Solar panels will cut bills by £100
HUNDREDS of social housing tenants are to see their electricity bills slashed by up to £100 a year.
The savings are in the pipeline as landlord Aspire invests £1.5 million in solar panels for its customers.
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ENERGY SAVERS: Solar panels similar to the ones that will be fitted.
Up to 400 homes in Newcastle and Stoke-on-Trent are to be fitted with the energy-saving devices by the end of July.
Newcastle-based Aspire said the panels should cut customers' electricity bills by between £50 and £100 a year, and possibly more, depending on how the household uses electricity and the number of panels installed.
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Aspire chief executive Sinead Butters said the group was responding to feedback from tenants.
She said: "Customers have told us they want our help to cut their energy costs.
"By installing solar panels on some of our properties, we hope to save our customers between £50 and £100 a year. The solar panels will also reduce our carbon footprint."
The homes having the solar panels fitted have been chosen due to the size of their roof spaces and because they have the best orientation towards the sun.
Contractors Heatex, of Festival Trade Park, and Phoenix Renewable Technologies, of Newcastle, have been appointed to carry out the environmentally-friendly work.
Both companies are working with Aspire to create new job opportunities for young people as part of their contracts.
Heatex is to take on two apprentices from Aspire Housing's sister company, PM Training in Shelton, while Phoenix is taking on two apprentices in addition to the two it already employs.
Ms Butters added: "Through this contract for solar panels we are not only caring for the environment, we are also creating new jobs and opportunities for young people."
The project will be completed just before the Government subsidy for installing solar panels is reduced.
The so-called Feed-In Tariff (FIT) for homeowners is being cut by 23 per cent from August 1.
It means customers will receive 16p per kilowatt hour of electricity produced as a result of having the solar panels fitted, and some of the power may be sold to the National Grid. The rate is currently 21p and this was slashed from 43p in April.
The Government had originally tried to enforce that cut in December, but the High Court ruled the change of date "legally flawed".
Ministers then failed to overturn the ruling in the Court of Appeal.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council was forced to close a scheme to fit solar panels to up to 4,000 council homes due to the first cut in April.
But a spokesman said nearly 570 properties had the panels fitted before the project – a collaboration with energy giant E.ON and maintenance firm Kier Stoke – ended.
The Sentinel reported on Saturday that PM Training had launched a new 'green' training centre in partnership with BGC Renewables in Etruria.
Young people are being taught how to install solar panels at the Etruscan Street centre, and around 100 apprentices and existing workers are expected to gain qualifications there over the next 12 months.
Comments
by Alberus
Friday, June 22 2012, 10:55AM
“PV (photo-voltaic) panels work through the action of light, not sun. They are, therefore producing electricity on dull days. Obviously, the brighter the sunlight the more "free" electricity they produce. It's questionable if they are cost-effective in this country with its feeble amount of significant sunshine and the idea of free electricity may ultimately prove to be illusory after all. Time will tell, but it's not looking good at the moment.”
by magnum57
Friday, June 22 2012, 12:11AM
“Clems
Its ok if you are getting them for free though.”
by E_D_Wivens
Thursday, June 21 2012, 9:09PM
“Not much point in the things if there's not enough sun. Wouldn't be much good at the moment, would they?”
by Clem51
Thursday, June 21 2012, 6:29PM
“I have read that these installations take 25 years to pay for themselves, but only have a lifespan of 20 years! If that is so, then it is not worth doing!”
by stokiemart
Thursday, June 21 2012, 1:07PM
“Fyi Dookie support for solar power installations was provided previously until the present quasi-Tory government came into power and halved the subsidy available to owner occupiers. This has resulted in a 90% reduction in such installations. Of course you'll be aware of this as it is clear that you have interested in saving money and reducing your carbon footprint and were definitely not just having a cheap shot at those folk who live in social housing, the vast majority of whom work for a living too.... :-)”
by Focus386
Thursday, June 21 2012, 11:10AM
“Just to add balance to the last comment. I live in one of Aspires houses and I can tell you that unless you live in certain areas such as Knutton, Cross Heath or Bradwell and Crackley, you will never as a tenant see any of these so called improvements. For the record I don't smoke and have on occasion a beer with my wife at home, don't go aways as I don't have a passport..Oh and one last thing I'm a disabled ex-serviceman..did my bit for Queen and country and have got nothing back..”
by dookie71
Thursday, June 21 2012, 10:51AM
“So, again the working man (or woman) gets nothing....we have to pay for everything, why should social housing famalies get this? Also, Sinead Butters, I would like help in cutting my fuel bills as well, but both my wife and I own our home and both work full time so what help can we get? oh hang on probably none. I know a few people who live in social housing (I know they are not all the same before anyone jumps in) 2 foriegn holidays a year, smoke, go to the pub a few times a week..I wish I could afford to do things like that.. as a working man perhaps I am doing this all wrong......”