirms the new tariff rate. The Renewable Energy Association states that the biggest impact of the cuts will be on employment, with an estimated 11,000 to 29,000 jobs either at risk or likely to be lost across Britain.

Carillion Energy Services, which employes 1,000 people in Newcastle, confirmed that 1,500 staff would be made redundant due to the government cuts. David Hunt from Eco Environments adds: “I know of companies in the region that have closed down or made significant redundancies, and the ones that haven’t have seen a slowed pace of growth. It seems strange that the government would hit one of the few growth areas in the market.”

Climate minister Greg Barker, however, defended the move by stating that without significant cuts, the viability of the feed-in tariff scheme would be undermined. Using Department of Energy and Climate Change figures, the company Leeds Solar indeed estimates that the Feed in Tariff scheme looks set to be £109.5 million over budget in 2012- 13 based on the current installed capacity alone.

Hunt does acknowledge that the original tariff rate was unsustainable and a reduction was needed.

“What I was hoping for was a sensible reduction over a sensible time frame,” he says. “What the government did was an almost instantaneous, savage cut that didn’t help at all.”

Interesting times for the Renewable Industry

2012-02-01T08:05:00.000Z

I’m sat on a Virgin train down to London for an REA (Renewable EnergyAssociation) seminar on the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) with a generalfeeling of limbo. On the plus side commercial RHI is now in place forbusinesses, public sector and community projects. That however is one of the veryfew certainties in the renewable energy sector at present. Feed in Tariffs (FIT’s) are in a state offlux, the debacle of how DECC and the Government handled, or mishandled, FITsis well documented. I’ve been asked to comment on the issue in places asdiverse as BBC Radio 4 to ITN news to the FT, Sunday Times to a multitude oftrade and industry press. Ourselves, Gaynor Hartnell at the REA and HowardJohns of the STA (Solar Trade Association) and various industry heads have beenable to make the issue a well publicised one, so I won’t go on about that here.

The thing that irritates me most is the misinformation andthe lies shed over subsidies for the renewable sector. Yes, the solar industryin particular has benefited substantially from FIT’s, so has small wind andother technologies to a far lesser extent. But in return the industry hascreated jobs, over 25,000 of them, and wealth, tax receipts for Treasury. In atime of high unemployment and recession we have been a success story, providingjobs and growth, whilst substantially bringing down costs, making renewabletechnologies within the grasp of more and more individuals, businesses andcommunities. It has been documented, though not that widely reported that taxincome from our industry exceeds the subsidy paid out by FIT’s. Not thatgovernment pay for FIT’s, the public do through your energy bills. And yet we’vebeen hung out to dry by this government. With the promise of a commitment to FITs andRHI, and to be the ‘greenest government ever’ businesses have been born, tradespeople cross skilled, investment made, all at the cost of the individualsconcerned, not with subsidy. Only to find the rug pulled from under us byU-Turns, inconsistency and incompetence.

I fully agree that businesses should not be dependant onsubsidy, many in the industry, like ourselves existed before FIT’s or othersubsidy, and will be here long after. But any new sector that requires entrepreneurial,effort, risk and investment requires some ‘pump priming’ and support. But whatannoys me most is to be berated for dependence on subsidy when the levels of financialsupport we receive is a mere fraction of a fraction of the subsidy given tofossil fuel and the Nuclear industry. Without government support, commitment,subsidy and underwriting of risk Nuclear would not stand on its own feet in amillion years. It employs far less people than the renewable sector, and ismostly owned by overseas businesses, so there isn’t any real argument aboutbringing real wealth into our economy. Fossil fuel extraction is subsidisedtoo.

It makes no sense economically to kill an industry thatcreates jobs, wealth and growth, and that would in the very near future requirelittle or no subsidy. There can only be vested interest at play here. I’m noconspiracy theorist, but can you tell me a rational reason not to support oursector? Economically it makes no sense, let alone when you look at the issuesof climate change and the impact that has, is, and will continue to have on thelives of people not just in developing countries, but here in the UK. At a timewhen scientists universally accept climate change and human contribution tothat change, and the roll of Carbon emissions in accelerating change it is bewilderingof government to act as they do. Balanced reporting of facts would be nice, andI mean balanced, not just ‘our side’. Those leaping Lords Lawson and Monkton(who surely must have been Spitting Image creations come to life) and the insidiouscretin Noel Edmunds and his ‘Renewable Energy Foundation’, get a regular and disproportionatelylarge airing in the media.

As we approach Euston I’d better stop ranting. I leave youwith this. Which economy is by far the strongest in Europe,with the lowest unemployment? Germany.Which economy is furthest along the ‘green’ path, having supported theirrenewable industry for many, many years? Germany. Which country is theclosest to having energy security and self sufficiency? Germany.Closing its nuclear plants whilst having one of the largest energy needs (afterall they manufacture SO many things, unlike the

!) with no risk of shortage? Germany.

Perhaps the government would do well to learn that lesson,unless they have some reason not to, like being in the pocket of the Big 6energy companies and the nuclear lobby?

You make your own mind up!

Impact of possible Supreme Court Action.

2012-01-25T15:49:00.001Z

Further to this mornings news, and the government bothlosing their appeal at high court, and being told they could NOT appeal to theSupreme Court, the facts were that we reverted to the 43p FIT rate until the 3^rdMarch.

Since then the government, in a rather callous andcalculated measure, have applied directly to the Supreme Court to have afurther appeal. They have little hope of getting an appeal at the SupremeCourt, and even less hope of winning it.

The pure and simple reason that the government has done thisis to attempt to maintain uncertainty and confusion in the market until 3^rdMarch, hoping to keep the level of installations low.

The reality is this, at this moment in law, the governmenthave lost two high court appeals and that means that installations between 12^thDecember and 3^rd March will be at 43p for installations up to 4kwp,UNLESS government get and win a Supreme Court appeal. A very unlikely, but apossible outcome.

