Employees Invest in Solar Initiative

A recent project completed by not-for-profit energy supplier Ebico has sparked a new initiative in which the employees of a workplace can invest in the protection of the environment whilst gaining a reasonable return.

How you ask? By funding the installation of solar PV panels on the rooftop of their employer’s facilities!

The new 50 kilowatt solar array, situated at the Eden Project (a social enterprise in the form of a visitor attraction located in Cornwall) has just become the UK’s first employee owned renewables installation.

So how does it work?

Ebico, operating through its subsidiary entitled Social Ventures in Energy (SVE), worked in partnership with the Eden project in the creation of a new enterprise to install two medium-sized rooftop PV arrays.

As part of the project, employees of the Eden Project are now eligible to ‘buy into’ the renewable energy facility for as little as £200 with investors splitting the share in the feed-in tariff income for the next 25 years.

Who does this benefit?

Phil Levermore, the Managing Director of Ebico has stated his belief that this new scheme could overcome some of the major barriers to investment in solar initiatives that UK employees are concerned by:

“There is good evidence to suggest that once people have a financial interest in renewable energy, acceptance of these technologies increases.”

Employees of the Eden Project who perhaps see the potential of the ROI associated with an investment in renewable energy but cannot afford the installation of PV panels on their own property will value this viable business opportunity.

Plus, with enough return over a period of time, these same employees may consider the installation of their own PV panels further down the line.

Organisation with large business facilities who are daunted by the high up-front costs of the installation of a solar array to power their offices could become tempted. After all, with our recent blog posts regarding the corporate social responsibility strategies of Google and Apple – going green seems to be the ‘done thing’ in terms of reputation.

However, let us not forget the all-important improvement that projects like this will have on the environment. Let’s hope that the Eden Project employee facilitated solar array is the start of a new avenue for renewable energy.

Would you like to install your own personal PV panels on your property and gain ROI?

Call us today on 0800 369 8980 for a PV quote!

Become the Environmental Hero That Your Office Needs

Changing the environment is a substantial behavioural change that often requires one person to act as a catalyst that sparks a consequent revolution. Have you been considering the installation of PV panels at your home? Are you now wondering what else you can do to make a difference in other areas of your life?

In this update we will provide you with a couple of tips learned from Friends of the Earth in a blog post published last week that could lead to you becoming the environmental hero of your office.

Set up a Green Action Team

Rally your co-workers and form a passionate group of green enthusiasts that can spread the message of the importance of environmental protection. Set realistic recycling targets and provide simple, initial steps that your colleagues can take to support the cause. Encourage staff members to switch off monitors and lights when not in use and decorate the office with posters providing interesting green facts and tips that will put your campaign into motion.

Think before you print…

Many company emails recommend that you should only print any emails that you have read if completely necessary; however, there are other equally as simple ways in which you can get your co-workers to go green in the office environment. Encourage your office to buy only recycled paper and educate your colleagues by suggesting that double-sided printing and photocopying is kinder to the environment. Remember, recycling facilities are very important – make it easy to recycle paper by having a dedicated recycling waste paper bin.

Walk to work

Inspire staff to find the greenest way to get to work. Do you and some of your colleagues live within walking/cycling distance to the office? Are some members of staff driving unnecessarily when traveling by train or bus would be more energy efficient? Change your behaviour first to start the trend.

Save water…

A great deal of water is wasted as a result of the countless number of teas and coffees that are consumed in an average office on a daily basis. Instead of boiling a full kettle of water for one person, encourage your co-workers to only use as much water as is required for a cup of tea or coffee. Make guessing how much water is needed easy by marking on the side of the kettle the volume of water that is required per cup.

Why wait for someone else to make your office a greener environment? Take control and inspire those around you to change their behaviour today.

Could your home be kinder to the environment?
Call us today on 0800 369 8980 for a PV panel quote!

Google Rank #1 & Apple Invest in a New Solar Project

At the end of 2011, we blogged about a sizeable investment of $94 million made by Google into solar energy projects in the US.

As a result of this investment (amongst other environmental reputation-enhancing activity) we can now report that the global search giant has deservedly been granted the top spot in Greenpeace’s annual Cool IT Leaderboard for 2012 (a ranking of technology firms’ environmental efforts).

The influential campaign group indicated that Google’s high profile investment in renewable energy projects, as well as a prominent vocal support for US clean energy policy in general, has led to the global firm knocking Cisco from their number one ranking achieved last year.

Great news for Google! However, somewhat controversially Greenpeace has refused to include I-pod creators Apple on the leader board for 2012.

