There are a great number of grants and other sources of funding available to homeowners, businesses and not for profit organisations which make renewable energy installations a lot more viable and cost effective that people often think. A summary of the major grants and funding available to homeowners, businesses and not for profit organisations like schools and charities is listed below.

A number of different grants are available for installing renewable technology in homes, with the main source of funding being provided by the Low Carbon Buildings Program. This programme allows you to claim £2,500 for the following renewable energy technologies:

• Solar electricity (solar photovoltaic)
• Wind turbines
• Water turbines (small scale hydro)
• Solar hot water
• Ground source heat pumps
• Air source heat pumps
• Wood-fuelled boilers (biomass)
• Automatic pellet-feed wood burning stoves (biomass)

The above grants are easy and quick to obtain, and Green Energy Consultancy Ltd can help you apply for them.

In addition to the solar PV grants available above, there are also many regional grants and sources of funding available from charities and organisations, though this is dependent on you location. By contacting us today at we can inform you of what funding and grants are available in your area.

>> Grants of up to 50% of Total Cost

Although there is no national grant scheme for businesses there are a good number of regional schemes running that can provide grant funding to businesses looking to install renewable technologies. There are many schemes that will contribute 50% of the cost of renewable technology installations for example. A couple of examples and some further information can be viewed below:

Lancashire Small Scale Renewable Scheme – Businesses can claim up to 50% of installation costs for renewable technologies.

North West Development Agency – The NWDA also have grant funding available for businesses looking to improve their energy efficiency.

There a many other regional funds available around the country so please contact us for information about what is available in your area.

>> 0% Interest Loans

0% interest loans are available from the Carbon Trust for the purchasing and installation of solar PV panels. These loans are available to improve energy efficiency in existing buildings through projects to like the installation of renewable technologies. Loans are available between £3,000 and £400,000 and both SME’s and larger companies.

The carbon trust state that:

“Loans can be repaid over a period of up to four years and as the scheme is designed for energy savings to cover repayments, the loan will effectively pay for itself.” – Carbon Trust Website

This clearly shows a fantastic opportunity to save vast sums of money in the long term and at no cost in the short term; as well as bringing great benefits that to the environment, and your company image. Please do not hesitate to contact us to get any more information you need about this fantastic opportunity. We can provide a free feasibility study and report to assess payback periods and savings which will show that the investment effectively pays for itself.

>> Enhanced Capital Allowances

Many renewable technologies and energy saving products that we supply and install can be completely offset against your tax bill, meaning you can effectively improve your energy efficiency for free, providing great long term benefits to your business.

For the kind of organisations listed above there are some fantastic opportunities when it comes to grants and funding. Some available options are listed below:

>> Grants up to £5,000 to Cover Feasibility Studies

The Big Lottery Fund can provide grants of up to £5,000 to cover the costs of a feasibility study. This would allow our renewable energy consultants to carry out a site survey and provide a detailed report on the renewable and energy saving capabilities available to your organisation. If this is of interest to you, please do not hesitate to contact us for what effectively is a free investigation into the feasibility of generating renewable energy for your organisation.

>> Grants covering up to 50% of Total Installation Costs

Grants that cover up to 50% of any work carried out are available from the Low Carbon Buildings Program to the various kinds of organisations listed above. This funding is also easily accessible so we can start work very quickly if you require it. Bear in mind however that application’s for this solar PV grant must be handed in before March 2010 to receive any grant funding.

There are also a number of additional grants and funding options available depending on which region you are in, in the North West for example, grants of up to £50,000 are available for the installation of renewable technologies by not for profit organisations; so please contact us and we can provide further information of the many additional grants available in your area.

Often, renewable energy grants, loans and other sources of funding are difficult to get to grips with or locate. Our renewable energy consultants however are well experienced in this area and can help you to establish which grants and funding options are available and suit you best. For all our clients we can put together a plan of action and handle the majority of work involved, making things as hassle free for you. If you would like us to take a look at what is available specifically for you just contact us.