It will be two months before a decision would be made by theSupreme Court whether to hear an appeal, and another 8 months before it wouldget to court.

So for the consumer??? The government wants you to beconfused.

If you install before 3^rd March you will as avery minimum get a 21p FIT rate. If the Government fail to get, or to win atthe Supreme Court you WILL get 43p.

Instead of certainty this leaves consumers with a choice tohedge their bets. Install now and definitely get 21p, and very, very likely get43p. But we cannot guarantee that.

This says it all I believe about the ‘greenest evergovernment’.

David Hunt

Director,Eco Environments Ltd

David Hunt is Vice Chair of theOnsite Renewables sector group for the REA (Renewable Energy Association) and amember of PRASEG (Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group).

Today’s court case decision- What does it mean for consumers?

2012-01-25T10:33:00.000Z

Now that the government have lost their court of appeal courthearing the situation for consumers wishing to install solar panels is veryclear, until 3^rd March at least.

Solar PV installations that have been completed since 12^thDecember 2011, or that will be installed and commissioned AND REGISTERED before3^rd March 2012 will receive the higher 43.3p tariff rate for thenext 25 years. Being that the cost of installations dropped dramatically after12^th December that offers an almost obscene return on investment of18% year one (39% average over 25 years, if you include inflationary increasesin FIT payments, and electricity price increases), and a 3 year payback. Not surprisingly this will cause a mini boomfor the industry, and a rush for consumers looking to get installed in time for3^rd March deadline.

The picture after 3^rd March is less clear, therate before parliament presently would be 21p for domestic installations,although the full consultation on feed in tariff (FIT) rates for solar andother technologies is due for release by 9^th February. This willgive us a clear picture of both the FIT rates, from April this year and amechanism for future digression in future years that will hopefully avoid thissituation again. The Germans have certainly managed to do this! It should also give us an answer as towhether homes considering an installation from April onwards this year willneed to have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) of Grade C or above toclaim the top rate FIT payment, or be subject to a far lower rate. This wouldreduce the potential market for solar installation by over 90%, by Governmentsown calculations.

The long and short, for consumers at least is quite simple.Get an installation before 3^rd March. HOWEVER, what we saw in theboom prior to 12^th December last year was a rash of misselling,shoddy installations, cheap nasty products and snake oil skin salesman runningamok. So buyers beware. Don’t be ripped off on price, don’t accept productsyou’ve never heard of, or wouldn’t normally accept. You may get in on the 43prate, but that isn’t much use if your system stops working in five years!

Chose your product and installer wisely, but don’t miss theboat if you can help it.

David Hunt

Davi

Shining a Light on Solar Panels

2012-01-19T09:53:00.004Z

As the solar industry lingers in a state of ongoing uncertainty, it is only natural for customers to question the fundamentals of solar power. Is it worth it?

However, before questioning whether the future remains bright, it is necessary to understand the essential principles behind the technology.

How do solar panels work?

Why are they useful?

And what difference can installing solar PV make to the average British home?

A solar panel is designed to convert solar energy from the sun into usable electricity. Panels are comprised of a collection of solar cells, which capture the energy from sunlight. When the energy captured comes from light the technology is described as ‘Photovoltaic’.

Most modern panels do not require direct sunlight to generate energy and therefore electricity, which means that they remain a valid option for energy gathering even with the British weather and even in the Midlands and North - despite what they tell you on the South Coast!

Once the solar cells have captured energy from the light itself, the photovoltaic or ‘PV’ system will then convert that energy into electricity. The light hitting the solar cells produces a ‘Direct Current’ or DC. Solar panels require an inverter to convert the energy into an ‘Alternating Current’ or AC, which can then be used in the home. If the solar cells produce more energy than the home requires, that energy will then be fed back into the National Grid.

The average Solar panel installation will provide around 50-75% of the home's electricity requirements throughout the year and save over a tonne of carbon dioxide . The DC power can also be used to power a battery source, for a completely ‘off grid’ solution (which was an ideal solution for a customer of Eco Environments on an island off the coast of Wales).

The result of this is that British homes are powered by clean and natural energy rather than electricity from the National Grid, with little to no waste generation and a large proportion of future energy costs capped at a predictable & manageable rate which could even mean the difference between down-sizing or staying in your current property.
So, is putting solar panels on your home, worth it? The unequivocal answer must be YES!

Feed in Tariff latest, and why should you install now!

2012-01-17T10:26:00.000Z

If you have been trying to keep up with the latest in the 'Feed in Tariff'saga, you'll probably have information overload, if you haven't you'll not beaware of what is going on, so I thought I'd try to put together a summary ofthe situation. No mean feat! But despite the myriad information and opinion outthere the situation for anyone considering installing solar PV at present isactually pretty straight forward. No, really, all will be revealed at the end.

Let's start with some facts. The feed in tariff (FIT) rate from 1st April2011 was 43.3p per kWh for domestic installations. This gave an enormouslyhigh return on investment, over 15%, all tax free, index linked (to RPI)and fixed for 25 years. This rate had come about by the rapid decrease in thecost of solar panels and therefore the cost of installation. Clearly this rateof return was unsustainable, people falling over themselves to have systemsinstalled. The FIT rate was due to reduce from 31^st March2012, and industry was preparing for this deadline. We had predicted areduction of between 30% and 50%. The current problems arose when DECC(Department for Energy and Climate Change) saw the massive increase ininstallations was ‘eating up’ the FIT Budget or Cap (in itself an issue), anddecided to cut the FIT rate by just over 50%, but more importantly to bringforward the date of change from 31^st March 2012, to 12^thDecember 2011. By law these changes could only be made after a formalconsultation. The government launched this consultation with a close date of 23^rdDecember 2011, nearly two weeks AFTER they implemented the change (12^thDecember).

