Renewable Energy News

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2010-03-11T22:00:00.001Z

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Ed Miliband announces "green loan energy plan"

2010-03-08T09:18:00.002Z

Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband has announced a "green loan" energy plan for homes, to help people pay for improvements to their homes to make them more energy efficient. Home owners can borrow up to £10,000 to make improvements to their home.

Consumers will be offered long-term loans to install insulation, solar panels or other green technologies, which they can repay through energy bills, spreading the upfront cost over a number of years. The loan remains attached to the property where the technology was installed, allowing the resident to move house, knowing the new owner has taken over the repayment for the technological system.

The Pay As You Save (PAYS) scheme, which was first announced last year, has already been trialled by around 500 homes. Loans are expected to be available from 2012.

Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for Solar Thermal Panels

2010-02-28T22:06:00.002Z

The government has announced a new feed in tariff for low carbon heating technologies. This is planned to come into effect in April 2011 and will guarantee payments for those who install solar thermal systems.
Under the proposed tariffs the installation of a solar thermal system will provide an income of 18p per kwh of heat produced.The installation of solar thermal panels in an average semi-detached house with adequate insulation levels could be rewarded with £250 a year plus an additional saving on fuel.

This makes already solar thermals even more attractive from a financial and environmental point of view.

Economy 7 - Is it worth it?

2010-02-26T11:18:00.003Z

Many of our customers have historically been signed up to an economy 7 package.

Given the name I can understand how people would assume that it must be good value. Consumers often forget that to receive a very attractive night rate you must pay more for electricity during the day.

This means that the savings are not always there. To prove the point I have done few basic calculations.

Is 40% of your total electricity usage at night?
Typically economy 7 rates are presently in the region of 15p/kWh during the day and 5p/kWh at night. A typical standard rate is 11p/kWh for any time usage.

This means that for Economy 7 tariff to save the home owner money they must use around 40% of their electricity at night. For homes that are heated with storage heaters this is easily achieved but for home that use gas or even a heat pump this is often not the case.

For most people even putting the washing machine and an hot water cylinder immersion heater on at night will not increase night usage to 40% of their total.

I am not saying that Economy 7 is a waste of time but it is important to realise that it is not always the cheapest option.

Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for Heat Pumps

2010-02-22T23:37:00.006Z

The government has announced a world first in a feed in tariff for low carbon heating technologies. This will come into effect in April 2011 and guarantee payments for those who install ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps.
Under the proposed tariffs the installation of a heat pump will provide an income of 7.5p per kwh of heat produced for air source heat pumps and 7p/kWh for ground source heat pumps.
The installation of an air source heat pump in an average semi-detached house with adequate insulation levels could be rewarded with £1,000 a year and lead to savings of £200 per year if used instead of a conventional fossil fuel system. This means that the payback for a heat pump is under six years, and if you are replacing a boiler anyway, then the payback is only 3.5 years.

So these systems are now enormously attractive from a financial and environmental point of view.

Ed Miliband, secretary of state for Energy and Climate Change said "The guarantee of getting an income on top of saving on energy bills will be an incentive to householders and communities wanting to make a move to low carbon living. The feed-in tariff will change the way householders and communities think about their future energy needs, making the payback for investment far shorter than in the past."

Leicestershire Community Climate Change Grants

2010-02-18T23:32:00.002Z

Community Climate Change Grants can provide up to £5,000 towards community projects in Leicestershire. If you are a registered charity, village/community building, community group, religious organisation or parish town council you could be eligible for the grants. As long as your project helps to improve energy efficiency and reduce the impacts of climate change it will be worth contacting Leicestershire County Council.

Intelligent Energy Solutions are MCS approved installers which is a requirement for all government grant schemes and incentives.

Solar PhotoVoltaic (PV) and Wind Turbine Feed In Tariffs (FIT)

2010-02-15T23:21:00.001Z

The government has confirmed new feed in tariffs for electricity generating microgeneration systems.

From 1st April 2010 41.3p can be claimed for every kwh that is generated from solar PV panels, as well as this, the rate is guaranteed for 25 years and linked to inflation. Add to this the saving made for not purchasing the electricity and again the money received for exporting, means there has never been a better time to install a solar microgeneration system in the UK.

