Raine or Shine
Alternative Energy Solutions Ltd.
Solar energy providers since 2005
Latest Renewable Energy News
Green-thinking Brits.
A YouGov poll, commissioned by the environmental charity, Friends of the Earth, shows that almost nine out of ten people want the Government to develop more renewable energy from wind, solar, wave and tidal power. The campaign is calling on David Cameron to use his first green speech as Prime Minister to shift the energy market away from just six big energy firms.
Friends of the Earth's Director of Policy and Campaigns Craig Bennett said: "The public has given a clear vote of confidence to clean British energy from our wind, sun and sea - it makes no sense for the Government to pursue an unwanted, costly dash for gas that's causing our fuel bills to rocket.
"Ministers have a once-in-a-generation chance to transform our electricity market to help smaller businesses, schools and communities plug into clean and affordable power."
Are you listening Mr Cameron?
Giles, Raine or Shine
Tuesday 24th April 2012
Smart move!
DECC have disclosed plans to equip 30 million homes and small businesses with smart meters by 2019. The Government hopes that smart meters will enable all consumers to have access to accurate billing information. Hopefully this will end the practice of estimated billing.
Energy and Climate Change Minister, Charles Hendry, said: "In less than three years energy suppliers will begin the mass rollout of smart meters across the country and I am determined that consumers are at the heart of this ambitious programme. That is why today we are proposing tough guidelines on installation, which will minimise inconvenience and help people to make the most of their smart meters to save energy and save money."
DECC has set out that all households will be offered an in-home display in order to visually show consumers how much energy they are consuming and at what cost.
Fortunately, DECC also insist that installers must provide energy efficiency advice as part of the installation visit but will need explicit permission in advance from the consumer before they are able to talk to them about their own particular products removing the element of sales & protecting vulnerable customers from pressure/slick sales techniques.
Giles, Raine or Shine
Tuesday 17th April 2012
Fracking Nightmare..?
The Government have revealed that more than half of the Welsh population could be affected by shale gas drilling in the future if proposed licence areas are granted.
Green groups have labelled the situation a recipe to "fry the earth" and to blow Wales' climate change commitments "out of the water".
A map of areas for onshore drilling licences already granted – in a 2011 report into Britain's onshore basins for shale gas produced by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) – include Wrexham, Swansea, much of the counties of Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend, and parts of Newport.
But a spokesman for DECC said that despite a Petroleum Exploration and Development licence being granted it did not mean drilling would inevitably follow, explaining that applications were subject to planning laws. However, if the licences were granted, it would mean that well over half the population of Wales could be living in areas where "fracking" takes place in the future.
Watch this space…
Giles, Raine or Shine
Wednesday 4th April 2012
FITs appeal success, 43.3p for under 4kWp installed before 3rd March 2012.
It has just been announced that the High Court has ruled against the government's previous decision to slash the Feed In Tariff for systems installed after 12th December 2011.
This means that any retro-fit system under 4kWp installed before 3rd March 2012 will now be eligible for the previous rate of 43.3p per kWh generated.
Further information can be found here.
Max, Raine or Shine
Wednesday 25th January 2012
Bedfordshire council turns Motorway lights off.
Sections of the M1's lighting system will be turned off permanently in a bid to reduce the carbon emissions of the road. This is part of a bigger carbon reduction push from government associated with roads and motorways and is not the first time it's happened with various sections of other motorways also in darkness – It is estimated that this action will save around 810 tonnes of CO2
The decision to turn the lights off was not taken lightly and the Highways agency has carefully considered which sections of road will be least affected by the move, it also weighed up the various safety aspects to the decision. A spokesperson said "This is not about wishing to remove all lights from the motorway network. It's about carefully identifying the locations where, under the revised guidelines, we would no longer install lighting," explained Derek Turner, director for the Highways Agency.
"The money saved could then be used for other measures on the strategic road network where it would have a more significant safety benefit and potentially save more lives.".
Amy, Raine or Shine
Friday 19th August 2011
Raine or Shine will be attending the Community Renewable Energy Event which will be held at Gresford Trust Hall on 27th Aug 2011. Refreshments will be provided so why not pop down and have a chat with us?
We will be answering questions and providing information about all things renewable.
For further details about IMAGE read this leaflet.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Amy, Raine or Shine
Tuesday 9th August 2011
Renewable Heat Premium payment is a good "filler" before the Renewable Heat Incentive.
