Rush for renewables - South Warwickshire businesses see surge in demand for solar panels
ROCKETING energy costs are prompting south Warwickshire homeowners to switch to cheaper ‘green’ options, such as solar panels.
With electricity and gas prices set to rise again from 1st October, companies offering renewable energy systems such as solar panels, which can slash bills by more than 50 per cent, have been flooded with enquiries.
Stratford Energy Solutions, based at Avenue Farm Industrial Estate, has posted a notice on its website which says it is not taking enquiries due to ‘record levels being received over the last few weeks’.
Director Jason Savidge told the Herald the company received 150 enquiries from homeowners about solar PV in one weekend.
Mr Savidge said it’s taking the company, which employs 20, up to four weeks to send out quotes.
Customers who decide to go ahead can find themselves waiting up to four months to have solar panels fitted.
He pointed out that despite there being no longer any government support in terms of grants, more homeowners are opting for solar, as higher energy prices have made it worth the investment.
He said: “The whole mindset of people has changed, because most are worried about energy price increases. They want energy security and solar is a very easy way to go about it.”
Costs vary, depending on the building and the spec of product and system chosen, but a typical house fitted with 4kW solar panel system and battery, which can supply a family of four, costs £14,000.
Stratford Energy Solutions has been trading for 12 years but Mr Savidge warned the energy price crisis and boom in solar has brought in “a raft of people offering cheap products”.
And he advised homeowners to carefully check product and capability specifications when looking at quotes, to make sure they are comparing like-with-like.
The Energy Saving Trust estimates a typical household with 4.2 kilowatt-peak solar panels can cut £297 and £729 a year off electricity bills.
And through the smart export guarantee scheme, homeowners are paid for solar energy powered electricity they generate but don’t use, as this is fed back into the national energy grid.
The Money Saving Expert website, founded by consumer champion and journalist Martin Lewis, explains: ‘As well as saving you money on your energy bills, solar panels can also earn you cash.
‘And don’t worry, panels can still generate some electricity on gloomy days.’
But it points out that with solar panels costing an average of £6,500, it should be viewed as a long-term investment.
Other cheaper and eco-friendly heating methods experiencing a boom are air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and systems which capture solar energy generated while the sun is shining, so it can be stored until needed.
Atherstone on Stour-based Avon Heat Pumps, which supplies and installs air source heat pumps has also seen a leap in enquiries and orders.
Jon Duncan, who specifies and fits air source heat pumps for Avon, told the Herald that up until a few months ago, residents taking up renewable technology tended to be off grid. This includes villages surrounding Stratford, such as Welford, where most homes are not on a main gas network and rely on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or oil.
He explained: “As energy prices have sky-rocketed, people on LPG or oil have been desperate to get off it. For those who live in a big house with oil-fired heating, switching to air source heat pumps is a really good move.”
Avon is also taking many more calls from households that are hooked up to the gas mains network.
Mr Duncan said they are often shocked to learn installing an air source heat pump costs around £10,000. And to fit a ground source heat pump, where energy is drawn from the ground, a pit of 50m or more must be dug in the garden.
Typically ground source heat pumps will set a homeowner back £20,000.
He cautioned: “For those who are connected to the mains gas network, natural gas is still the best option in terms of cost. From an eco point of view, gas is terrible but if you’re talking purely financial, the best thing you can do is stay on natural gas.”
He also warned that switching to heat pumps won’t heat a home properly, unless the building is well insulated with double glazing, cavity wall and roof insulation.
He said: “It’s the opposite of gas-fired central heating, where the heating comes on for two hours in the morning to warm up the house quickly, then it cools right down again before having to be heated up again in the evening. The idea of heat pumps is to create a small amount of heat and then retain it.”
Get a grant
GRANTS are available to soften the cost of switching to low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps.
Although the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme ended in April, the government has replaced it with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) which allows homeowners to claim a one-off payment immediately the work is complete. This includes:
£5,000 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump
£5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler
£6,000 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump
The installer applies for the grant on behalf the homeowner and only grant is available per household.