Biomass is the burning of renewable materials like wood pellets, chips and logs to produce both heat and hot water; whether this is for powering a central heating systems and hot water boilers or merely providing heat for a single room.

How does biomass work?

Biomass boilers and stoves work simply by burning renewable sources of fuel like wood to produce heat that can heat either a single room or a whole building. Biomass boilers are totally carbon neutral, as long as the fuel is sourced from sustainable forests, because the CO2 given off by the burning of wood is equal to that of the CO2 absorbed from the atmosphere by the tree over its lifetime.

Biomass Boilers and Stoves work in slightly different ways, as explained below:

Biomass Boilers

Biomass boilers burn various kinds of wood fuels including wood pellets and wood chips. Biomass boilers are usually connected to both central heating systems and hot water systems in order to provide both heat and hot water to your home. Many pellet and chip burning biomass boilers have automatically refilling mechanisms, meaning you only have to refill the fuel storage unit when it runs low, which isn’t that often depending on the size of your fuel storage unit, or ‘hopper’ as they are known. An example of a biomass boiler can be seen in the image to the left. A biomass boiler can provide all the hot water and heat your home needs all year round.

Biomass Stoves

Biomass stoves, or wood burning stoves as they are also known, burn logs or pellets to heat a single room usually;although biomass stoves can be fitted with a back boiler to provide hot water heating as well. Biomass stoves are available in a wide range of styles, from traditional styles to more contemporary designs like the stove shown in the image to the right. Biomass stoves are generally filled by hand. Biomass stoves can heat your room very effectively, providing a high level of heat. If connected to a back boiler, this is enough to provide all the hot water needed for your home.

When looking for photovoltaic installers or solar panel installers it is important that you look for a company or person who is MCS registered in order to assure that your solar panels or photovoltaic panels are installed correctly. MCS stands for Microgeneration Certification Scheme  that certifies microgeneration products and installers in accordance with consistent standards.

Photovoltaic installation can be complicated for an untrained person to install, especially if your solar system is being connected to your boiler, so you must choose trained photovoltaic installers to carry out the work needed when installing your solar panels.

MCS registered photovoltaic installers and solar panel installers can be searched for on the MCS website itself, or at our new online directory for green and eco friendly businesses at www.green-index.com.

You can also contact us directly for more information on photovoltaic installation, solar panel installation or any other kind of renewable energy installation that you are thinking of having installation.

House heat loss and home heat loss is a major issue when it comes to saving energy and reducing utility bill costs. As mentioned previously, one of the best ways to save energy is by insulating you home with both Loft Insulation and Cavity Wall Insulation. Both these methods are extremely cost effective and will lower the house heat loss and home heat loss from where you live, as well as paying for themselves within a year based on the money saved on heating bills. Double glazing is another good way to reduce heat lost from a home, though this is slightly more of a cost.

House heat loss means that a lot of the energy and money you are using to heat your home is wasted because of it escaping out of your home in one way or another. To help better save energy and money it is therefore essential to know the home heat loss of where you live. Below is a diagram showing the home heat loss for an average house. The diagram is only an average estimation and won’t be the same for everyone, but it gives a good indication of the house heat loss for most buildings.

Average House Heat Loss

As can be seen, the majority of house heat loss occurs through the walls and ceiling of the home. This highlights the importance of having loft insulation and cavity wall insulation to save energy and reduce heating bill costs. Anyone can insulate their loft very easily, and if your house was built after the 1920’s you are likely to be able to have cavity insulation in your home to reduce heat loss through walls. The 10% of home heat loss through windows highlights the importance of having double glazing, and the 15% lost through ventilation and infiltration highlights the importance of having a well sealed home. This could involve covering keyholes and fitting draft excluders to help stop house heat loss and home heat loss.

Bear these figures in mind when thinking about how to reduce house heat loss and save energy and money, otherwise your efforts won’t be as effective if you don’t get the basics right.