There were two impacts of all of this, one a stampede to install before the12^th December in order to ‘get’ the 43.3p FIT rate. The UK’sinstalled capacity of solar PV doubled in one month! The other was that a courtcase was launched stating that DECC and Government has acted illegally,instigating the FIT rate change whilst the consultation was still ongoing. TheHigh Court agreed. In fact everyone agreed. A House of Commons audit committeereport lambasted DECC and Minister Greg Barker for incompetence that made theKey Stone Cops, look like precision German engineers. The government clearlydisagreed with the High Court decision and bumbled off to the Court of Appeal.The date of that hearing was last Friday (13^th January). The courtwould do two things, firstly, decide whether to grant the government the rightof appeal, and secondly, if it did, to hear the appeal. After a full day atcourt neither decision was made.

The latest from DECC is a statement as follows

"The Court of Appeal has not yet decided whether to give permissionfor an appeal or made a judgement on the FITs case. The Court will wrap up thedecision on permission for an appeal and a possible judgement if an appeal isallowed in the next few weeks. Once the outcome is known we will consider ouroptions and make an announcement on the way forward to provide clarity toconsumers and industry."

Word from the court is not to expect a decision before February.

So what does all that mean?

If you already have a system installed, this doesn’t affect you.
If the government win their appeal we will proceed at the 21p for the domestic FIT rate. (There may be an additional requirement after 31^st March to have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) of Grade C or higher on your property in order to get this rate, it could be 9p if you don’t make the grade!
The government lose the appeal, we return to 43p FIT rate for duration of about 40 days (the time they are legally required to put revisions before the House of Parliament, before change can be implemented.

Clear? No? What does it mean if you are tempted to install a solar pv systemnow?

Well DECC, bless ‘em have given consumers and installer’s one piece ofclarity.

"the tariff rate for PV installations less than or equal to 4kWwill not fall below 21p for installations with an eligibility date between 12thDecember 2011 and 31st March 2012".

SO- Before 31^st March 2012

You could install a solar PV system now, in the knowledge that the worstthat you would get (index linked, tax free, 25 years etc) is a 21p per kWh FITrate. You will NOT have to have an EPC done. IF the rate does return to 43p fora short time, you WILL get this rate for the next 25 years.

After 31^st March 2012

The FIT rate is unconfirmed, it could be 21p, it could be lower (if we get ashort burst of installations before April at 43p, more budget will be eaten,and subsequent rates may be lower). You MAY have to have an EPC done on yourproperty, and if you do not meet Grade C or higher be eligible for a FIT rateof 9p per kWh (or lower).

Whilst we lobby for longevity for our industry, the cold hard facts forconsumers are, if you don’t install now, before 31^st March, you mayjust miss the boat. Now I’m conscious that sounds like a ‘hard sell’, and forthose that know us well, you’ll know that isn’t how we work, for those thatknow us less well, you can see that we are not ‘pushy’ sales people from theindependent testimonial website YouGen.Sadly, that is just the facts of the matter.

One last thing, here is how the investment stacks up since last year

Jan 2011- 3.92kWp system cost £14,700, FIT rate was 41p per kWh-Return on investment 11.48%- 7 year pay back.

Jan 2012- 3.92kWp system cost £9,352, FIT Rate 21p per kWh- Return oninvestment 11.08%- 7 year pay back

Post April 2012- That is where the facts run out and I gaze into my crystalball, and right now, that’s more than a little cloudy!

I hope that helps.

David Hunt

More Feed in Tariff chaos and uncertainty

2012-01-04T17:13:00.000Z

Following a court ruling in favour of the Solar Industry, which found that the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s handling of the change in the Feed-In Tariff rate in “legally flawed”, the DECC have logged their appeal, meeting the 4pm January 4th deadline. In an act that may have been petulance, or maybe incompetence, they left it until the very last minute to lodge the appeal.

Following their appeal, DECC (Department for Energy & Climate Change) released their statement which says that their appeal is based upon their belief that they are securing the FIT funding for the long term. They suggest that without their immediate intervention, there would be very little available in the FIT budget for future investors. DECC also went on to suggest that the judicial review was premature because no decision has been taken or will be taken until they have analysed the full responses to the consultation.
The DECC’s decision to appeal, despite the High Court’s warning against doing so, now means that the solar industry is once again in a state of limbo regarding the current FIT rates.

The DECC are hoping to receive permission to appeal, with a hearing to take place as soon as possible. In the meantime the solar industry is eagerly awaiting the next steps. Maybe we'll get something tomorrow (5th January) but I'd assume only if their appeal gets rejected, in which case we'll be back to 43p and more boom and bust chaos. Greg Barker has consistently misled everybody with a manipulation of figures, and ignoring what the industry has said. We knew 43p was unsustainable, we recommended a structured, managed and planned decrease. What we got was a savage cut and a ludicrous time frame to implement it. In fact, according to the high court, an illegal time frame.

What we want is consistency and a road map for the future. DECC seems to just want to lurch from one incompetent response to another, and to blame the solar industry for the chaos they have caused.
Let's see what the appeal court have to say

David Hunt

Solar Industry Faces Months “Paralysis” Unless Government Gets House in Order

2011-12-22T11:24:00.003Z

The embattled solar industry faces months of “paralysis” unless the Government gets its act together quickly, according to a leading renewable energy company.

The double whammy of the High Court ruling that the reduction in Feed-in-Tariffs was “legally flawed” together with a scathing Parliamentary report which labelled the process “clumsy” has further rocked one of the brightest sectors in the UK economy.

The Government now faces having to go back to the drawing board in order to put in place a new consultation process to find a feed-in-tariff rate for domestic solar PV schemes more acceptable to the industry.

David Hunt, a director with Eco Environments, said: “The combination of the High Court ruling and the Parliamentary report is hugely embarrassing for the Government, but nothing compared to the potential fall-out for an already embattled renewable energy industry.

