County Durham-based Access Renewables is to use the internet to hold online seminars which are will provide homeowners with an opportunity to explore the various options associated with the installation of a renewable energy system.

Click the logo to sign-up to the next webinar

The 30-minute seminars will introduce participants to the range of renewable energy systems available, the availability of grants and funding, and how each technology can be applied. Each participant will be given a link to the secure seminar area which will include a presentation, hosted by Sean Collier of Access Renewables. Participants can also use the seminar to ask questions in a more informal setting.

Sean Collier of Access Renewables comments “We’ve been looking for a way to engage with our potential customers, and particularly those who are in the early stages of looking for a renewable energy system and installer. Almost all of our domestic customers seek assistance and guidance prior to choosing a system and so by offering our expert knowledge and opinions at a relatively early stage, our customers can make a more of an informed decision.”

The company is offering the free web seminars to homeowners throughout the UK, however they are expected to be hugely popular. Sean Collier adds “The number of places on each web seminar is limited, as we aim to provide a rather relaxed and informal session”. Interested individuals can sign-up for the seminar via the installers website www.accessrenewables.co.uk and can do so from any Internet-connected PC.

There are also plans to extend the seminars to introduce renewable energy to small and medium-sized businesses, to introduce them to the various tax savings and finance options available. Access Renewables are also believed to be the first renewable energy installer in the country to use web seminars as a way of interacting with potential customers.

 

The new allocation means that the scheme can continue to subsidise the cost of installing renewable energy systems such as Solar, Wind and Heat Pumps for homeowners, schools, charities and local authorities through until April 2011.

Access Renewables, an expanding renewable energy installer based in County Durham is one company which is expecting the recent announcement to have a positive effect on business. The company is currently involved with a number of projects which are expected to benefit from the new allocation of funding into the scheme, which has an overall target of reducing the CO2 emissions of homes and buildings across the UK.

Karen Jones, Managing Director of Access Renewables comments “The industry has recently been suffering from a slight downturn following uncertainty with the funding scheme following the planned end for the scheme, which was scheduled for June 2009, and the launch of feed-in tariffs in April 2010. As this left the industry in a temporary state of limbo, expansion plans had to be postponed and projects downsized. The recent announcement means that projects can be picked up where they left off, particularly those involving Solar PV and we can be confident in our planning for development and growth over the coming 12-18 months.”

For homeowners, the announcement means grants will continue to be available past the original deadline of April 2010, and that there will be enough funds to cover demand. For schools and local authorities, this means that the current backlog of Solar PV applications will soon be dealt with and not-for-profit organisations can continue to benefit from the scheme. Such organisations are urged to begin looking at renewable energy as a serious option before funding runs dry once more.

Access Renewables offer a complete service which includes design of renewable energy systems, advice and assistance for funding, access to finance for some clients, advice and assistance submitting planning applications, and the installation and maintenance of the renewable energy systems. Sean Collier of Access Renewables adds: “We aim to take the administrative burden from our clients by handling planning and funding applications, and arranging the installations to ensure everything runs smoothly. This is particularly advantageous to schools and charities which don’t have time to deal with it, freeing them up to concentrate on their own activities”.

As a solar PV installer, we know the tangible and intangible benefits of a Solar home. What counts however, is results. And the results of an installation have been clearly identified by Ashley Seagar in a recent edition of The Guardian.

Mr Seagar touches on the impact the 3kw Solar Photovoltaic system is having on his consumption, his energy bills and his property in general. He explains how Solar PV makes an interesting case as an investment in light of plummeting interest rates, and growing financial remuneration from OFGEM’s Renewable Obligation Certificate scheme and in the launch of Feed In Tariffs to the UK marketplace.

We thought it would be a good to share this story with our potential customers, and we’ll be very happy to discuss any project in further detail. Simply complete the quick contact form found here.

You can find the Link to the article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/may/09/green-your-home-solar-panels

Following our recent news posting about the ‘We Support Solar’ campaign we are backing, we thought it would only be right to discuss the situation at present regarding selling surplus energy back to the energy companies and how the industry is uniting to promote the cause.

The drive was kicked off by the start of the campaign which saw 500 hand-delivered letters to MP’s in Parliament. The letters urged them to support Solar technology ahead of the implementation of the feed-in tariffs, currently expected to begin in April 2010.

At present, there are several power companies offering rewards to owners of microgeneration systems which include solar PV and wind turbines. This usually involves a payment in return for sending excess energy back to the National Grid, and in most cases the energy is metered. It’s certainly a step in the right direction for the energy companies to offer such rewards, however they are often critisised for complicating the process and not offering as much as they should for exported energy. Hence the need for the Government to step-in and agree a suitable way forward for all parties.

In other countries around the world, the rate in which energy is sold back to the power company is significantly higher than any scheme currently in operation in the UK – and so it’s often argued that the UK is not doing enough to meet it’s European Carbon Reduction Targets.

Last year, the Goverment gained the powers to set feed-in tariffs for renewable energy projects below 5MW, through the Energy Act. So it too is making a step in the right direction, but consultations are ongoing with regards to the specifics of the scheme.

But what does this mean if you are about to implement a renewable energy project?
Well, firstly you can benefit from funding available for homeowners, public-sector organisations (such as schools, leisure centres and housing associations) and charities right now. The funding for the latter two is running out fast as the scheme will shortly be coming to a close. The likelyhood is, and this has not been announced yet, is that the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) will replace any such scheme.

Secondly, you can benefit from renewable energy right now, knowing that over the coming years the value of energy exported should increase somewhat. Current Examples of schemes available include Scottish and Southern Energy reportedly offering customers 20p per kWh exported.  Good Energy are now paying 15p for each kWh unit generated, regardless of whether you use it or export it (ideal for homeowners) and are now even trialling a scheme for those with Solar Thermal systems and Heat Pumps! These tariffs are available now, and will most likely be increased in April 2010.

So our advice regarding Feed-in tariffs is: Benefit from grant schemes while you can. This could potentially combine with Feed-in tariffs in the future which will make it a very attractive proposition indeed. Feel free to get in touch with us (by using this handy form) to discuss how to maximise the benefits of installing a renewable energy system from us. We are always happy to discuss the best solutions with you, through open and honest advice and customer care.

 

Access Renewables, which installs renewable technologies such as solar and wind power, suggests that by installing renewable energy systems to a home, they can make a property more appealing to potential buyers. Karen Jones, managing director of Access Renewables said “We’ve worked with both domestic customers and house-builders, and both have one common goal – to make a property as marketable as possible.” Miss Jones continues “Renewables are an attractive feature for a prospective buyer as they offer some relief to fuel usage and prices. During a time in which every penny counts, we’ve seen that buyers are favouring properties which offer such green credentials.”

 

One claim which supports this comes from eco-homes expert Julian Brooke’s of GreenMoves. Earlier this week, he claimed that the demand for eco-homes is “holding up” citing a development that has received serious interest from potential buyers. He suggested that so far, the green property industry has yet to be affected by the slowdown in sales.

 

Housebuilders across the country are implementing renewable energy technologies into developments in an attempt to add benefit to potential buyers. Builders are increasing installing solar and air-source heat pumps to new-build properties in order to achieve higher levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

 

Access Renewables encourages homeowners and housebuilders to serious consider the benefits of renewable energy, whether they are looking to sell the property or add value to it. Karen Jones continues “There were previously many barriers to installing renewables into a home however now that planning permissions have been relaxed and funding opportunities are continuing, many are choosing renewables over conventional equipment.”