West Bowling estate signs up for new green scheme (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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West Bowling estate signs up for new green scheme
7:00am Wednesday 30th January 2013 in Bradford
By Helen Mead, T&A Reporter
Yasser Taj outside his home in Newill Close which also boasts solar panels to produce electricity
A Bradford estate is to become the first in the country to benefit from a scheme to make homes greener.
Hundreds of residents in Parkside, West Bowling, have signed up to the Government’s Green Deal – announced this week to help people ‘stay warm for less’.
Households can fund improvements such as insulation, heating systems and double glazing using loans paid back over periods of up to 25 years through savings made on their bills.
Parkside Residents’ Association discussed the advantages of the scheme for the homes which were built in the 1950s using poured concrete and have no cavity walls and so suffer from condensation. A pilot project began last year and now work to transform the estate has begun.
“Parkside is going to be the first Green Deal estate in the country,” said association chairman Yassar Taj, whose home was the first to benefit as part of the pilot scheme.
“We are trying to do this as a community rather than individuals, so we get a good deal.
“In my home the walls lost so much heat and on some we couldn’t put up units due to the amount of moisture. Wallpaper was peeling off too, and mould brings health risks.”
Since the work, which involved cladding and rendering outside walls, his home has been warmer and he is using less energy to heat it.
Mr Taj said: “It has made a real difference. Normally, we have our heating thermostat on seven, but now we have it on three or four. We are all now looking forward to having cosier homes.”
The majority of those living on the 400-home estate have signed up, as have those in some adjacent terraced homes.
James Kahn, of the Leeds-based Green Deal Warehouse which is carrying out the work, said: “It will save energy and bring jobs to the region, as we have work which will last years.”
Comments(10)
Cooperlane2
says...
9:28am Wed 30 Jan 13
Not so simple
says...
11:55am Wed 30 Jan 13
MyleftPenguin
says...
12:35pm Wed 30 Jan 13
johnhem
says...
4:26pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Outraged English Subject
says...
5:38pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Not so simple
says...
7:14pm Wed 30 Jan 13
MyleftPenguin wrote:You forget the rechargeable storage batteries and inverters. These need replacing and servicing on a regular basis. If you do not replace then the efficiencies are much less.
You are right, solar panels do become less efficient over time, but not by anything like the figures you claim.
Secondly, the interest rate is far too high, should be subsidised as its reducing the countries carbon footprint.
Re the carbon footprint....I bet you a pint that an awful lot of energy and resources,along with pollution and toxics are created in the mining for the minerals/ingredients and the manufacturing process...let alone the shipping/transportat
ion impacts.
Poorly thought out and being rushed unnecessarily upon households with the impression of saing money long term.
We will wait and see as we will ultimately be the taxpayers bailing this rushed scheme out.
Also alternatives such as wind power; American studies have shown the standard wind turbines tend to warm the atmosphere and cause irregular weather patterns....think about it for your self. When you turn on a fan..it pulls down cooler air and replaces it with low level warmer air. Just a thought.
porkfat
says...
8:11pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Not so simple wrote:They are guaranteed to perform 90% of max for 10 years and no less than 80% upto 25 years. There is nothing mucho go wrong with them.
Put it frankly I cannot see the solar panels lasting longer then 20 years max. The efficiency of the panel tends to deteriorate as each year goes by. So in essence the panel will be around 40-60 less efficient in 15 years time, meaning reduced yields in power output.
porkfat
says...
8:15pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Not so simple wrote:These systems are grid tied, therefore no storage batteries to worry about. If you don't use the electricity (and you probably won't if you have a job) it exports back The national grid. Inverter will need replacing in approx 15 years with a new one cost approx £800. Get your facts right my friend
MyleftPenguin wrote:You forget the rechargeable storage batteries and inverters. These need replacing and servicing on a regular basis. If you do not replace then the efficiencies are much less.
You are right, solar panels do become less efficient over time, but not by anything like the figures you claim.
Secondly, the interest rate is far too high, should be subsidised as its reducing the countries carbon footprint.
Re the carbon footprint....I bet you a pint that an awful lot of energy and resources,along with pollution and toxics are created in the mining for the minerals/ingredients and the manufacturing process...let alone the shipping/transportat
ion impacts.
Poorly thought out and being rushed unnecessarily upon households with the impression of saing money long term.
We will wait and see as we will ultimately be the taxpayers bailing this rushed scheme out.
Also alternatives such as wind power; American studies have shown the standard wind turbines tend to warm the atmosphere and cause irregular weather patterns....think about it for your self. When you turn on a fan..it pulls down cooler air and replaces it with low level warmer air. Just a thought.
Not so simple
says...
8:36pm Thu 31 Jan 13
porkfat wrote:Time will reveal all.
Not so simple wrote:These systems are grid tied, therefore no storage batteries to worry about. If you don't use the electricity (and you probably won't if you have a job) it exports back The national grid. Inverter will need replacing in approx 15 years with a new one cost approx £800. Get your facts right my friend
MyleftPenguin wrote:You forget the rechargeable storage batteries and inverters. These need replacing and servicing on a regular basis. If you do not replace then the efficiencies are much less.
You are right, solar panels do become less efficient over time, but not by anything like the figures you claim.
Secondly, the interest rate is far too high, should be subsidised as its reducing the countries carbon footprint.
Re the carbon footprint....I bet you a pint that an awful lot of energy and resources,along with pollution and toxics are created in the mining for the minerals/ingredients and the manufacturing process...let alone the shipping/transportat
ion impacts.
Poorly thought out and being rushed unnecessarily upon households with the impression of saing money long term.
We will wait and see as we will ultimately be the taxpayers bailing this rushed scheme out.
Also alternatives such as wind power; American studies have shown the standard wind turbines tend to warm the atmosphere and cause irregular weather patterns....think about it for your self. When you turn on a fan..it pulls down cooler air and replaces it with low level warmer air. Just a thought.
thatsnotmyname says...
8:04am Wed 30 Jan 13