“How can our industry sell with confidence to potential customers when we have total uncertainty over the future feed-in-tariff rates?

“Unless the Government gets its house in order very quickly, the solar industry faces months of paralysis. How can any businesses in this sector plan for the short-term, let alone the long-term when there continues to be such a dark cloud hovering over us?

“The ruling together with the scathing Parliamentary report holes beneath the waterline any claims that the Coalition Government is a friend of business or the environment.”

The report by two powerful select committees released today savages Ministers over the clumsy handling of the reduction in feed-in-tariffs for domestic solar PV schemes (from 43.3/kWh to 21p/kWh).

But it also goes further in stating that the plan from April next year to insist that all homes must achieve a C-rated energy efficiency standard in order to qualify for the full feed-in-tariff subsidies could have a “fatal impact” on the solar industry.

Nine in ten homes do not currently meet this rating and bringing homes up to the required standard would cost between £5,500 and £12,000 according to industry experts – an investment well beyond the majority of people.

David Hunt added: “While companies such as Eco Environments welcome the High Court ruling and the select committees’ damning report, these findings have caused a dangerous period of uncertainty which the Government must move swiftly to halt.

“We have never advocated holding the feed-in-tariff rate at 43.3/kWh and a return to this level will simply give the cowboy operators in our industry one last hurrah.

“Instead the Government must move quickly to consult and agree a workable and sustainable new subsidy level while at the same time removing the requirement that every home must achieve the C-rating for energy efficiency in order to qualify for the maximum feed-in-tariff level going forward.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

· For more information or interviews, please contact Nick Mason or Lucy Mason at Mason Media on 0151 239 5050 or 07903 237008.

· Eco Environments is led by its three directors, Mike Clarke, David Hunt and Mark Buchanan, and employs 54 people. It is on course to increase turnover from £1.4million to £5million during the current financial year and last month moved to 9,000sq ft of head office and warehouse space on Wellington Business Park South in Dunes Way, Liverpool.

· Eco Environments designs, installs and commissions renewable energy solutions for the domestic, commercial and construction sectors. It offers a comprehensive range of technologies including Solar Photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines, solar thermal and air source heat pumps. It is one of only a small number of companies to have successfully secured Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditations for all four of its specialist areas.

· The company enjoys strong relationships with some of the world’s leading renewable energy manufacturers including Hyundai and Sanyo.

· Apart from its new head office in Liverpool, Eco Environments has regional offices in Carlisle, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and North Wales. During the next few months, further offices will open in the south of England.

· www.eco-environments.co.uk

Team Eco Spreads Christmas Spirit with KIND

2011-12-20T12:21:00.004Z

Some of our team members demonstrated the spirit of Christmas this weekend and helped to pack KIND’s Christmas food hampers.

KIND runs the Christmas campaign every year giving the most disadvantaged families across Liverpool and parts of Merseyside a stress free Christmas. It is a charity that we are very close to and have helped out at various times over the past few years; we have helped them become self sufficient and we provide them with servicing on the renewable energy systems that they have had installed, including Solar PV and Solar Thermal panels.

In 2010, KIND helped over 7,000 disadvantaged children and their families to have a happier time during the festive period. And they hope to do the same this year. Over the weekend we helped to pack 800 large family sized hampers at our Warehouse in Liverpool, which KIND also distributed. They will be packing a further 100 hampers at their Centre this week as well as smaller ones for individuals.

Eco Environments have also sponsored KIND’s 2012 calendar and they are our charity of the year 2011. Knowing we can help KIND to make a difference to the lives and happiness of so many families in Liverpool and Merseyside throughout the year and especially around Christmas is particularly rewarding to all of our team members. This made the weekend an enjoyable experience for all involved and we will continue our support in the future.

Appleby Public Hall PV Panels Installed

2011-12-06T09:59:00.004Z

Thanks to financial support from Eden District Council Village Hall Fund and from Cumbria County Council, Appleby Town Council was able to go ahead to commission work to install electricity-generating solar panels on the main roof of the Appleby Public Hall on 22 November.

It is hoped that the system will help to off-set the substantial maintenance costs of running the community facility by cutting electricity costs and by raising a regular income through the Government Feed-In tariff scheme. The installation has been completed in time for the Council to register for the higher tariff before the rate is reduced from 12 December.

The Mayor, Councillor Dot Anderton said; "I am delighted by this project, as well as saving the environment through this ‘clean’ means of electricity generation, we will be able to support the Appleby rate-payers by earning additional income to off-set against running costs of the Public Hall. We are very grateful for the contributions from Eden and the County Council and we have been particularly impressed with the chosen installer, Eco Environments Ltd.

"Not only did they give us a great price for the work but their staff have provided us with enormous help and communication throughout the project and beyond, always attentive to any queries we had and prompt and efficient with the installation itself and all the paperwork. I do hope that with the reduction in prices of solar panels, people will still be able to consider installations at the lower feed-in rate so that good companies like Eco Environments are able to continue providing such a great service to other customers."

Feed in Tariffs- The new landscape

2011-11-11T17:02:00.003Z

So the dust is settling on a truly manic few weeks. From rumour and leaks to the final announcement, we now know what the new Feed in Tariff (FIT) regime will be. Of course there is ongoing lobbying and campaigning to fight the depth of the tariff cut, and we’ll be playing our part in that campaign.

However, we know that the ‘consultation’ ends two weeks AFTER the tariff rate cuts, and we know that the likelihood of DECC and the Government listening to reason is slim. So, what does that mean to those that have missed the opportunity to get installed before the 12^th December deadline (6^th in reality as the system has to be registered with your energy supplier by 12^th). A good analogy would be this; if you heard you’d won £2million on the lottery you’d be jumping for joy. If you then found out you had to share that with another winner you’d be disappointed for a few minutes, then you’d realise you’re still £1million better off. Well that is how it is with solar Feed in tariffs. You may not have won the full jackpot (43.3p), but you’ll still get a far better return than any ISA, bank or savings account, or any other investment. And it will still be tax free, index linked and fixed for 25 years.