The renewable heat premium payment is designed to bridge the gap before the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and the Green Deal come into action next year claims Gordon Miller, co-founder and sustainability and communications director of Sustain Worldwide.
He has welcomed the incentives as it will provide £15m of funding to support 25,000 installations of renewable heating solutions such as solar thermal and heat pumps. Each household can receive up to £1250 to help with the cost of installation.
However, Mr Miller noted that the Premium payment scheme will have a "limited impact on a national scale" as it is aimed at houses who are not heated by mains gas.
From next year the RHI will come into place working in a similar fashion to the Feed In Tariff, only this time you get paid for the heat you produce and not the electricity. But for the time being, if you fit the criteria it's a step in an encouraging direction for renewables.
Amy, Raine or Shine
Wednesday 6th July 2011
Ofgem fines British Gas £1m.
British Gas has been landed with a £1 million fine for misreporting how much renewable electricity it supplied to non-domestic customers under the Renewable Obligation. The error was made over seven years by British Gas Business, which supplies the company's business customers.
Government's Renewable Obligation (RO) requires utilities to provide evidence of the amount of electricity supplied from renewable sources. Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC), designed to promote the use of renewable energy, depend on the accuracy of such information.
Ofgem confirmed British Gas Business had underestimated the total amount of electricity it sold to its business customers through the RO by 0.6% over the seven-year period from 2001-02 to 2008-09.
The regulator said British Gas' error was caused by "incorrect interpretation of the reporting requirements, and insufficient procedures by the company".
British Gas said it had brought the error to Ofgem's attention.
Kanat Emiroglu, Managing Director of British Gas Business said, "We take any failure to meet Ofgem reporting obligations very seriously, and we are sorry this error has occurred.
"As soon as we discovered our misinterpretation of the reporting rules, we acted to bring this to Ofgem's attention, and have worked closely with the regulator to address the problem and to ensure we fully comply with the reporting requirements in the future."
David Pimm, Ofgem Group Finance Director said, "Energy suppliers who are presently submitting information to Ofgem for the 2010-11 Renewables Obligation period should also understand that the level of the penalty reflects both the importance of compliance and the significant co-operation of British Gas, including action to address the harm caused. Without this, the penalty would have been much higher" he said.
Solar Power Portal
Wednesday 6th July 2011
Raine or Shine's 1.44kWp Solar PV system.
Raine or Shine's very own 1.44kWp solar photovoltaic system has over-performed in it's first year of running! Using the SAP Calculation it was estimated to produce 1236kWh but it's actually produced 1451kWh!
Amy, Raine or Shine
Tuesday 05th July 2011
Scotland to join England in RHI.
In 2010, Scotland had 3 times more demand for renewable heating than the rest of the UK. In a bid to maintain these figures and to reach its target of 11% of heat to be produced from a renewable energy by 2020 they have decided to opt into the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme. The RHI provides an incentive for people to install more renewable heating such as solar thermal and biomass boilers, and it provides a great platform for governments trying to reach their targets.
Scottish Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing announced the decision by saying "Scotland is warming to renewable heating but we need to accelerate the use of green technologies. Small businesses to the largest industrial users of heat will be eligible for the RHI, while individuals will get help to install new equipment that can cut bills and reduce fuel poverty.
"The schemes, due to start in the autumn, will create new jobs in manufacturing, supply and installation, cut emissions and boost the move away from traditional fossil fuels for heat," said Ewing.
Amy, Raine or Shine
Monday 20th June 2011
Let the show begin!
After a fantastic event in 2010 Raine or Shine will be holding a trade stall at the Cheshire Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 21 and 22.
The show is set to be an action-packed couple of days, if you want to experience and celebrate all that is great and good about the countryside then the Cheshire County Show is the only place to be as it brings together the many interesting and fascinating aspects of farming and rural life in Cheshire.
The attractions on offer are:
- Live demonstrations of milking cows and feeding calves to butchery demonstrations and ice-cream making.
- Sheep, Goats, Pigs and Rare Breed livestock are always well represented at the show in the many competition classes. With the piglets proving particularly popular with visitors young and old alike.
- From Shires to Shetlands, Show jumpers to Show ponies, equines are a strong feature of the show in all their spectacular splendour.
- The Cheshire County Show Poultry section which takes place on the Tuesday only now enjoys championship status and is a must see for poultry enthusiasts.
