I don't have a south facing roof, can I still have solar?

Yes. You can certainly still benefit from installing panels on a non South-facing roof. What's more, in some circumstances, having an East/West facing property may also be more beneficial. The property to the right has panels mounted on an East facing roof. The sun will rise in the East, over the property and set in the West - meaning that the shadow of the Chimney won't fall across the panels and cause a loss in generation. The size of this system is modest, but the homeowners will still be generating their own electricity, that is free to use, and they'll be paid for doing so by the government Feed-in-Tariff (FiT).

As the solar panel industry continues to grow, so do the creative solutions to oddly-shaped roofs and those with less than ideal orientation. Solar installers will have different suggestions, so it's worth comparing them to one other. Ultimately though, whilst having a large South-facing roof may be ideal, other roofs are almost always able to accommodate solar panels in some way and receive FiT payments, cut energy bills and reduce the home's carbon footprint.

Can Solar Energy be converted into Liquid Fuel?

Researchers at Harvard University have discovered a way to convert solar energy into liquid fuel. At the moment solar energy can be converted into hydrogen by photovoltaic cells, but hydrogen in the energy race has yet to make some headway, being dominated by fossil fuels.

However this breakthrough is promising and could potentially be the bridge from our current energy crisis to a more sustainable resource.

How have they done it?

By splitting solar energy into water, hydrogen and oxygen there are then able to convert the hydrogen, plus carbon dioxide into a liquid isopropanol by using a bacterium. (original source)




The researches hope this can open up solar energy to more takers, particularly in the developing world so it can become a more accessible resource locally, and eventually start to compete with fossil fuels.

Although, you could just make the jump now! Invest in solar now and earn up to £750 with the government RHI while cushioning yourself from crippling energy bills. You can get free no-obligation quotes from the best installers in your area on our quoter websites here: http://www.solarpanelquoter.co.uk/?s_eng=blog

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

TOP 5 wacky solar inventions! #4 killed me!

Solar Panels are spreading like wildfire right now, they are EVERYWHERE an in the most oddest of places. Mainly because you can go pretty much anywhere in the day and you'll be under the sun (obviously). The human attraction to solar power is growing by leaps and bounds over the past 4 years because the technology is finally being realised. You nay sayers, blowing down solar panels about their efficiency are stuck in the past. Germany are running on 50% solar power and we all know how efficient they are! Without further adieu here are my top ten solar panel locations, proving how versatile the technology really is.

1. The Solar Power Fan Cap

Probably not the pinnacle of solar power's potential, but wacky indeed. Obviously choosing practicality over fashion this really does make the most of your head space. It's designed to cool the face by using the fan mounted on the ridge, running on the solar panel above the head. It wouldn't be a bad idea too if it didn't look a tad ridiculous. The best thing is these can be bought on Amazon! I enjoy it don't get me wrong. Part of me wants to buy it, but I'm more of a Sombrero 'fan' myself. 

2. Solar Moon

Not to be confused with the popular anime, Sailor Moon. This is a project being developed by Japan and the USA and it's not as far fetched as you might think! A Tokyo-based Shimizu Corp. wants to lay a belt of solar panels 250 miles wide around the equator of our orbiting neighbour and then relay the constant supply of energy to “receiving stations” on Earth by way of lasers or microwave transmission. 

The “Luna Ring” that is being proposed would be capable of sending 13,000 terawatts of power to Earth. I guess the only appropriate reaction to that is...

It's a massive amount of power seen as in 2011 the USA alone generated 4,100 terawatts. Shimizu have yet to put a price tag on the construction costs involved, but given adequate funding the company believes construction work could get under way as early as 2035.

3. Floating Solar

This floating solar power plant technology was developed last year by a team led by SP Gon Choudhury, Chairman of the Renewable Energy College. With the total estimated cost of Rs 35 lakh ($63,600), the first pilot project is scheduled to be commissioned this year in October at a lake in the outskirts of Kolkata in West Bengal. The funding for the pilot project was provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Solar panels will be installed on floating platforms which will be anchored firmly to avoid undulation of the panels around the surface of the water. Capital cost for this floating installation is approximately $1.18 Million per MW with power generation cost of Rs 7 ($0.13) per unit. 