Feed in tariffs have been very successful at achieving their aim, encouraging installation of solar panels, increasing volumes installed and therefore bringing down installation costs. Panel prices have dropped dramatically in the last year. Ignoring cheap and nasty products (and there are plenty about so beware) you could recently get a good quality 4kwp system fully installed for £12,500 including VAT. However, one consequence of the new tariff rate, and it having been brought forward is that there is much product heading for these shores that won’t arrive until after the tariff changes. The manufacturers are aware to sell this they need to discount. They also know that to sell systems in the new landscape prices will have to be kept low. These facts should mean further reduced installation costs, and a healthy return on investment even on the new tariffs.

As an example, post 12^th December we are able to offer a 3.92kwp system based on leading Hyundai panels and an SMA inverter for under £9,500 including VAT. On a south facing roof that system would generate 3,258kWh a year (in the Midlands). If you use 70% of that and export 30% you would benefit each year from

FIT payment = £684.18

Energy Saving= £322.77 (based on 13p import price)

Export income=£30.30

A combined benefit of £1,036.75 or 10.67% Return on investment. Once you add Feed in tariff increases (as they are index linked) and electricity price increases then this return goes up year on year. So, go back to our lottery analogy, that isn’t as good as the returns before 12^th December, but I challenge anyone to find a better investment out there.

Clearly these figures will vary according to your location and orientation, but not by a great deal.

An amusing anecdote from this week from our Yorkshire office illustrated the point. A customer had been ‘mugged’ by an installer selling 4kwp (on unbranded panels) for £21,000. The customer was happy as he would get the 43.3p tariff rate. Once we pointed out this was a 7.88% return on investment, and we could get him a 10% return on investment on the 21p tariff rate, he was less than happy and cancelled his installation with the cowboys. Always cheers me up when a cowboy in our industry comes unstuck, and I think the new tariff changes will hopefully mean a few of those cowboys will go elsewhere to find their quick money.

So solar panels still make sense, they address your energy costs, address your carbon output, and provide an exceptional investment opportunity. Our advice is this; if you have missed the boat on the 43.3p tariff you could share the jackpot, choose your product and installer wisely, and get proper advice, use YouGen and customer recommendations to select your installer. The long and short of it is that solar panels are here to stay, and that can only be good news for the environment, and bad news for the big six energy companies, and that makes me smile!

David Hunt

Eco Environments

"TOP BRAND PV" for Sanyo modules: EuPD Research awards leading brands in the PV branch with the "TOP BRAND PV" seal.

2011-10-12T09:42:00.006+01:00

Bonn. Sanyo has ranked as one of the strongest brands in the PV branch for a number of years. Among the most frequently installed crystalline module brands, Sanyo is
particularly popular among installers thanks to its new and innovative product range. Sanyo received higher than average evaluations in the category “quality”, securing them the highest further recommendation rates of all brands. In recognition of this fact, EuPD Research is now awarding them the seal “TOP BRAND PV”.

The “TOP BRAND PV“ seal has been developed by EuPD Research as a way of objectively evaluating the brand management strategies of module and inverter manufacturers. Statements made by market intermediaries and end customers serve as the foundation of the evaluation. Manufacturers thus receive an unfiltered assessment of their own brand as well as feedback on where potential lies to optimize their brand management. The company stands out, from an installer perspective, particularly with respect to the further recommendation of the brand and the positive evaluation of the brand. Thus, Sanyo, a strong PV module brand is now receiving the premium seal.

The results of this multi-step analysis are made visible in the seal “Top Brand PV” which is awarded to leading industry brands only. According to the latest assessments, only ten module manufactures and 5 inverter manufacturers rank among the global “TOP BRAND PV“.

“This accolade confirms our brand strategy and the quality of our products. The seal is a first-rate reference for our customer base”, says Shigeki Komatsu, Head of the Solar Division at SANYO Component Europe GmbH.

TOP BRAND PV: Background to Brand Management and How the Seal is awarded

Brand management is a term used to describe the systematic development of a brand within a target group and its differentiation from the competition. When this is done well, brand management can allow a brand to become functional, relevant and emotionally “charged”, and thus to become a true corporate value. Based on years of research experience, EuPD Research has developed a model in which over 30 individual factors are analyzed in order to quantify and evaluate brand management.

So far, 10 out of 250 module brands can be proven to differentiate themselves sufficiently from the competition. With the TOP BRAND PV seal, the leading market research and consulting company EuPD Research is extending their certification expertise into the PV sector. Alongside their “Corporate Health Award”, a leading Bonn, October 6, 2011 award in the area of sustainable management, EuPD Research now hopes to present manufacturers in the PV branch with new benefits. The seal sets companies above the competition and helps strengthen their positive image in the mindset of buyers.

Awards Help Orientation: Intermediaries and Buyers Trust Seal of Approval

In a competitive market, seals of approval such as the TOP BRAND PV seal do not just offer benefits for manufacturers – intermediaries such as installers can also differentiate themselves once they have proven that they are offering high quality brands. This generates extra marketing benefits without additional costs. For end customers, the quality seal offers a point of orientation in a highly differentiated market. The seal is both easy to understand and recognizable for the customer.

Eco Environments have been awarded premium supplier status by Sanyo. Sanyo PV panels are the most efficient panels that we offer and customers who have them installed have the highest return on investment, these are definitely the Rolls Royce panels in our offering.

Government Under Fire Over “Nonsensical” Planning Ruling

2011-10-03T13:05:00.005+01:00

September 30, 2011

GOVERNMENT UNDER FIRE OVER “NONSENSICAL” PLANNING RULING

Changes to planning rules for small-scale wind turbines have been branded “nonsensical” by a leading renewable energy company.