Previously we outlined what Carbon Credits and Carbon Offsets were in the post ‘What are Carbon Offsets‘. In this post we are going to examine the advantages of carbon credits in more detail, looking at the major benefits that the purchasing of carbon credits brings to fighting climate change. Although there has been much criticism of carbon credits and carbon offsetting schemes, if carried out correctly, the advantages of carbon credits can help to combat climate change reasonably effectively. Below, some of the advantages of carbon credits are listed below.

Advantages of Carbon Credits

- Firstly, the advantages of carbon credits mean that the money from the purchases of carbon credits is used to create renewable energy projects and develop sources of renewable energy from wind turbines and solar panels for example.

- Energy saving initiatives are also created using carbon credits. People in the developing world are often given investment to help them save energy.

- These renewable technologies and energy saving schemes are often put into action in poorer nations, meaning a boost for the local economy, and the opportunity to improve the quality of life for local inhabitants.

- The advantages of carbon credits can also provide employment for both people in the developed world and the developing world, this is through the manufacture and installation of renewable energy products.

- Carbon credits in theory should help to reduce carbon emissions.

- The advantages of carbon credits mean that some of the schemes used like protecting rainforest have other environmental benefits. Though schemes like this are clearly flawed because they are not offsetting any carbon like they should be doing, but are merely stopping more being released by the cutting down of trees.

Above are some of the advantages of carbon credits, although in reality a lot of the above are not met unfortunately. Consumers should be wary of the kind of companies that offer carbon credits and they should research their track record before buying.

If you are not currently in a position to be installing solar panels or wind turbines at your home or business, you can still make a big difference by just making a few small changes to save energy. We have list 5 simple energy saving measures that anyone can do to reduce their carbon emissions and save money on utility bills.

1. Turn Down Your Thermostat

Turning down your thermostat just 1 degrees can save up to £65 a year on your utility bills and reduce your CO2 emissions by 10%. A big difference for a small energy saving measure.

2. Turn your electrical appliances off and don’t leave them on standby

TV’s, Stereo’s and other audio equipment left on standby can use almost as much electricity as when it is switched off,

Simple Energy Saving - Turn Off Standby

so make sure you turn your appliances off properly or at the mains to save money and save energy.

3. Turn Your Water Cylinder Thermostat Down

Make sure your hot water thermostat is not set above 60 degrees celsius. Any higher and it wastes a lot of energy unnecessarily.

4. Only Use Your Washing Machine if it can be Filled

Washing half loads of washing is unnecessary and wastes water, energy and money. If you really need something washing either hand wash it or wait until you can fill your washing machine.

5. Don’t Overfill Your Kettle

Filling your kettle too much uses a lot of electricity. Kettles use large amounts of electric when they are on, so only filling them with the amount of water you need and therefore letting the kettle boil quicker, although it may sound very petty can actually make a big difference over a long time.

Take these simple energy saving measures and apply them when you are going about your business in your home and at work. If you get into the habit of doing the measures listed above you will make a positive contribution to fighting climate change, and will see the results financially when your utility bills come through the door.

Bonus tip: If you work in an office setting and think it could stand to be a bit more green, run the idea of photoluminescent exit signs past everyone and see what they think. They conserve a lot more energy, use recyclable aluminum (and are recyclable themselves), and are not toxic or radioactive, making them much safer to use.

Most Fuel Efficient Cars

One of the major contributors to a person’s carbon footprint is their CO2 emissions from travel, often with the major carbon emitter being their car. It is important then, for the environmentall aware consumer to know which cars are most fuel efficient and what are the most fuel efficient cars?

Below is a table showing the 10 most fuel efficient cars currently sold in the UK:

As can be seen, Smart cars are very fuel efficient, even more so than the much talked about Toyota Prius. If you are seriously looking to reduce your carbon emissions and reduce your carbon footprint then you should look at considering purchasing one of the fuel efficient cars above. Also at the minute if you have an old car in the UK you may be eligible to get a payment in return for scrapping it and buying a new fuel efficient car.