The table below shows the new tariffs available, if you would like more information then please visit: http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/

- Solar PV new build (< 4 kW) 36.1p
- Solar PV retrofit (< 4 kW) 41.3p
- Solar PV retrofit (4-10kW) 36.1p
- Wind turbine (1.5-15 kW) 26.7p
- Wind turbine (15-100 kW) 24.1p

This is only available to customers who have systems installed by an MCS approved installer such as Intelligent Energy Solutions.

Intelligent Energy Solutions features on BBC Radio 4

2010-01-26T20:30:00.003Z

With the country struggling to move out of recession Radio 4's 'World at 1' program decided to look at a company that is growing despite the difficult economic climate.
This led to an interview with Peter Searancke, Managing Director of Intelligent Energy Solutions.
During the Interview, Radio 4's Michael Buchannon asked why renewable energy systems are so attractive and how Intelligent Energy Solutions unique approach is making the most of this.

An edited version of the interview can to listened to here.

Boiler Scrappage Scheme

2010-01-18T20:54:00.007Z

£400 against the replacement of your old boiler with a heat pump

You can now claim a £400 cash incentive when replacing your old boiler with the supply-and-fit of one of our heat pump heating systems as part of the new government boiler scrappage scheme.

If your existing boiler is "G rated or below" (click here to check yours) then you will be eligible for the money. This will make the value for money of one of our heat pumps even more worthwhile.

The process is simple; all you need is a quote from ourselves and provide the Energy Saving Trust with the details. They will then send you a voucher before the work starts, once your installation is complete send the voucher along with our installation receipt and they will refund you the £400.

New Premises in Loughborough

2009-12-20T21:13:00.004Z

We have moved to new premises in Loughborough.

To facilitate the massive growth that we have experienced over the last 4 years we have now moved in to a new larger industrial unit in Loughborough. The new unit houses our show room and central distribution point.
The new address is:-

Unit 7, Aerodrome Close
Off Bishop Meadow Road
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 5RJ

We also have a new phone number: - 01509 768565.
Our fax number remains unaltered as 01509 808159.

We welcome visitors, you should call to arrange an appointment prior to your visit. Satellite navigation systems may have most success if the destination postcode is input as LE11 5RE.

Government Announces Details of April 2010 Feed in Tariff

2009-08-10T11:05:00.002+01:00

The Government has announced the details of the proposed feed-in tariff for microgeneration systems. Small wind turbines and solar photovoltaic systems will now carry the following benefits:

- 36.5p/kWh for small solar photovoltaic systems up to 4kW and 28p/kWh for systems up to 10kW.
- 23.0p/kWh for small wind turbines between 1.5kW and 15kW.
- Replaces the current ROC system which pays 10p/kWh.
- Effective as of the 1st April 2010, but all systems commissioned from now on will qualify.
- Systems installed from now until April 2010 will be eligible for both LCBP grants AND the new tariff.

Double your ROC's

2009-04-27T16:35:00.004+01:00

All electricity companies in the UK have an obligation to generate a proportion of their supplied electricity from renewable sources. They achieve their targets partly by buying Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) from the private microgenerators. A member of the public can become a microgenerator by having a wind turbine or PV system installed.

Recent changes have seem the amount of ROC's awarded to microgenerators double so now a householder will be awarded 2 ROC's rather than 1 for every 1000kWh they produce.

We Support Solar Campaign

2009-04-16T21:25:00.003+01:00

Intelligent Energy Solutions has joined the 'We support Solar' campaign. This campaign is designed to unite support for an attractive feed in tariff for solar PV installations. As things currently stand feed in tariffs are improving and energy companies such as Good Energy offer 16p for every kWh generated by the PV system. However, some energy companies still offer extremely low feed in tariffs. There is lots of room for improvement!

The government has put the feed in tariff on the agenda in 2010. The campaign wants to ensure that this opportunity is not missed and that the government responds to public demand. This will involve setting the feed in tariff at a level which will encourage large numbers of the general public to invest in this Co2 busting technology.

For more information visit www.wesupportsolar.net.

Leicester Solar Grant Scheme

2009-03-25T13:05:00.005Z

Leicester City Council in conjunction with Groundwork has launched a new grant scheme targeted at solar installations.