David Hunt, a director with Eco Environments, says the Government has “shot itself in the foot” by only granting Permitted Development status to turbines which do not exceed 11.1 metres in height.

David said: “There are currently nine Microgeneration Certification Scheme approved wind turbines and all of them exceed this height restriction, which means the Government has granted Permitted Development status to zero MCS turbines.

“In the same breath, the Government has given PD approval to building mounted turbines. However, no such turbines have secured MCS approval and, further more, they have been declared useless in independent research by the Energy Saving Trust.

“Unless wind turbines have secured MCS, they are ineligible for the Government’s Feed-in-Tariffs system and therefore provide no financial incentive to potential users.

“The Government likes to present itself as a supporter of renewable energy technologies, but nonsensical decisions such as these prove the opposite is the case.”

The announcement on changes to planning criteria - due to come into effect in December this year – comes just days after Eco Environments branded a Cheshire councillor “ignorant” after going against the advice of their own planners and refusing an application for a wind turbine.

Hugh Pode was seeking to erect a small-scale wind turbine on land at Riley Bank Farm, his home near Frodsham, Cheshire.

A detailed application and supporting evidence was prepared by planning consultant Christopher Monckton aided by leading North West renewable energy company Eco Environments.

This was then recommended for approval by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning department, which is vastly experienced in dealing with similar applications.

In its report recommending approval, planners stated: “The proposed erection of one wind turbine on a 15 metre mast is considered to be of an acceptable design and will not have any unacceptable detrimental impact on neighbouring residential amenity. The merits of the proposal have been assessed and it is clear that the very special circumstances of the site and the proposal outweigh any harm by inappropriateness in the Green Belt.”

However, when the application was considered by the council’s planning committee last week it was voted down after a ten-minute outburst by Frodsham Mayor Councillor Andrew Dawson, who bizarrely compared Mr Pode’s 6kW Proven Energy wind turbine with plans by Peel Energy for a wind farm on Frodsham marshes.

David Hunt said: “We have encountered many frustrating examples of councillors refusing permission for domestic wind turbines, but this one in Frodsham is in a totally different league.

“It seems that the application was turned down because of a single councillor’s extraordinary ignorance and desire to stand in the way of progress.”

The introduction of the Government’s Feed-in-Tariff scheme in April last year was intended to hasten the number of homeowners and businesses considering installing turbines. FITs has quite simply transformed the renewable energy industry in the UK. Customers are paid for every kilowatt hour of electricity their system produces irrespective of whether they use it or not as well as being paid for electricity sold back to the Grid.

However, the incentivisation has failed to deliver the expected results because local authorities have allowed a massive logjam of wind turbine applications to build up. There is believed to be as much as a full year’s worth of wind turbines stuck in the planning process.

NOTES TO EDITORS

· For an interview with David Hunt or more information, please contact Nick Mason at Mason Media on 0151 239 5050 or 07903 237008.

· Eco Environments designs, installs and commissions a comprehensive range of renewable energy and energy conservation solutions, specialising in Solar Photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines and solar thermal water heating systems and heat pumps.

· The company has offices in the North West, North East, Midlands and Wales and will be opening further regional offices in the south of England during the coming year. The company’s head office is in Liverpool.

· www.eco-environments.co.uk

Government 'bottle' Permitted Development rights over small wind

2011-09-29T09:07:00.002+01:00

Once again the government has shown its weakness when it comes to decisions on Planning permission and the green agenda and particularly when it comes to wind turbines.

To give credit where it is due, the recent addition of Permitted Development (PD) rights for the installation of domestic Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) was welcome. But far from contentious and given they recently extolled the virtues of ASHP's (rightly so) it would have been somewhat of an own goal not to have extended the PD rights to install.

BUT, scheduled additions of PD rights for small wind turbines, to become active from 1st December 2011, are nothing more than a shameful waste of time and tax payers money.

Firstly, they give permissions (with understandable caveats) for building mounted wind turbines. So what is wrong with that? Well, two things. One, building mounted turbines DO NOT WORK, a fact born out by independent research by the Energy Saving Trust in their report 'Location, Location, Location. But most importantly THERE ARE NO BUILDING MOUNTED TURBINES ON THE MCS APPROVED LIST. That means that NO building mounted turbines have passed MCS testing, and therefore NO building mounted turbines are eligible for Feed in Tarriffs, and therefore there is NO incentive to install them. So, PD rights have been given for turbines that do not exist!

I looked with more hope to the documents for 'stand alone wind turbines', (What can I say, I'm an eternal optimist!). But of course, where this government and planning laws generally are concerned, my optimism was ill founded.

They have given some PD rights to Stand Alone Turbines....... which don't exist! A significant caveat is that the turbine at its highest point i.e. the tip of its blade, must not exceed 11.1 metres.

There are currently nine (9) MCS approved small wind turbines. ALL of which exceed this height limit. Every one.

So they have given Permitted Development rights that apply to precisely ZERO MCS approved turbines. How much did this exercise cost? How much time and effort? And for what, so Ministers can say they HAVE given PD rights to help the small scale wind industry? But they HAVE NOT.

There are hundreds of wind turbine applications held up in planning, for nonsensical reasons mostly. Look at this most recent example of our own, a turbine passed for approval after 3 months in the planning process just to be declined at the whim of one 'anti-wind' councillor. http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/news/national-news/122552-ignorant-council-chief-ignores-support-to-block-green-energy-proposal.html Needless to say we are going to appeal.

But the important thing is the Government had an opportunity to support the renewables and small wind industry, but they bottled it, big time!

We have made the final for not one but TWO Morgan Awards!

2011-09-21T13:13:00.003+01:00

Eco Environments are delighted to have made it through to the final for two Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards.

The Categories that we are up for are the Best New Business and the Best Business providing an Economic or Social Contribution to the Region.

