8:30am Wednesday 11th November 2009
By Helen Mead
Most people wince when they see an electricity bill on the doormat.
But for Ismail Patel, mail from his energy supplier is more likely to contain a cheque made out to him.
“I get a cheque every six months,” he says. “It is quite strange having it that way around.”
The father-of-two, from Bradford, has ten solar panels on the roof of his semi-detached home, providing enough power to generate two-thirds of his annual electricity consumption.
And when he uses less power, he can sell back any excess energy to the grid using his electricity provider’s buy-back scheme.
“It has been fantastic,” he says. “The system works as easily as it did when we were using mains electricity, and we’re already seeing savings on our bills.”
The solar PV panels – also known as photovoltaic panels – were installed 18 months ago in the three-bedroom house Ismail shares with his wife Shanaz and children Mohsin, 13, and eight-year-old Khalil.
“They power our lights, computer, washing machine, fridge-freezer, dishwasher and other electrical items,” says Ismail. “We have a metre that calculates how much power is generated from it.”
Photovoltaic panels can be installed into any home, giving homeowners constant access to electricity. On sunny days, or days where you use less energy, you can sell any excess energy back to the grid at a guaranteed premium rate, helping to reduce bills. On days when householders need more electricity than the panels produce, the system automatically uses power from the grid.
Since 2008, when the Government introduced changes to permitted development rights, homeowners are now able to install microgeneration equipment including solar panels, without planning permission, providing they respect certain size criteria.
“Everyone is surprised by how good they look and how easy they are to use,” he says. “They’ve become a talking point among friends and family. My children are always telling their friends and teachers about it at school, and passers-by stop to comment on them and ask questions.”
Since having the panels fitted, Ismail has become an advocate for renewable energy and is recommending it to others. “I think people are more interested in how they can help the environment, and solar energy is a great way to make your home greener while saving money.
“It’s great to know we are doing our bit for the environment. I’d always been concerned by environmental issues and keen to make my home eco-friendly by generating less waste, using less energy and recycling. And we know in the long-term the panels will bring good returns.”
Andrew Cooper, manager of the Energy Saving Advice Trust advice centre for South and West Yorkshire says the number of enquiries about the use of alternative energy is increasing, particularly since the introduction of the Government’s ‘clean energy cashback’ scheme to reward homeowners with low-carbon emissions.
Starting next April, the scheme works by financially rewarding owners of solar photovoltaic panels for the energy they produce. Anyone installing solar panels or wind turbines before the cashback scheme starts will still be eligible to receive it.
“Householders will get a good return, so what in the past was quite a long pay-back period for their outlay, will be shorter,” says Andrew. “Pay-back periods of 20 years could be cut by half.”
“It is an exciting time for this industry and the trust is receiving more enquiries about alternative energy.
“We are going to see more solar panels and wind turbines in the future on domestic and business properties. We have seen interest from people who would like to install panels or turbines on village halls or community centres. By doing so, cash generated will benefit the whole community.
“In the past renewable energy has been largely the preserve of big companies, but that is changing. This will democratise the generation of energy – it will literally be power to the people. They will be able to change their homes into mini power stations.”
Solar Power Factfile:
Solar electric panels turn light into electricity. The panels are made up of cells, each made from one or two layers of semi-conducting material, usually silicon. When light shines on the cell, it creates an electric field across the layers.
Solar electric panels feeding back into the National Grid – known as feed in tariffs (FITs) – could deliver an annual income of more than £600 per household, creating bill savings of around £110 per year (Figures from the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan).
A typical domestic system (2.5kWp) will cost around £15,000. Grants are available, look at thegreenelectrician.co.uk.
Ismail’s solar electric system was installed by npower solar (npower.com).
More advice on renewable energy is available from the Energy Saving Trust. Visit energysavingtrust.org, or call 0800 512012.
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