- Pigeons, Rabbits and Cavies aplenty can be found on the Wednesday only as they compete in the many classes held at the show.
- The prestigious Cheshire Show Dog section attracts over 2000 entries from across a vast array of breeds. Tuesday sees classes for Sporting Breeds only, whilst Wednesday is for Non-Sporting Breeds only.
- Food halls offering local, regional and national producers and purveyors of fine food and drink to suit everyone's tastes.
- A Women's Institutes marquee showing, cake making, floral art, and produce making through to art and photography and much more.
- The Cheshire Landscape Trust marquee showing conservation efforts surrounding Cheshire's wildlife, unique landscape and habitat.
- The Vintage Machinery section re-counts a bygone era with an extensive display of tractors, agricultural machinery, stationary engines, cars and commercial vehicles of yesteryear.
- At the Cheshire West and Chester Countryside Experience Area there will be falconry demonstrations, Clay Shoot and Archery, fly-fishing demonstrations and parades of hounds, it's a real haven for country lovers.
For more information and tickets please visit www.cheshirecountyshow.org.uk
Amy, Raine or Shine
Tuesday 14th June 2011
The DECC releases details of Feed In Tariff Cuts.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has released the details of the new feed in tariff levels for large scale solar installations, crushing many people's hopes that the UK's solar industry would have a large-scale future.
The government has been going through this fast track review since the FITs rates were proposed on March 18th. Their aim was to reduce tariffs for large scale solar projects, which would stop large companies installing solar panels to turn a massive profit and in turn would leave more money in the pot for small scale, domestic installations.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said, "I want to drive an ambitious roll out of new green energy technologies in homes, communities and small businesses and the FIT scheme has a vital part to play in building a more decentralised energy economy." He went onto say "We have carefully considered the evidence that has been presented as part of the consultation and this has reinforced my conviction of the need to make changes as a matter of urgency. Without action the scheme would be overwhelmed. The new tariffs will ensure a sustained growth path for the solar industry while protecting the money for householders, small businesses and communities and will also further encourage the uptake of green electricity from anaerobic digestion."
The new tariffs (below) will go ahead from August 1, 2011 and will apply to all new market entrants.
- >50 kW – ≤ 150 kW Total Installed Capacity (TIC) - 19.0p/kWh
- >150 kW – ≤ 250 kW TIC - 15.0p/kWh
- 250 kW – 5 MW TIC and stand-alone installations - 8.5p/kWh
The DECC is claiming it received over 500 responses, which were carefully analysed before a decision was made regarding the change in tariffs. The fast-track review reportedly revealed that the number of planned larger PV projects was much higher than originally expected.
"Without urgent action, the scheme would have been overwhelmed within a very short period of time. Every 5MW large scale solar scheme would incur a cost of approximately £1.3 million per year, which means that 20 such schemes would incur an annual cost of around £26 million, money that could support PV installations for over 25,000 households," outlined the DECC's press release.
The changes will now have to go through Parliamentary and State aid clearance. Solar schemes under 50kW are not affected by this review.
Amy, Raine or Shine
Friday 9th June 2011
Calls to make your holidays more carbon efficient.
With summer peeking around the corner I thought it would be useful to give you some advise about making your holidays more carbon efficient. Millions of people are planning on jetting off somewhere over the next couple of months and the Energy Saving Trust has created some suggestions on how to cutback on your carbon emissions:
Carbon emissions from air travel are sky-rocketing. Flying is already a major contributor to global CO2 and The Department for Transport estimates that this could rise to a third of all emissions by 2050.
But its not just an increase in the amount people fly, the behaviour of our flights have changed with more of us taking long-haul flights to reach more exotic destinations. A return long-haul flight to Thailand releases over two tonnes of CO2 per passenger, which is more than most non-flyers' carbon footprint for a whole year.
The suggested advise from The Energy Saving Trust is as follows: the best thing anyone can do to cut emissions from flying is to make sure you only take a plane when absolutely necessary. If you can get to where you're going by train, bus or ferry, then why not? For example, the train from London to Paris uses only 15% of the CO2 emissions from flying. Furthermore, if people who fly three or more times a year were to take one less return flight across Europe it would save as much energy as taking nearly half a million cars off the road for a year.