The grant allows a household to claim £2250 against a solar thermal (water heating) or a solar PV installation. The householder would also be eligible for an additional grant from the Low Carbon Buildings Program. This means that a house holder could claim £4750 against a solar PV installation or £2650 against a solar thermal installation. Depending on the size of the system would be more than half the installation cost.

Intelligent Energy Solutions is an approved installer on the scheme, please contact us for further details.
Click here for the Leicester Solar Grant Scheme details.

MCS Approved Installer

2009-02-01T21:37:00.000Z

Intelligent Energy Solutions have received MCS accreditation for the installation of Solar PhotoVoltaic Panels, Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps and Solar Thermal Water Heating systems.
The approval means that customers now have access to a whole range of government and local council grants. It also gives customers piece of mind that installations will be to the highest quality using approved methods and materials.

The approval process was long and involved with the Buildings Research Establishment inspecting previous installations and making sure that the whole process from customer enquiry to commissioning of the system meets the required standards.

Solar, Heat Pump, Wind & Rainwater Harvesting Self Survey Forms

2009-01-23T11:49:00.004Z

For anyone who is keen on renewable energy, but at a loss where to start, Intelligent Energy Solutions has the answer. It has launched a series of easy to complete self survey forms for all of the technologies they offer.

The purpose of the self survey forms is to enable the customer to understand the important factors when asking for a quotation for a renewable energy installation. The information provided can be used to generate a detailed quotation from IES without the need for a site visit. This means that IES can keep the installation costs down, and the customer has a better understanding of what's involved. If a price is quoted that later (due to a site visit) cannot be honoured, the customer will have the option of having their deposit refunded.

The forms are in PDF format with interactive form features. As such, the form can be filled out and returned on line or the customer can print and complete the form manually.

The forms are accessed by the Intelligent Energy Solutions VIP area. Fill out the enquiry form or pick up the phone to obtain login details. This area of the site also contains pricing and lots of other useful information.

Renewable Energy Decision Tool - Solar, Heat Pumps, Rainwater and Wind

2009-01-19T17:47:00.008Z

Many of our customers tell us that they are interested in renewable energy, but unsure which technology is right for them. As a result of this, are team at Intelligent Energy Solutions has launched a brand new web based renewable energy decision tool. This will allow all of our potential customers to quickly and easily determine which technology is right for them.

The tool can be found at the following link.
Solar, Wind, Heat Pump, Rainwater Harvesting - Which is right for me?

This intelligent, but user friendly tool, consists of 14 simple questions that most homeowners will be able to answer easily. The software engine behind that tool will then produce a tailored report that tells you which technology/s are most appropriate for your property. The generated reports can be applied to both commercial and domestic properties. The report, if appropriate, also makes comments about your existing fuel and insulation levels.

We think we have made the task of navigating through the complex world of renewable energy simple and straightforward. We hope you agree.

The tool is currently undergoing testing. If you find any problems or have any suggestions please feed your comments back so we can make the tool even better.

Solar Thermal Panels and Water Storage Cylinder

2009-01-05T10:23:00.005Z

To be able to install a solar thermal water heating panel system you need a store of water in your property. I am often asked...

Can I keep my existing Hot Water Storage Cylinder/Tank?

Many companies offer customers the option of keeping their existing hot water storage tank. This reduces the cost of installation significantly. However, is this the right thing to do?

To determine whether this is a good idea we should look at why the cylinder is normally replaced. For this article I will use the word tank and cylinder interchangeably.

Normal hot water tanks only have a single heating coil that comes from a boiler. This heating coil enables the boiler to heat up the tank. A new tank is normally required so that the tank has a second heating coil. This coil can be connected to the solar panels.

Hot water rises so in a normal tank the hot water is at the top and the cold (inlet) is at the bottom. This means that it is best to position the second heating coil at the bottom of the cylinder. This enable the solar panels to heat up the coolest part of the tank. It is not uncommon for the top of the tank to be very hot but the bottom to be at the mains water inlet temperature of about 10 degrees. If configured in this way, on a cloudy day, when the panels are only at about 25 degrees they can still make a significant impact on your heating bills. This is because the 25 degree water can be used to heat the 10 degree bottom of the tank to 25 degrees. The final heating can then be done by your boiler.

