John shows his special photovoltaic tiles which he has added to the roof of his house

Last year John Anderson and his wife Ruth received a cheque for £22.

Nothing unusual about that in itself. Except the sum was posted to them from an unlikely source - their electricity supplier.

This year, they expect another - for more than double that sum.

The welcome cash-back, from a utility most of us would never associate with refunds, is the result of the couple's efforts to make their home in a village outside Bradford environmentally-friendly.

They have substantially lowered their carbon emissions through installing photovoltaic, electricity-generating tiles on their roof. Gas bills too, have fallen by more than a third thanks to solar thermal water-heating panels on another section of roof at the property.

John, a former headmaster at Beckfoot School in Bingley, researched the most environmentally-friendly measures which would reduce their output of carbon dioxide (CO2).

In the system he selected, the special tiles - which resemble ordinary roofing tiles with a slight shine - make electricity. They are wired to the National Grid and - under a legal obligation laid down for renewables - a payment of 9p per kilowatt (KWh) is made by the Government. The money is paid even if the couple use the energy themselves.

The 2.24KWh system involves an initial financial outlay. However, grants towards the cost are available from the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. These are dependent on the householder fulfilling certain criteria.

Says John: "I had to insulate all the walls, put 270mm of insulation in the loft, have double glazing, and install low wattage bulbs wherever practical."

The cost also has to be viewed in light of future savings and a clear environmental conscience.

Planning permission for the project was not required so long as the panels - which are also known as solar PV panels, did not project more than 100mm above the existing roof.

Due to leaks, the property had to be re-roofed. The south-facing roof was set aside to be laid with photovoltaic tiles. They are actuated by daylight, but perform at their best under sunlight.

"They need all the sun they can get," says John. "Any shadow on any part reduces their efficiency."

During the day, the system sends energy to the grid, and at night it supplies all the household electricity. "The grid acts as a battery for us."

The solar thermal panels were laid on the garage roof, two facing east and three facing west. These heat the water through the sun's rays. In summer, the system can supply almost all the hot water a household needs, meaning that neither the householder or the planet is paying the price.

"In winter, the gas is turned on for around 30 minutes every day," he says. The system does not supply water for central heating.

Measures such as these don't come cheap, together costing several thousand pounds. But the initial outlay has to be viewed in light of future savings and a clear environmental conscience - something that is of vital important to this Earth-minded couple.

"It is worth it for the future of the planet," says John, a Methodist local preacher who is eco-officer for the Shipley-Bingley circuit of churches.

"It will take many years to pay for the capital but as you look to the future, the cost of power is going up and by installing these systems the value of the house will be much increased. I believe that in time, as prices soar, the cost will be recouped in the value of the house."

He points out that the compulsory Home Information Packs provided by house sellers must include details about a building's energy performance.

The energy pay-back time is three years, representing the energy taken to manufacture the panels calculated against the energy generated by the installation. The panels save more CO2 than it used in their manufacture, helping to reduce global warming.

The measures form only one part - albeit a major one - of the couple's efforts to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle and reduce their carbon footprint.

"We want to be ahead of the curve," says John. "We have a seat in the back garden made from 2,000 plastic bottles. It looks exactly like wood and will last forever."

The couple also grow a good deal of their own food. "That, too, is an important part of our lifestyle," he says.

John estimates that he and Ruth produce between one-third and half of the amount of energy they use. "When we see the sun coming out it is very, very satisfying."

4:14am Wednesday 26th March 2008

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