Eight major Renewable Energy Projects approved as UK Goes Green!

Eight major renewable energy projects, estimated to create around 8,500 new job opportunities for people in the UK, have been given government approval.

The contracts, which include off-shore wind farms and conversions of coal-powered plants to run on biomass, are the first projects to be awarded funding under the government’s energy market reforms, with more thought to be in progress.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said the projects could power up to three million homes in the UK. Mr Davey is confident that all eight projects will go ahead without a hitch; however, there are more renewable energy projects in the pipeline that the government could not fund, meaning that if a company was to drop out for whatever reason, another similar project could take its place.

These projects are the first wave of reforms planned by the government and are vital to ensuring the UK maintains secure, clean energy after the problems the Ukraine crisis has caused the European energy market.

The price of gas is quickly becoming a major Russian weapon against its neighbour and by extension, its European supporters. Nearly a third of European natural gas comes from Russia and almost half of that gas runs through Ukrainian pipelines. If past events were to repeat themselves, the countries hardest hit by the decline in energy supplies could see schools and factories forced to shut down.

The UK, unlike much of Europe, is fortunate enough not to rely on Russian gas. Nevertheless, the possibility of a decline in imported fossil fuels should inspire Britain to become more self-sufficient through renewable energy. Britain should aspire to be clean and sustainable.

The eight approved projects will add nearly 5% to the UK clean energy supply, according to Mr Davey. He also expects them to attract around £12bn in private investment.

The first eight approved projects are designed to attract investment in low carbon energy solutions in a more affordable way than before. Although, Mr Davey predicts that these changes would add 2% to annual household energy bills by 2020 when it is hoped that at least 30% of UK electricity will come from renewable sources.  

As the approval of these projects reinforces the growth of sustainable energy in the UK, you don’t have to wait for the government to make changes on your behalf. You can go green by investing in solar panels with First4Solar.

To find out about solar panel installation, please contact us on: 08450 036 882 or fill out our form for a free remote site survey.

Solar employment booms as more households than ever have solar panels installed!

After announcing the intention of an extensive survey and study of the UK solar industry in 2013, The Building Research Establishment (BRE) National Solar Centre (NSC) has published some of the preliminary results, which make for interesting reading.

The report states that approximately 14,000 full-time UK jobs were associated with the solar PV (photovoltaics) industry last year (including both ground-mounted and building projects, as well as office positions). This total sum has reinforced the potential of the solar market and is testament to the growing number of households adopting a sustainable energy solution in the form of solar panels.

The report, was commissioned by the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC), and will be used to measure the economic standing of the growing UK PV industry.

Associate director of the BRE National Solar Centre, Jonny Williams said that BRE used their own methodology to put together the study so they could relate actual job numbers to product quantities installed last year.

Additional details of the report are set to be published in DECC’s Solar Strategy publication in the weeks to come.

To back up the figures reported by BRE, the share of electricity generated from renewable sources increased globally last year, according to a report compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) and the Frankfurt School.

As well as highlighting the solar booms in China and Japan, the report found that solar generated the highest share of renewable electricity, rising 26% from 31GW in 2012 to a record high of 39GW last year.

We believe that all of this positive news is confirming the place of solar energy as the renewable energy source of choice for many years to come. For more information or to find out about solar panel installation, please contact us on: 08450 036 882 or fill out our form for a free remote site survey.

‘Big Six’ investigated as annual energy bills look set to rocket by 2020!

According to consumer watchdog Which?, consumer energy bills could rise by £640 annually within seven years. The average annual bill could exceed £2000, even if wholesale costs of gas and electricity remain stable.

Moreover, Which? has predicted that energy companies will need to spend £118bn on new infrastructure from now until 2020. This will be paid for by the consumer through an inevitable increase in energy bills, further strengthening the case for sustainable energy. This money would go towards building new power stations, replacing existing grids and working to make Britain more sustainable, lowering carbon emissions by building more renewable energy resources such as wind farms.