Enough of the technical malarky, they are odd. No denying it, can you imagine swimming out to sea and see those giant circular monstrosities! I do like the concept though. Make most the space we have, although less of the solar fan cap space saving!

4. Donkey Solar

Now we've all wanted our solar panels portable, but on a little donkey? I'm pretty sure if it had the speed it could take off with those wings! Donkey's are famed for carrying heavy loads, Pregnant women, the unborn messiah now it's renewable technology; I guess the best animal to carry important cargo is a donkey! Its not just this donkey though...

 A 3rd world version of an eco car, a Toyota Pri-asinus?

5. Solar Fashion

Well I'd hardly call it fashion lets face it, it's sort of hideous. It's called 'wearable solar' and it's purpose is mainly to charge your phone and other devices while on the go, guess we know what iPhone users will be wearing... Obviously something like this would never catch on, but still it's a step forward! Lose the 80's shoulder pads and the Tron style look and it could look pretty good! 

Oh, it's not the only wearable solar either, introducing the solartie! Again for charging our phones (seeing a pattern yet?) and again, hideous. Guess we are just solar power mad! Just imagine the get up you will have with a solar fan cap, tron solar suit and a solartie! Would you get beaten up? Probably. But think of the positives, you would be able to taste defeat with a cool face and enough battery to call an ambulance.

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

UK hits it's own record, but is smashed by Germany's

The UK hit a new record recently as sunny weather boosts solar power generation, providing estimated 7.8% of UK electricity in daylight hours of solstice! This is good news for the UK as year ago it was producing half that total, but thanks to the increase in domestic installations we are hitting it home with that 7.8% with 4.7 gigawatts.

Photo Credit: Steve Jurvetson

Why is solar taking off? 

The main reason for the big increase in domestic installations is the RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive) ran by the government letting you sell back the remainder of your free solar generated energy to the grid earning you up to £750 a year!

Solar power is all the rage right now with multiple projects getting into solar. Most recently are the solar roadways, although it had major flaws it still got $2million worth of funding, thats how excited people are about solar energy! Even this years world cup (2014) is powered by solar panels round the stadiums which produces more solar power than 11 of the 32 competing countries!

Video from Yingli's Youtube channel

It's not good enough

Sadly, the UK are far behind when it comes to solar power, especially when compared to Germany. They generated over 50% of their electricity demand from solar for the first time ever on 9 June (Maybe that's whats powering their team in the World Cup?) This is an outstanding achievement, giant leap forward for solar power indeed! A measly 7.8% seems an age away, but  Ray Noble, a consultant at the UK National Solar Centre says "We think that this is likely to double again within a year. There is nothing to stop it getting to 30-40% of UK electricity at this time of year," which is hopeful to say the least, but I too am hopeful as a part of the UK, England; may not of been able to beat Germany in the World Cup, but we sure can rival them with solar power if we stick at it!

Photo Credit: Elliott Brown

If you want to invest in some solar panels you can get FREE QUOTES from solar panel installers in your area here! Its quick, easy and simple. Who wouldn't want to make an extra £750 a year? And protect yourself from sky rocketing electricity bills

http://www.solarpanelquoter.co.uk/?s_eng=blog 

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Paint on solar panels is a 'Breakthru' for technology

'Breakthru' by Queen 1989.
(Look at that smirky deacy in the background!) 

Researchers at the University of Toronto have made a final breakthrough that could lead to cheaper and more flexible solar cells. It  could be used by millions of people around the world due to the nature of the design. The team developed nano-particles called colloidal quantum. The colloidal quantum dots are able to absorb so much sunlight because the researchers developed a material that keeps the electron-rich n-type semiconductor from turning into the electron-poor p-type semiconductor when exposed to the air. The n-type material makes the solar cells more efficient, isn't that clever?