We're up against some of the best new businesses in the area covering Merseyside, North Wales, West Cheshire, Shropshire and the Wolverhampton area. It is an honour to be recognised for all the hard work that has been put into the business over the last few years towards our massive 636% growth making a continued contribution to the region.

The finals are on the 10th November, we will keep you posted on our progress! A full list of the finalists can be found here.

Liverpool Named Renewable Energy Hotspot

2011-09-14T15:37:00.003+01:00

Liverpool has been named in the top ten renewable energy hotspots in the UK, according to a new report.

The report by consumer champion Which? reveals that small-scale energy generation using solar power or wind turbines has grown by 400 per cent since the introduction of the Government’s Feed-in-Tariffs system 18 months ago.

Liverpool is one of the driving forces behind the surge being named in the top ten cities for growth in renewable energy capacity per 1,000 people.

Other cities to feature in the top ten include Sheffield, Leeds, Bristol, London and Manchester.

David Hunt, a director with Liverpool-based renewable energy provider Eco Environments, said: “The Which? report comes as no surprise to us as we are seeing more and more enquiries from homeowners and businesses wanting to go ahead with small-scale renewable energy schemes.

“The Government’s Feed-in-Tariffs system, introduced last year, transformed the sector overnight because of the significant financial as well as environmental benefits attached to both solar PV and wind turbine schemes.”

Under the Feed-in-Tariffs system, customers are paid for every kilowatt hour of electricity their system produces irrespective of whether they use it or not as well as being paid for electricity sold back to the Grid.

Solar panels remain the most popular small-scale renewable energy project accounting for 75 per cent of Feed-in-Tariff scheme payments. Wind power accounts for 14 per cent. More than 44,000 solar installations have been registered for FIT with almost 39,000 small domestic schemes. Which? has calculated that it is possible to make up to £28,000 profit from a 4kWp solar PV system over 25 years under the FIT.

Eco Environments increased turnover to £1.4million last year – a rise of 636 per cent on the previous year – and has now set its sights on hitting the £5million mark within two years.

The company has its head office in Liverpool and a network of other offices in the North East, Midlands, North Wales and North West. Further offices are due to be opened in the south of England during the coming months.

The company designs, installs and commissions a range of renewable energy and energy conservation solutions, specialising in Solar Photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines and solar thermal water heating systems and heat pumps. It is one of only a small number of companies to have successfully secured Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditations for all four of its specialist areas.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• For more information or interviews, please contact Nick Mason or Lucy Mason at Mason Media on 0151 239 5050 or 07903 237008.
• The full top ten in the Which? report table is as follows:
1. Sheffield
2. Leeds
3. Bristol
4. Bradford
5. Birmingham
6. London
7. Liverpool
8. Edinburgh
9. Manchester
10. Glasgow

Eco Environments Launches Radio Campaign

2011-09-14T09:44:00.003+01:00

We have just launched a new radio advert campaign on Radio City, Magic and City Talk going out to Merseyside, the Wirral and parts of North Wales. The radio adverts mark the beginning of our exciting marketing plans to match our 636% growth rate!

The campaign consists of two alternating adverts that concentrate on the lucrative Feed in Tariffs funded by the government for solar PV and the benefits of Solar Panels. The adverts will educate our target market in our local area on solar energy as well as increase brand awareness of Eco Environments.

If you're in the Merseyside area, Wirral or North Wales, listen out for our advert which runs until December this year. We have also uploaded our adverts to our YouTube channel so if you're not in the area to pick up Radio City, Magic and City Talk click here to listen to advert number 1 and here to listen to advert number 2.

Cheshire Caravan Park Goes Eco with Solar Panel Installation

2011-09-13T13:50:00.002+01:00

A businessman has unveiled a solar panel installation at his caravan park and bed and breakfast in Cheshire.

Chris Buss, who runs Elm Cottage Tour Park near Oulton Park, has had a 3.9kW solar PV system installed, comprising 18 state-of-the-art Hyundai panels.

The work was carried out by leading North West renewable energy company Eco Environments.

Chris said: “I decided to install solar panels because they are both environmentally friendly and guarantee a significant return on investment through the Government’s Feed-in-Tariffs system.

“Eco Environments provided a very efficient service and answered all of my questions in simple, non-jargon language.” It is estimated that Elm Cottage’s system will produce around 3291kWh of electricity a year earning £1425 a year in Feed-in-Tariff payments.

Chris will also save around £408 a year by generating their own electricity and earn £10 a year exporting any excess power generated. This will mean a total income/saving of £1843 a year which is index-linked, and expected to give a 24 per cent average return on investment annually over 25 years. The system will have paid for itself within about six years.

David Hunt, a director with Eco Environments, said: “We have noticed a significant increase in the number of people in Cheshire talking to us about the benefits of installing solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable energy solutions on their homes and businesses.

“Not only are renewable energy schemes environmentally friendly, they also offer the kind of guaranteed return on investment which is hard to find with so much financial uncertainty still surrounding the UK economy.”

The Government’s Feed in Tariffs system – introduced last year – has transformed the renewable energy industry in the UK. Customers are paid for every kilowatt hour of electricity their system produces irrespective of whether they use it or not as well as being paid for electricity sold back to the Grid.

Eco Environments increased turnover to £1.4million last year – a rise of 636 per cent on the previous year – and has now set its sights on hitting the £5million mark within two years.

The company designs, installs and commissions a range of renewable energy and energy conservation solutions, specialising in Solar Photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines and solar thermal water heating systems and heat pumps. It is one of only a small number of companies to have successfully secured Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditations for all four of its specialist areas.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• For more information or interviews, please contact Nick Mason or Lucy Mason at Mason Media on 0151 239 5050 or 07903 237008.

• Please see attached photo showing Chris Buss with his solar panel array at Elm Cottage Tour Park in Oulton Park, Cheshire.

Eco Environments Mentioned in Mail on Sunday!