Richard Lloyd, director of Which?, said: "I don't think consumers know that this is heading their way and that decision has already been made by the Government.”
"This is a massive chunk potentially on everyone's bills. This means one thing: household bills are set to rise, and to rise for many people very steeply for the foreseeable future."
Which? is campaigning for a full market investigation to find out if consumers are paying a fair price for energy. Britain has since been warned that it faces an energy investment freeze and a higher risk of blackouts due to the deepest ever investigation into the big six power suppliers. The energy sector is reliant on investors, who need a secure return on investment in order to finance projects.
Angela Knight, of Energy UK, the body representing the industry, said: "A lot of this is all about the policy that the Government and previous Government signed up to.”
"Right now there is significant concern about the price of a bill and that is before much of this investment comes through. At the same time, a lot of our stuff is old and you do have to refresh and replenish," she added.

Warnings were dismissed by energy regulator Ofgem. An investigation is to be undertaken by newly created Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and could lead to the dissolution of the big six power companies including British Gas and E.ON by separating their supply arms and the generation units that own the power stations.

Consumers will no doubt be feeling the pinch in years to come, so it seems now is the time to prepare. Alternative energy resources and energy savers are possibilities when trying to reduce traditional energy consumption. By insulating your house correctly and investing in double glazing, you will reduce energy wastage in your home and therefore use less energy. Making your home sustainable by investing in renewable energy like solar panels is also an option and you could see a return on investment in just a few years. 

Once your house has been fitted with solar technology; the financial input will be minimal, homeowners also have the opportunity to sell excess solar energy back to the energy industry.


To find out more about solar panel installation, please contact us on: 08450 036 882 or visit our website on www.first4solar.co.uk

Top Awards Ceremony Announced

One of the region’s most prestigious business events, the 2014 Barnsley & Rotherham Business Awards was announced yesterday as being held in Barnsley.

The ceremony will take place in the autumn at Barnsley Metrodome, a first since its formation in 2010 and is supported this year by local business, Solar Europa.

Founded in 2008, Solar Europa has driven to achieve excellence in the renewable energy market and has already built its name as a leading market contender – connecting investment with green energy projects in the UK and worldwide.

David Hawkins, CEO of Solar Europa said, “Solar Europa are delighted to be supporting this year’s Barnsley & Rotherham Business Awards. The awards not only reflect the hard work, determination and drive of businesses in our region but also the continuing innovation and technical expertise contributing to regional, national and international growth and employment opportunities.”

The awards, hosted by Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce acknowledge the achievements of the region’s top firms in 10 award categories - in addition to the much-coveted Business of the Year trophy. 

Andrew Denniff, Chief Executive of the Chamber commented on the support “We are delighted to have Solar Europa on board as overall sponsors of this year’s awards. This is one of the flagship events for Barnsley and Rotherham and Solar Europa are a great business to show their support to the achievements of others. 

''The company has achieved a lot in what is a short space of time since 2008. Solar Europa are an example of a strong, growing and influential business so who better to support and encourage other businesses through the Barnsley & Roterham Business Awards''

Is investing in Solar Panels better than a Pension after Retirement?

According to energy minister, Greg Barker, anyone approaching retirement should consider putting some of their savings into solar panels because they will deliver a better financial return than a pension. 

Installation costs for solar panels have dramatically reduced in the last few years. According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the typical domestic installation costs around £4,500, compared with £13,000 in 2010. This means that typical rates of return on domestic solar panels are between 5 per cent and 8 per cent a year, government figures show.

Financial advisers have in return warned that while solar panels have their merit, they should not take the place of your pension when planning your retirement.

Laith Khalaf, head of corporate research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “There is nothing wrong with the idea of installing solar panels, but it is not a way to save for retirement. Rather, they are something you spend your retirement savings on.”

It would be unwise to substitute a pension for solar panels but the lure of a nil-bill home during retirement cannot be depreciated.

Every year, pensioners all over the UK struggle to pay their bills and investing in solar panels could be a way around this. If more people invested in solar panels as part of their retirement plan, in addition to a pension, they’d be self-sufficient and better off. 

The government offers to guarantee the price at which users can sell their excess electricity in order to promote domestic solar power. The guaranteed price was cut in 2012, but the government continues to provide a subsidy.

The minister's financial argument is part of an attempt to improve the image of renewable energy sources, which are unpopular with some voters and many Conservative MP's. However, what he says about the benefits of investing in domestic solar energy during retirement or at any age cannot be overlooked. For more information and advice on solar panels.

For more information and advice on solar panel installation, please visit our website first4solar.co.uk or contact us on 0845 036 882 or fill out our form for a free remote site survey. Special Offer in April : 2 Solar Panels when you purchase any Solar PV system! Plus we pay the VAT!