Renewable energy

[alistair harper]

Hi orgers

I was wondering what were your thoughts were on micro renewable energy products eg solar panels wind generators like the one's on top of wick tescos.

would you pay for this yourself or if there were grants would this influence your decision to put these into your own home please enter the poll

[NickInTheNorth]

Hi orgers

I was wondering what were your thoughts on micro renewable energy products eg solar panels wind generators like the one's on top of wick tescos.

would you pay for this yourself or if there were grants would this influence your decision please enter the poll

I would very happily have both, if ever I am in a position to afford them I'll happily pay myself, if eligible for grants would also happily take advantage of that.

[Sapphire2803]

I would very happily have both, if ever I am in a position to afford them I'll happily pay myself, if eligible for grants would also happily take advantage of that.


...Exactly :)

[garrioch]

can't say more than that really

[alistair harper]

Quote:
Originally Posted by NickInTheNorth
I would very happily have both, if ever I am in a position to afford them I'll happily pay myself, if eligible for grants would also happily take advantage of that.


Hi thanks for your input did u know that the goverment will give a third of the price of instaling this type of equipment upto 4k

you can try contacting 0800 138 8858

thanks

[NickInTheNorth]

Quote:
Originally Posted by NickInTheNorth
I would very happily have both, if ever I am in a position to afford them I'll happily pay myself, if eligible for grants would also happily take advantage of that.


Hi thanks for your input did u know that the goverment will give a third of the price of instaling this type of equipment upto 4k

you can try contacting 0800 138 8858

thanks

Unfortunately that would leave me two thirds short :D

But thanks for the info. One day I'll get there!

[Riffman]

If they were 100% free then yes, otherwise not a chance! Useless things that wont produce enough power to run my PC!

[mr do dar]

they could put wind turbine in my back garden if i get my electricity when i want . but if there was a grant i would get it and do anything to help cut the costs and save our planet for my childrens grandkids

[Rheghead]

I would be very happy if I could generate a reliable 300W at home. Cooking aside, my fridge is the biggest offender at 120W-160W, computer 70W, TV 155W and lighting. I do not mind at all if I was able to backfeed and give away unused power back into the grid for free at night. That won't come from PV though and a turbine is unsuitable for my house due to the sheltered position.

The cost is a the biggest obstacle imo, payback times for PV runs into 20+ years, though if we want to be altruistic about things, the carbon payback is a lot less I believe and it may be still worth doing. If we pay by grant or direct, we still pay as far as I see it.

Still, solar is the best way for me to go, a system to heat hotwater and PV to supply that 300W during the day. I shudder to guess what it all would cost, prices must come down with skim pricing and new technologies. However, getting a reliable, impartial and local review that I can trust is impossible for me to have enough confidence to take that step and get one without running a severe risk of it being an unperforming white elephant. That is probably why I prefer large scale renewables as a first choice to combat climate change. It just takes the choice not to act away from everyone.

[alistair harper]

the more votes we can get on this the better

[Through]

I would have both, but only with 100% grant. If you buy them yourself, you will never get back the money you pay for these systems.

[Bobinovich]

I would quite happily have any micro-renewables, and would even pay for/towards them SO LONG as the energy generated and payback period were realistic AND the power generated would require some form of storage.

[Tilter]

I used to have solar panels. This was back in 1981 before we all knew we were doomed. I got a grant for them too, it was part of the deal to install them when I bought a house (otherwise I'd never had done it), but it wasn't in this country. I have to say they were very effective even back then.

Nowadays, I'd definitely go for solar if it was subsidised but it's a lot less hassle to just try and conserve as much as possible and have loads of insulation etc. - achieves the same effect. Suppose doing both would be better though.

[skinnydog]

I have had solar panels installed for hot water.
Even on a cold but sunny day like today the solar ststem will heat the water up to 15c (cold input temp 6c)
Last summer we were getting a full tank (250ltr) heated to 60c (safety cut out) on a regular basis.
I will be saving money on the normal water heating, but as I installed the system when the house was built I do not have a before and after comparrison.
I have looked at the domestic turbines, but the cost for a decent reliable system of 2.5kw or above is about £8K with Grant. Just too much at present.