Systems that utilise the existing tank normally operate in one of two ways. Take a look at the diagrams below.

Immersion Heater Solar Coil

This device screws into the hole in your cylinder usually dedicated to an immersion heater. This consists of a small pipe that is coiled. Apart from being a poor design for a heating coil (due to the restriction of the immersion hole), Sadly most immersion fittings are at the top of a water tank (usually designed to boost the top of the cylinder). So if the top of the tank is at 50 degrees the solar panels will need to be significantly higher than this before the system will operate.

This heavily compromised configuration mean that the output from the panels is enormously reduced. This reduction in performance would certainly outweigh the cost of replacing the water cylinder for the twin coil variety.

Direct Solar Water Heating

The other method of retaining the original cylinder is to pump the actual water you use through the solar panel. This type of system pumps water from the bottom of the cylinder through the solar panel and then back into the top of the cylinder. This method completely upsets the natural way in which the hot water rises to the top of the cylinder. This type of system would not operate if the top of the tank is hotter than the panel. Unless the tank is cold or the the sun is shining brightly the system will remain switched off.

These types of system give the user the sense of having a solar heating system without many of the benefits. This is no good for either the environment or your bank balance.

As a result Intelligent Energy Solutions only fit twin coil systems for this type of application. We always make sure that what we are fitting will give you highest performance and the best return.

Leicestershire Solar Panels Offer

2008-12-22T16:07:00.005Z

At Intelligent Energy Solutions we aim to help our customers save money. Our new offer will help them do just that.

With every new solar panel order in the Leicestershire area, customers will recieve a free energy monitor. The energy monitor has the capability of reducing household electricity costs by about 25%.

Solar Water Heating Panels typically reduce gas or oil bills. But we want all of our energy bills to be as low as they can be. This device gives our customers the opportunity to reduce their electricity bills as well.

If the promotion is successful Intelligent Energy Solutions intend on rolling out the offer nation wide.

For more information call 01509 891256 or fill out the enquiry form.

Ecodan Heat Pump Intelligent Controls

2008-12-12T13:41:00.005Z

Intelligent Energy Solutions have launched their brand new 'Intelligent Control Package'.

The control is designed specifically for the Mitsubishi Ecodan Heat Pump and separates Intelligent Energy Solutions from their competitors who may simply install an Ecodan system with a conventional boiler control system.

The new control system introduces cost saving and comfort improving features such as:-
- Heating Optimisation - the control system decides when the system should switch on so that the property is to temperature for the target time.
- Three home temperature settings, On target temperature, Off minimum temperature and frost protection (holiday mode).

The heating optimisation feature enables money to be saved in the milder months because the system will automatically switch on later at times when the property will heat up faster.
The Off minimum temperature setting enables the heat pump to control the temperature at night as well as during the day. This means that the system will not allow the home to drop below a certain temperature, perhaps 15 degrees. This means that the system will be able to heat up the home rapidly when morning comes.

This control system integrates seamlessly with the Ecodan flow temperature controller which has cost saving features such as Ecoheating mode. This mode uses weather compensation programs to determine the radiator/underfloor heating flow temperatures. This means that in milder weather the system will run the heating system at a lower temperature. Lower temperatures will dramatically improve the system efficiency and will help the 'Intelligent Control Package' to control the room temperatures more accurately.

The control system is simple to operate and requires minimal (if any) intervention from the owner.

The Intelligent Controls for the Ecodan are packaged with a high performance unvented copper water cylinder that will out perform stainless steel cylinders. Copper conducts heat better than stainless steel. This means that water can be heated more quickly and efficiently with the copper cylinder used by Intelligent Energy Solutions.

For more information or a discussion about how our systems can benefit you please call 01509 891256 or email sales@iesolutions.co.uk.

Ground Source Heat Pump - Lake Installation

2008-11-14T19:40:00.001Z

Lake Loop!

Ground source heat pumps operate by upgrading low grade heat to higher temperatures suitable for heating homes and hot water.

This normally means installing a number of pipework loops in the ground next to a property. This was not the case for the latest project for Intelligent Energy Solutions in Leicestershire.
This customer has a large man made lake at the back of their house.