However, we're realistic enough to understand that sometimes flying is necessary - whether for work or because it is the most practical, and frequently cheaper, way to get to your destination. So if you do have to fly here are some ways you can reduce your carbon footprint.
- Choose a holiday that's nearer - a flight from London to Thailand releases eight times as much CO2 as a flight to Rome. If you have a choice, it's greener to stay closer to home.
- Avoid stop-overs, take-off and landing are the most polluting parts of a flight, so it's better to fly direct. If possible why not choose a boat, train or bus for shorter legs of your journey? Part of the fun can be getting there!
- Consider off-setting - many travel companies provide carbon off-setting schemes, where a supplement that you pay is invested in a low-carbon initiative. Always read the small print carefully before using such a scheme. You could always take the initiative and offset your own carbon, here at Raine or Shine we have loads of carbon reducing technologies which we can install, such as Solar Photovoltaics, Solar Thermal and Heat Pumps.
For more information on your carbon footprint and travelling visit energysavingtrust.org.uk/Travel
Amy, Raine or Shine
Monday 6th June 2011
Alistair McGowan joins "We support Solar".
Alistair McGowan, Impressionist has joined forces with We Support Solar, a campaign calling on the UK government to commit to solar power.
Alistair visited the children at Hinchley Woods School in Surrey, to congratulate them on the work they have done on improving the schools green credentials. One of the ways in which they have done this is by installing a large solar PV system, and becoming a "Green Flag School". The star also has Solar PV installed on his own home, and understands the benefits the country could gain from taking similar steps.
Both McGowan and We Support Solar are calling on the Government to encourage schools and communities to keep installing renewable energy technology such as Solar Thermal and Solar PV.
In an heartfelt and engaging speech at Hinchley Woods assembly McGowan said:
"If we all embraced exciting solar PV technology, as you have done, we could create a world in which old, wasteful, dirty sources of energy creation are almost totally redundant. But this country isn't yet embracing solar power because of changes in the system which means that so-called "large-scale" projects, such as yours, are not being encouraged. Schools and hospitals are great places for solar: they can reduce bills, freeing up funds for local authorities to use elsewhere, and even raise an income for themselves - while benefitting the health and future of the world. To make a real difference in the fight against climate change, the 29,000 school buildings across the country, should be given another job to do like yours."
Join the campaign on www.wesupportsolar.net
Amy, Raine or Shine
Friday 3rd June 2011
Coalition acting shady over ICCC's fourth carbon budget.
In the past year a rise of 3.8% in carbon dioxide emissions has been recorded, this is the largest yearly increase since 1990.
Using additional heating through the cold winter has obviously contributed to the figure, but it has not been the only factor, an unplanned shut down of Sizewell B, Britain's newest nuclear power station and the recession also proved to be key factors forcing the set back in the Britain's carbon cuts. Nevertheless there is now rumour that the government could flout the recommendations suggested by the Independent Committee on Climate Change and water down it's emission reduction targets for post 2020.
Due to the recession The Treasury and Department for Business are opposing the fourth carbon budget which should run from 2022 to 2027 as they suggest that they are impossible to achieve in the current economic climate. The fourth carbon budget suggests that greenhouse gas emissions are cut by 50% below 1990 levels by 2025, which would ensure emissions could by 60% by 2030. As it stands the government must make a decision on the budget by June which has promoted fears that the reason the coalition has not yet confirmed its position is because it disagrees with the ICCC recommendations.
Amy, Raine or Shine
Tuesday 31st May 2011
National Farmers Union notices increased enquires about Solar PV (electricity).
Renewable energy has always had a natural fit with farming, according to Dr Jonathan Scurlock, National Farmers Union (NFU) chief advisor on renewable energy.
Speaking to BBC Farming Today, Dr Scurlock said that there has been increased interest from farmers wanting to utilise their land for renewable energy, particularly with solar photovoltaics (PV). This is because the feed in tariff provides an excellent source of income for farmers, one which is guaranteed for 25 years.
"In the rows between the solar modules there will certainly be a need to keep the grass down, so sheep grazing is an obvious opportunity," he explained. "We have had members expressing a considerable interest in perhaps combining solar farms with free range poultry.”
"One further opportunity is the possibility of solar farms actually being used for bio-diversity benefit, especially for the under-planting of pollen and nectar mixtures or bird forage mixtures."