Photo Credit: Good to be Green

The new material achieves solar power conversion efficiency of up to eight percent and can be painted or printed on surfaces such as roofing shingles, especially handy for those underdeveloped countries who I'm guessing will be their target audience if funded for production. The breakthrough also ensures better sensors, infra-red lasers, infra-red light emitting diodes and satellites so winners all round.


I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Solar prices tumble.

thumbs up as solar panel prices plummet

The Government reduction in the Feed-in Tariff isn't necessarily all doom and gloom for homeowners.

True, the amount you'll get paid by the tariff has reduced, but we've also had a lot of solar installers telling us the prices they're paying for the panels is also dropping - some prices have dropped by 50%.

And these are savings getting passed directly onto homeowners booking installations.

The net result is that whilst your installation will earn you less, that reduction will be mostly off-set by the reduction in your solar system installation costs.

Return on investment figures will be between 5% and 10% on the new tariffs with these new lower installation prices in mind.

Perhaps more importantly, the feed-in tariff is still guaranteed for a 25 year period and during that time (and beyond) your installation will be saving you on your normal energy bills - bills that have already risen by around 20% this year and despite promises of simplifying bills and energy tariffs, look likely to continue rising as resources get scarcer and wholesale prices rise.

Solar Panel Quoter has been updated to reflect the new lower installation prices so if you'd like a quick price guide to what you can expect to have to pay , before any installer discounts or promotions, then use our updated website and get an instant online solar panel installation quote in a matter of minutes.

photo credit: morgan sherwood

Npower customers can't escape energy price rises

With 5 of the big 6 energy firms now having announced massive price rises - Npower announced rises of 15.7% for gas and 7.2% for electricity last week, only EDF customers are still smiling, but for how much longer?

Consumer groups reckon the latest price rises will be hard to swallow for hard pressed families, who only see massive profits being recorded by energy firms.

The energy companies have responded to such criticism by stating that they are having to invest billions of pounds in future energy.

With a typical duel-fuel tariff seeing price rises of 12.2% from October, Npower customers may well be thinking why the need for such rises too.

Whilst 'good-deals' may seem in short supply, it's worth contacting your present energy provider and making sure you're on the cheapest tariff you can be. Don't forget relatively simple and cheap energy efficiency measures you carry out now - draught proofing and insulation - will all help come this Autumn.

In other Energy company news, British Gas announced it would be suspending door-to-door 'sales' visits for a 3 month period. Most complaints to energy companies come from  dubious claims and poor miss-selling by door step salesmen.

Home Improvement Quotes family of online quoting websites was set up to banish the need for cold-calling door step salesmen, with their inflated prices and 'special sign here deals'. For example, Solar Panel Quoter will give you an instant online price guide for a solar installation. After which, you can make use of our free matching service, where we'll offer to put you in touch with the best 3 companies in your area.

Why not do something permanent about those energy bill rises today? Visit Solar Panel Quoter and see how much your own solar panels will cost you.

What is a feed-in tariff and how do you make money from it?

There's been lots of media attention on Feed-in tariffs recently - the ability to make money from solar panels on the roof of your home etc but what is a Feed-in tariff and how exactly do you earn money from it?

Feed-in Tariffs is a scheme that pays qualifying homeowners and businesses for the electricity they generate via solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectricity and anaerobic digestion, although solar energy is currently the most popular type of installation.

Payback is in 3 parts: The Generation tariff is a set rate (set by the Government) paid by your energy supplier for each unit of electricity you generate, the Export tariff is a payment you receive for each unit you export back to the National Grid, that you don't personally need/use yourself, and finally, the savings you'll make on your normal energy bills through not having to 'buy' as much energy as you did previously.

