MC Solar
Hurricane Katrina put climate chaos at the top of many Londoners’
agenda and it has created unprecedented interest in home renewable
energy. However, every pound you invest in the simplest steps, such as
insulation and energy-saving bulbs, reduces carbon-dioxide emissions by
seven times more than investing in whole renewable energy systems for
your home. Still, renewables have an important part to play if we are
to reduce London’s energy consumption by the 80 per cent necessary to
have any chance of avoiding climate catastrophe. By doing both, I
slashed my home carbon-dioxide emissions in Camberwell from the
nine-tonne European average to half a tonne. It was the first in London
to have all three – solar water, solar electric and domestic wind
turbine – systems installed.
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The average solar electric system costs £8,000 and will produce about a
third of your annual electricity needs. Most councils do not require
planning permission if the panels do not affect the skyline. Simply
write and ask for an exemption. While the payback period of 80 years
means that the technology is currently uneconomic, a report by KPMG
showed that if mass production were to take off, solar electricity
could compete with oil. And boasting about your state-of-the-art solar
electric system beats any flash car for eco-kudos.
If £8,000 is a little steep, there is a second type of solar technology
that provides hot water and not electricity, which costs half as much.
These systems can provide up to 70 per cent of your hot-water needs. In
summer, mine produced far more hot water than I could use. SEA-Renue
has a Solar for London scheme with approved installers and grants that
bring system costs down to £3,000, but as it requires a hot-water tank,
you will need spare space in your home for the equipment.
Having a home wind turbine is the environmentalist’s dream.
Unfortunately, the technology is still at the development stage and
you’d need to apply for planning permission. My StealthGen turbine,
rated 400W, was originally turned down by the council, but following
enthusiastic support from my neighbours, we got it passed. It was
installed (for about £3,000) shortly before Christmas, looks beautiful
and has caused no noise problems with the neighbours. The inverter (a
bit of kit that converts the DC electricity from the turbine into the
AC electricity you can use in your home) is having teething problems,
but we are hoping to overcome these by using a new Dutch system that
has yet to be tried in inner London.
If you get any of the above installed, ensure that any contracts
specify not only installation but successful commissioning to full
working order. Some contractors try to escape obligations by stating
that a contract was for putting the equipment in but not for getting it
to work. Also ensure that display dials are placed in a visible
location – on the kitchen wall, for example – and not hidden away in a
cupboard.
Excitingly, I have just helped a client gain planning permission in a
conservation area for the installation of all three technologies on the
top floor of her apartment block near Sloane Square. We believe this is
another important first for London.
Although I do not expect a financial profit from my energy set-up, last
year I had the enormous satisfaction of selling more electricity to
London Energy than I bought from it. It pays one of the highest rates
around, at about 7p per unit.
‘I have chosen to invest my money in solar panels and wind turbines
rather than a car, but you don’t have to spend thousands to have
renewable energy in your home. Anybody can now switch their home
electricity bill to a green supplier by simply choosing an electricity
company that sources all its electricity from renewables. The extra cost is about the equivalent of a can of Coke a week.
Just taking this first simple step will really help make London the
World Renewable Energy City that we all could be proud of.
Donnachadh
McCarthy is a home and business eco-consultant; more info at
www.3acorns.co.uk.
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