However as the government has revealed it is scaling back the feed in tariff for larger PV installations (over 50kWp) farmers could find that they will not see such high returns from the feed-in tariff. Despite this, here at Raine or Shine we have still noticed an increased interest from farmers who are planning a variety of different sized systems.
Amy, Raine or Shine
Wednesday 18th May 2011
Energy Bill forces landlords to consider energy efficiency.
Detailed within the Energy Bill, plans have been made to force landlords to become more energy efficient. From April 2016, landlords must take action when a tenant requests reasonable work to be carried out to a property and from April 2018 it will be illegal for landlords to rent properties which have less than an 'E' energy efficiency rating, these laws should affect about 682,000 properties across the UK.
Liz Laine, energy expert at Consumer Focus, commented on the Bill: "The government still needs to answer essential questions on the Green Deal, ensure the right protections are in place and give clear incentives to consumers for taking up the scheme if it is to be a success."
She added that the poorest households must also be helped as they will not be able to afford the scheme and yet "have most to gain from energy efficiency measures".
However, the Energy Bill has set the standards for landlords allowing them to plan ahead and start making investments in green technology and home improvements sooner rather than later. The Bill is about pushing people into taking an active role in energy efficiency, but doing it slowly rather than rushing landlords.
Amy, Raine or Shine
Tuesday 17th May 2011
Raine or Shine are attending Reaseheath Family Festival.
Sunday 15 May 2011
10.00am – 5.00pm
See one of the country’s leading specialist colleges at work and play.
Activities for all the family including:
- The Knights of Middle England - one of the leading jousting and stunt teams in the UK
- Titan the Robot - one of the most successful and talked about street shows in recent years
- Batala Bermo Samba Band
- Brazilian rhythms from Bahia - the music’s infectious, they get people moving!
- Reaseheath Zoo
- Farmers Market
- Fun Dog Show (including fancy dress competition)
- Benefit Dog Demonstration Team
- Riding Displays
- Smallholders Display
- Archery
- Dairy and Horticulture demonstrations
- Plant Sales
- CAD Taster Sessions – Design Your Garden
- Local Schools Exhibits
- Archive display of Reaseheath photos
Tickets:
- Adult Ticket: £5
- Children & Concessions: £4
- Family Ticket: £15 (2 adults and up to 3 children)
- Children under 3 free
Tickets can be purchased on the entrance gate or in advance by calling Customer Services on 01270 613242
Amy, Raine or Shine
Thursday 12th May 2011
Farmers cash in on dry weather.
For most farmers the sunny weather is causing a lot of stress in terms of crop production but some farmers are profiting from the sunshine with newly installed solar systems, reducing their electricity bills by £100’s.
Some farmers have followed in the footsteps of 1000’s of home owners, installing Solar PV systems, which allow them to reduce their electricity bills and claim the 25 year guaranteed Feed In Tariff. Because of this and the excellent return on investment we have seen an increase in people approaching their banks for funding with success!
Farming can be an energy intensive business and Solar PV seems to be the perfect answer to many farmers questions as it is a sustainable long term solution to reducing costs and which additionally produces a steady income. One farmer has stated, “The ever increasing cost of feed, due to global soft commodity prices, and fuel puts extra pressure on the bottom line. Solar PV is the steadiest and most secure of the renewable energy technologies.”
At Raine or Shine we can provide a variety of renewable energy solutions for all different establishments, why not call us on 01978 664 114 to discuss your options? Or fill in a PV quick quote?
Amy, Raine or Shine
Tuesday 10th May 2011
Feed in tariff leads to 28,000 solar PV installations.
The energy saving trust has reported on new government figures that say the feed-in-tariff scheme has led to 28,505 solar photovoltaic (PV) installations since it came to fruition in April 2010.
So far the scheme has been a great success and domestic installations accounted for a massive 29,229 of ALL renewable energy installations! This year also saw the first solar scheme above 100kW.
Out of the 111MW of renewables installed in the last year, 77.8MW came from solar PV! There were also 205 hydro installations, 1329 wind power installations 98 micro combined heat and power systems and 3 anaerobic digestion plants.
As we’re sure you are aware the government has bought forward its review of the FITs payments for installations over 50KW. Climate change minister Greg Barker said at the time: "I want to make sure that we capture the benefits of fast falling costs in solar technology to allow even more homes to benefit from feed in tariffs, rather than see that money go in bumper profits to a small number of big investors."
Amy, Raine or Shine
Friday 6th May 2011