2011-09-12T09:09:00.002+01:00

Install solar panels

Financial Mail has warned against ‘free’ solar panels, where you rent space on your roof to a firm that owns the panels. But if you own the panels, the returns can be compelling, thanks to Government subsidies knows as feed-in tariffs (FITs).

Business consultant Nick Done, 43, from Southport, Lancashire, became aware of solar panel schemes through flyers and adverts and thought the promise of ten per cent returns was worth investigating further.

Nick paid £12,500 to install panels over a 32 square metre section of south-east facing roof at his Victorian detached home that he shares with wife Dawn, 43, and their daughters, Charlotte, 9, and Josephine, 6.

‘We were led to believe by the installers that the FIT income would be £1,200, but in fact it was £1,400 in the first year,’ he says. The FITs, funded by Government, are paid via your electricity supplier.

The FIT rate is guaranteed to rise in line with inflation and FITs are paid per KWh generated, regardless of whether your household consumes the energy or distributes it back into the grid. And remember, FITs are tax-free.

Nick believes that the family save between 50 and 60 per cent on their electricity bill, about £300 a year. In total, this is a yield on his original £12,500 of 14 per cent.

Nick’s panels were installed by Liverpool firm Eco Environments (eco-environments.co.uk). Eco director David Hunt says average installations cost about £12,000 and function best on southerly roofs with a slope of between 20 and 40 degrees.

He says that because FITs are inflation-linked, returns will not suffer if the cost of living rises. ‘And if energy prices continue to rise, the savings are greater there, too,’ he says.

ANNUAL RETURNS: More than ten per cent, possibly far more

RISK: Low, but you need to invest about £12,000 and cannot get the money back

FARMERS FLOCK TO INVEST IN RENEWABLE ENERGY SCHEMES

2011-09-05T15:41:00.001+01:00

An increasing number of farmers are embracing renewable energy schemes with a potential return on investment of more than 10 per cent.

With income for farmers dropping as commodity prices have plummeted, the farming community has been forced to look for new ways to make money.

There has been a massive surge in interest among the UK’s farmers since the Government introduced new subsidies – known as Feed in Tariffs (FITs) – in April last year. Even changes brought in earlier this year have made little impact on farmers as most of the schemes under consideration are small and medium sized and well below the 50kW mark identified by the Government for proposed cuts in tariffs available.

With returns of 10 per cent or more on investment, installing some form of renewable energy generation – most commonly solar panels or wind turbines – is seen as a secure investment by the farming community. Across the UK, more than a third of farmers are believed to be considering investing in renewable energy schemes.

Eco Environments, one of the UK’s leading renewable energy providers, says interest from farmers has “gone through the roof” in the past six months.

David Hunt, a director with Eco Environments, said: “The interest from the farming community in the past six months has been phenomenal.

“We are currently speaking to dozens of farmers in England and Wales who have either given the go ahead to a renewable energy project or are seriously considering one. Renewable energy for farms is one of the fastest growing areas of our business.”

Tom Hind, Head of Economics at the National Farmers Union, said in an interview earlier this year: “Investment in renewables and developing new income streams from land and buildings is part of the defence against volatile commodity prices.”

Meanwhile, Jonathan Scurlock, the NFU’s chief adviser on renewable energy, commented: “Farmers are extremely interested in diversifying and this is completely compatible with the traditional business of a farm.”

The Feed in Tariffs system has quite simply transformed the renewable energy industry in the UK. Customers are paid for every kilowatt hour of electricity their system produces irrespective of whether they use it or not as well as being paid for electricity sold back to the Grid.

David Hunt, whose company has a network of offices across the UK, added: “There is considerable interest among farmers in the potential benefits of harnessing renewable energy on their farms. It provides them with a strong and ongoing income at a time when commodity prices are falling; it allows them to make the best use of their land; it fits with the farming culture of business diversification; and, it allows them to generate their own electricity and become increasingly self-sustainable.

“We are currently working with farmers across the UK with schemes either completed or in the planning stages in Cumbria, the North East, Lancashire, Merseyside and North Wales.”

The Feed in Tariff scheme offers guaranteed cash back for the next 25 years on every unit of electricity generated by a solar panel or 20 years for a wind turbine.

The system is designed to offer a return of over 10 per cent on all scales of project, making it more attractive for investors than a bank account and more reliable than the stock market.

The average barn roof could generate as much as £5,000 of income a year if electricity-generating solar panels are installed. Larger field-based projects of 50kwp have the potential to generate income/savings of more than £15,000 a year.

Drive around Europe, particularly Germany, Spain and Italy, and you will readily see how farmers on the Continent have been actively installing renewable energy schemes to help bring them new income streams.

David Hunt added: “Most people, including farmers, do not like taking risks. A guaranteed annual return on investment of over 10 per cent is very attractive at any time, but even more so at a time when the wider economy remains in such a state of flux. On many schemes, the return on investment is considerably greater.”

Case Study

A North Wales farmer is one of a growing number of farmers in the UK to install solar panels on their farm buildings.

Edwin Hughes, of Cornist Ganol Farm in Flint, brought in Eco Environments to handle the project which saw a 19.62kWp solar PV system – consisting of 90 Hyundai SF218 panels – installed at the farm.

It is estimated that Mr Hughes’ system will produce around 15,692 kWh of electricity a year which will earn him more than £5,162 a year in Feed-in-Tariff payments. He will also save around £1,330 a year generating his own electricity and £97 by exporting any excess power generated. The total income/saving of £6,590 a year gives the farm a 22.69% return on investment annually and within seven years, the system will have paid for itself.

Edwin Hughes said: “I spoke to a number of renewable energy companies and I chose Eco Environments after hearing about a friend’s good experience and because they have the edge in terms of experience in their sector.

“All aspects of the installation process from first contact were professional and I would have no hesitation recommending the company to other farmers in the region.”