The Generation tariff changes (after the first two years) each year for new entrants to the scheme, however, once you're in, you'll enjoy the same rate for the length of the FiT's scheme. (Currently 25 years for solar installations, 20 years for others). Current rates are between 29.3p and 41.3p per kWh

The Export tariff is currently set at 3p per kWh (unit of electricity) and is the same for all technologies.

Making your home more energy efficient through improvements, insulation and energy rated appliances etc will all help lessen your overall energy usage, making the savings even greater on your daily energy bills.

Using the example given by the Energy Saving Trust, a 'typical' 2.2 kWp solar installation could earn:
£770 per year from the Generation Tariff
£30 per year from the Export Tariff
£120 per year reduction in your current electricity bills.

That's £920 per year on average.
This will depend on your location, the amount of daylight / orientation of panels to the sun etc. and how efficient your home is in its everyday energy use.

It should be noted that only those systems installed from the 1st April 2010 using an Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified installer will qualify. If you installed generating technology between 15th July 2009 and 31st March 2010 and transferred to the FiT's before the 1st April 2010, then you'll also qualify. Tariff income for household customers using the energy for their own use is also free from Income Tax.

The Government is being repeatedly appealed to, to include micro-generators that fall outside the scheme's dates but so far have not yielded.

The FiT's cover installations up to an installation size of 5 mega-watts. Your MCS installer will be able to help you complete the claiming process once your system is installed.

So if you've got money in the bank that, at todays rates, won't be making an awful lot, then perhaps you should consider a solar panel or other micro-generation installation. Whilst tariff rates are high, and with the certainty that energy bills will only get more expensive.

It should also be noted that, whilst the Government is committed to the present tariff levels till 2012, there are numerous rumours that the Generation tariff is going to be reviewed this October (2010) and the micro-generation industry believe a cut in the rate is likely to be announced.

There is currently no scheme for hot water generating technologies, however a decision is expected soon on the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme which would cover hot water renewable technologies - solar, ground source etc, originally planned to start in April 2011. Government Ministers are still debating how exactly funding will be paid to homeowners etc. and how early adopters will also be able to claim (if at all).

There have been some 10,000 entrants since the scheme started in April, the sheer numbers, whilst very encouraging for renewable targets, does present a problem for the Government in how to continue funding the tariffs whilst faced with the extreme cuts to current expenditure levels. Many other european countries that started their own tariff's before the UK have already announced or made their own reductions, which has resulted in the number of entrants slowing.

If you'd like to get a quote for your own solar panel installation, then visit Solar Panel Quoter now, take a few minutes to enter your details and requirements and get an instant online price guide in seconds.

Grab a Solar bargain while companies are quiet

The lack of installation dates as Summer approaches, coupled with the interest following the feed-in tariffs launch means now is the time to act if you want to beat the queues and secure your favoured solar panel installation date.

And if the hedgerow forecasters are correct, we're in for a real scorcher, which could see solar panel installers busier than ever.

So now is the time to claim your preferred installation date as you enquire about installing solar panels on your property, if you want to avoid disappointment and make the most of those favourable tariff's.

Solar Panel installations come in two flavours - hot water panels which as the name suggest generate hot water - water than can be fed into your immersion tank to supplement your normal water heating energy use.

The other type of solar panel is photovoltaic, which deal with generating electricity. The generated power is usually fed directly into your home's energy supply with any surplus being 'sold' back to your electricity company.

It's photovoltaic solar panel systems to which the recent feed-in tariffs are applicable to. Hot water systems will have to wait until next years Renewable Heat Incentives. Feed-in tariffs help by reducing the pay back period on your installation, making your return on the investment that much greater. Your paid an agreed amount (tariff) for the electricity you generate and the amount you supply back to the National Grid.

Add in local authority grants and schemes and you may be surprised at the reduction in costs of having solar panels installed.

On popular myth - that solar panels only work when it's sunny? Not strictly true, although direct bright sunlight will produce the most energy, photovoltaic panels do still generate power on cloudy days.

And the systems, once they're installed are relatively maintenance free - requiring little more than an occasional clean.