[Highland Laddie]

I have had solar panels installed for hot water.
Even on a cold but sunny day like today the solar ststem will heat the water up to 15c (cold input temp 6c)
Last summer we were getting a full tank (250ltr) heated to 60c (safety cut out) on a regular basis.
I will be saving money on the normal water heating, but as I installed the system when the house was built I do not have a before and after comparrison.
I have looked at the domestic turbines, but the cost for a decent reliable system of 2.5kw or above is about £8K with Grant. Just too much at present.

How many, and what size of panels do you have ???

[skinnydog]

There are 3 panels totaling 6m2 and are inset into the roof tiles so it just looks like a big velux window.

[Green_not_greed]

Still, solar is the best way for me to go,

..........I prefer large scale renewables as a first choice to combat climate change

So lets get this right.

You have been pushing for large scale Caithness wind turbine developments on the org for some time. You are involved with at least one of the developers, and now seek to support their case at a public inquiry. You have persistently ignored the plight of those living in the close vicinity of those turbines, with the attitude that what's "good" for the country over-rides significant and detrimental impacts to those peoples personal residential amenity and lifestyle.

BUT when it comes to your own circumstances, sudddenly noisy and potentially dangerous wind turbines are a no-go and its solar or nothing.

I'd say that's an unbelievably arrogant and self-centered approach.

[JAWS]

The main problem I have found when it comes to the Micro Wind Turbines is that any impartial assessment is almost impossible to find. The only information I have ever come across is either from Manufacturers, Pressure Groups or the Government/Power Industry "Lets pretend we're being wonderfully Green" Lobbying.

The only "independent" information I have heard was that a friend of somebody I know had commented that he had only made a few pence saving on his Electricity Bill with a Wind Turbine over a 12 month period. That was without taking the installation cost into consideration. Without knowing many more details I consider that actually tells me very little.

Solar is a fine, but do we really get enough daylight to provide the electricity when we most need it in Caithness during the depth of winter?

I hear an awful lot of noise from both Holyrood and Westminster about the absolute necessity of renewable energy but see very little from either when it comes to practical help with the installation of small domestic systems. As far as I am aware the systems are not even VAT free so that immediately says a lot about their attitudes to such systems.

As far as I can tell the whole thing is, for the time being, a huge leap into the unknown. You have to make a massive outlay in the hope that you might, repeat might, just see some sort of benefit at some unknown time in the far distant future.

What is desperately needed is some sort of reliable information, some active encouragement and assistance from both Governments who are doing absolutely nothing constructive about it and some aid to encourage manufacturers to mass produce systems to reduce costs.

It's time for Governments to put their money where their mouths are instead of simply inventing new ways of rerouting even more taxes into Government coffers.
When Governments start making some practical moves towards helping individual households provide power for themselves I will probably be far less cynical about their motives and their supposed concerns

[Sapphire2803]

BUT when it comes to your own circumstances, sudddenly noisy and potentially dangerous wind turbines are a no-go and its solar or nothing.

I'd say that's an unbelievably arrogant and self-centered approach.

You snipped out this bit...


and a turbine is unsuitable for my house due to the sheltered position.

What I took Rheghead to mean was that he would be just as happy to install a turbine as anything else... if he lived somewhere that it would be suitable

[Green_not_greed]

What I took Rheghead to mean was that he would be just as happy to install a turbine as anything else... if he lived somewhere that it would be suitable

His location is suitable. To use the sort of argument he always has - a turbine can be put on any height of pole, so can catch the wind almost anywhere.

[Rheghead]

His location is suitable. To use the sort of argument he always has - a turbine can be put on any height of pole, so can catch the wind almost anywhere.

No it isn't suitable. If it was and if I could afford it, I would.