Solar Industry News

SolarUK Ltd maintains a watch on current news about our industry. We have presented our up to date list of news items below.

EBay Highlights Conservation as a Benefit of Buying Used
Ebay's new site targets green-minded shoppers, selling used, sustainable or resource-saving items. For instance buying a pre-owned espresso machine saves 90% of the carbon dioxide needed to produce a new one.
Source: NYT, Date and Time of entry: 09 March 2010 10:57

Green loans to help householders invest in microgeneration schemes
Ed Miliband to announce a scheme to help householders with the cost of solar panels or other green technologies. This follows a pilot scheme in which homeowners make payments, which are lower than the predicted savings on energy bills, over a long period of time.
Source: nce, Date and Time of entry: 02 March 2010 11:11

London Mayor ‘should pay Britain’s pollution fines’
Environment Minister reveals that local authority chiefs from the regions are demanding that the capital should meet the multi-million pound cost for breaching EU air quality rules as most pollution hotspots are located there.
Source: standard, Date and Time of entry: 23 February 2010 15:02

Japan's solar power capacity more than doubles in 2009
A record jump in solar power capacity can be traced to national and local support for installing solar power systems (for both environmental reasons and to boost the faltering economy), and also feed-in tariffs. In January 2009 the Government reinstated the subsidies which had been cut in 2005.
Source: mainichi, Date and Time of entry: 17 February 2010 12:53

Ofgem certification for green energy tariffs
Suppliers must prove that their tariffs provide genuine environmental benefits if they are to join the new certification scheme. A reliable "Green Energy Certified" label will reassure consumers when it comes to choosing a green tariff that they really are making a difference.
Source: busgreen, Date and Time of entry: 10 February 2010 16:23

Government delivers raw deal for solar thermal industry
Today the Solar Trade Association welcomed the announcements by Ed Milliband regarding solar energy, but expressed disappointment that the proposed rate of investment will be lower than that for other green energy technologies.
Source: sta, Date and Time of entry: 02 February 2010 16:10

Green property: the house that costs £60 a year to heat
Mike Hillard, builder and resident of Britain's most energy-efficient home, has a little-used (even in winter) boiler thanks to his solar thermal panels. His objectives were 'to have the lowest practical energy cost, be water independent by using the rain supply and to be normal, not wacky'.
Source: telegraph, Date and Time of entry: 26 January 2010 13:08

Buildings threaten UK emission targets, report says
Royal Academy of Engineering report says that the principles that could be applied to drastically reduce energy consumption are not being used and calls on the Government to study ways of increasing the training of engineers in 'building physics'.
Source: bbc, Date and Time of entry: 20 January 2010 15:42

Solar hot water the ideal complement to a replacement boiler
Vouchers available under the Government's boiler scrappage scheme are redeemable against solar hot water systems as well as new boilers. An advanced solar thermal system such as the LaZer2, combined with a high-efficiency boiler, has the potential to provide around 70% of a household's annual hot water requirements.
Source: solaruk, Date and Time of entry: 12 January 2010 12:06

SolarUK tests the effects of roofing colour on Solar Collectors
Solar UK teamed up with Renolit UK Ltd, manufacturers of the Alkorplan roofing membrane, for a trial showing that its solar panels work 9% more efficiently when installed on this white reflective flat roof waterproofing surface known as Alkorbright.
Source: solaruk, Date and Time of entry: 07 January 2010 14:39