You don't have to be the next eco-warrior to want to install solar panels, many homeowners are switching onto the fact that traditional fuel costs are only ever going to rise, and although the initial installation may be costly, once the various schemes and installation grants have been subtracted, whatever you're left with still has one powerful factor in its favour - with solar energy, there is a payback (and it's doubtful the Sun will ever start charging more).

Click here to get your instant online solar panel quote.

Click here to find out more about solar energy from our dedicated renewable energy information blog.

April Fool's Day fun

In case you missed them, here is Home Improvement Quotes contribution to April Fool's Day:

On Solar Panel Quoter - The Blog. A story about how environmental studies had shown Badgers were most at risk from onshore wind farms - click here to read more.

On Window Quoter - The Blog. A report about a new glass coating that could render the window handle manufacturing industry obsolete in a few years - click here to read more.

Thanks for joining in the fun. We'll be back with some more quality home improvement news next week.

In the meantime, if you're thinking about a spot of home improving over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend rather than braving the chilly winds and snow at the seaside, then head over to Home Improvement Quotes for your instant online quote on over 17 different home improvement projects - from double glazing to paving.

Solar Panels - They Still Work in the Winter

Across the country, more and more people are taking advantage of the energy provided by the sun to provide them with their hot water. By placing just a few square metres of solar collectors on your ceiling, you can save up to £80 a year* on your fuel bills, and help save the planet and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels in the meantime.

Solar hot water systems can provide you family with a large proportion of your hot water – some manufacturers claim up to 70% of your annual needs. What’s more, a modern, properly sized and installed panels will still work in the winter.

Yes, you read that correctly, you don’t need to have a bright, cloudless day to benefit from a solar panel, it’ll still run, at reduced capacity, through even dense cloud cover.

Solar panels will also add value to your house, and lets you leave a legacy of free, clean hot water for future buyers. Once installed, solar panels require little maintenance and don’t cost anything to keep running – and that price, unlike your gas bill, won’t be going up in the future.

If you want your hot water to be free, clean, independent of your gas or electricity supplier, fair trade, ethical and environmentally friendly, head over to solarpanelquoter.co.uk, and we’ll help you find a professional solar heating company near you.

*From Energy Saving Trust, based on a 3 bed semi-detached home with electric hot water system

Solar Panel Quoter is launched

Fitting Solar Panels and using Solar energy could save not only the planet but your pocket too.

Fitting Solar Panels is becoming a viable alternative for many homeowners as the cost of the solar energy units falls and new designs and technologies squeeze even more power out of existing roof spaces.

And now you can get an instant online quote for fitting solar panels to your home (or business) in minutes with our newest 'Quoter website - Solar Panel Quoter.

Just enter your address details, indicate the type of roof you have and its orientation, then select the type of water heating system you have already - whether that's an indirect cylinder with boiler and 2 cisterns, direct cylinder with immersion heater, combination boiler etc and if that's getting a bit technical for you, then you'll find helpful descriptions of all these different systems on the quote page or you can of course select don't know/not sure.

Listed property or conservation area? In the past, such house credentials would have barred you from any kind of home improvement but even councils are keen to promote the lowering of Co2 emmissions and will often grant permission - especially if the work is not visible from the road, so it's worth enquiring further.

Please note in some cases, depending on the options you've selected, you may not get an online price, however, we can still (with your permission) conduct a search of solar panel fitting companies near to you and get them to give you a no-obligation quote valid for 6 months.

All in all, our solar panel quoter website makes it easy for you to enquire about the cost of getting solar panels fitted to your home, and not a moment too soon it seems as the energy companies announce more increases as we start 2008.

Solar Panel Quoter from Price Engines - the newest addition to the 'Quoter family of websites.

Click here to get an Instant Online Solar Panel Quote. For other home improvement quotes like double glazing or fitted kitchens - even roofs, click here and choose from our full range of home improvement instant online quote websites - a completely FREE service to homeowners.