"This is ideal to use as a heat source as water conducts heat so well." said Intelligent Energy Solutions Managing Director, Peter Searancke. "The lake will be relitively warm all year round".

This means that large amounts of heat can be extracted from the lake to heat an over 700m2 property and in door swimming pool. With expected efficiencies in excess of 450% the running costs will be extremely low for such a large property.

The photo shows the finished result. As you can see there is no sign of the 3000m of pipe that will provide over 50kW of heat for the property.

Intelligent Energy Solutions install ground source and air source heat pumps for domestic and commerical properties.
Please contact them for further details.

OWL Wireless Energy Monitor

2008-11-07T11:55:00.005Z

Wireless Energy / Electricity Monitor
Intelligent Energy solutions have recently started supplying the OWL wireless energy monitor.

This clever little gadget monitors your electricity usage in real time and displays the usage on a neat wireless portable display.

Easy to Install
The unit is easy to install. You simply fit the batteries (included) and clip a large peg over one of your meter cables by your electricity meter. This unit then automatcially transmits wirelessly to the display.

Save 25% off your electricity bill
The system makes you more aware of where your electricity is being used and this enables you to make better decisions as to how you use your electricity. For instance, if you switch on a 100W light bulb the system tells you that you are using 100W more than you were. It will also tell you the cost of doing this. What surprises most people is that when they switch 'everything' off they are still using 100 - 300 Watts. The challenge is then to work out which 'hidden' appliances are still drawing electricity.

The manufacture says that it will save you 25% off your electricity bill.

The system tells you:-

1. The rate at which you are using electricity in Kilowatts.
2. The cost of the electricity you are currently using
3. The Co2 emmissions of the electricity you are using
4. Temperature of your home
5. Humidity of your home

Intelligent Energy Solutions are selling this neat device for £39.95 (inc VAT & P+P), while stocks last. Call us now to get yours, while stocks last.

To order a unit either pick up the phone or enter "Energy Monitor" with £39.95 as the sum in our payments page. When diverted to our card payment page include your address and contact details. We aim to dispatch within 24hours by 1st class.

Surge of interest in heat pumps for winter

2008-10-20T11:44:00.000+01:00

With the days drawing in and the heating being switched back on for the winter many people of remembering the nigglings doubts that they have over their existing old boiler.

It's easy to forget how your boiler struggles when it's summer time and it's switched off.

This fact has lead to a surge of interest in ground and air source heat pumps at Intelligent Energy Solutions. Remeber that your boiler only has a life span of about 10 -15 years so if you are approaching this milestone don't wait for your boiler to fail. Call Intelligent Energy Solutions now so that you can have the work done at your own conveinience.

Remember that heat pumps can reduce your heating and hot water bill by upto 75%.

Mitsubishi Ecodan Flow Temperature Controller Launch

2008-10-10T11:31:00.000+01:00

Mitsubishi has recently launched their new flow temperature controller. This useful box of tricks enables the Ecodan air source heat pump to be used with other water storage cylinders other than the Boilermate from Gledhill.

Previously Ecodan installations were restricted for use with a Gledhill package. While being an excellent package this reduced the flexability as to what Intelligent Energy Solutions could specify for their customers.

With the new flow temperature controller, the options for the Mitsuibishi Ecodan system have increased significantly. The system can be installed with any size storage cylinder and with any programmable controller and thermostat.

For more information on the Mitsubishi Ecodan air source heat pump have a look through the heat pump product category in this product journal or contact Intelligent Energy Solutions on the details above.

Leicester Mercury - Big Green Switch

2008-09-25T16:20:00.006+01:00

The Leceister Mercury have just published a feature about Intelligent Energy Solutions' heat pump installations.
The article, written by Adam Wakelin, likened the heat pumps to the energy equivilent of alchemy. The air source heat pumps extract heat from thin air!

The article talked about how the air source heat pumps were effective down to sub zero temperature of -20 degrees. The system are able to heat domestic homes and hot water and make a saving of around 30% when compared to mains gas. The savings are even greater when compared to oil.

Intelligent Energy Solutions use the Mitsubishi Ecodan heat pumps. For further information about this particular product call IES now on 01509 891256 or download the brochure by clicking on the Ecodan link.