In terms of environmental reputation, this could prove damaging for Apple; nonetheless, sufficient justification was given as the pressure group stated that this decision was taken on the basis that Apple does not currently meet the ranking’s specific criteria.

A Fresh Investment…

Perhaps purely coincidentally, it appears that green energy has now taken priority for Apple and an exciting new solar project is now high up on the company’s agenda as it attempts to rebuild its damaged environmental reputation.

Yesterday it was reported by Business Green that Apple has revealed plans to build a giant 20MW solar array to help power its North Carolina data centre as part of its latest efforts to reduce the firm’s environmental footprint.

This large scale solar project will involve panel installation on the 100 acres of land surrounding Apple’s recently opened Maiden data centre in North Carolina.

The Maiden data centre may have been an intentionally specific location choice as the building has already been constructed in accordance with demanding energy efficiency standards. Consequently, the facility holds a platinum certificate under the US Green Building’s Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) scheme.

This award was presented to the Maiden data centre for a number of reasons. Notably, the building itself makes use of advanced chilled water storage technology as well as an outside air cooling system which, combined, allows Apple to switch off its chillers more than 75% of the time. Furthermore, the Maiden data centre was constructed with 14% recycled materials and diverted 93% of construction waste from landfills.

In terms of energy generation, Apple claims that the 5MW planned facility could provide more than 40 million kWh of base load renewable energy annually, thus, the environmentally friendly constructed facility is soon to be powered in an environmentally friendly way.

So, whether or not this substantial project is the beginning of a new chapter for Apple’s corporate social responsibility strategy in attempt to keep in check with Google’s shining example, it is pleasing to see that these multi-national organisations are doing their bit to protect the environment and make their businesses that bit greener.

Are you ready to go green too?
Call us today on 0800 369 8980 for a PV panel quote!

Environmental Events for your Diary

If you are considering making your home environmentally friendly via the installation of solar PV panels – there is probably a high chance that you are passionate about the environment and its protection.

If this is indeed the case, here are some notable, global environmental awareness events coming up in the near future for your diary:

Earth Hour 2012 – Saturday 31^st March, 8:30PM

In 2011, more than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour – sending a powerful message for action on climate change. Earth Hour gives you the opportunity to show your commitment to change as part of a global interconnected community. Are you passionate about this? Join one of the many teams around the world, or alternatively, if your country is not listed on the official Earth Hour site and you would like to spread the word, become an Earth Hour Organiser here.

Earth Day 2012 – April 22^nd

On the 22^nd of April, more than one billion people around the globe will participate in Earth Day 2012. Earth Day gives people of all nationalities and backgrounds the chance to join together and voice a collective appreciation for the planet on which we live and demand its protection for the future. Have you installed PV panels and wish to join similar minded, green consumers while backing this worthwhile, global event? Why not attend an Earth Day Event, Pledge an Act of Green or sign the Earth Day petition that collectively asks for your government to end fossil fuel subsidies, invest in renewable energy technology and make energy universally accessible.

World Environment Day – June 5^th

World Environment Day (WED), in association with the United Nations Environment Programme, is an annual event that aims to be the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. The host country for World Environment Day 2012 is Brazil and organisers are expecting this year’s event to be largest and most widely celebrated ever. Want to find out how to get involved? Register an activity and become part of global environmental action.

Have you marked these events in your green diary for 2012?
Why not change your energy consumption today and give us a call for a             PV Panel installation quote?

0800 369 8980

Go green this Valentines – It makes you hot!

Here’s a special post specifically because it’s Valentines Day.

According to businessgreen.com, going green makes you “hot” this Valentines. Find out why!

What are your thoughts on going green for Valentines? Let us know in the comments below.

Are Plants the Future of Solar Photovoltaic Energy?

“Take that bag (of chemicals), mix it with anything green and paint it on the  roof,” – Andreas Mershin

Could solar energy really be this simple?

Andreas Mershin seems to think so!

In recent months we have blogged about the advantages of photovoltaic panels – how installation can save you money while protecting the environmental ‘bigger picture’. It can be easy, however; to forget the advancing technology, research and scientific minds that are collaborating globally to make the planet a greener place in amongst FiTs Governmental debates.

Consequently, here’s a simple post focusing on one of the inspiring technological stories behind solar energy.

Andreas Mershin, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), co-wrote a paper published in Scientific Reports this week presenting his findings from research regarding ‘biophotovoltaics’ and solar energy production.

With research building on slightly more complex findings from a project started 8 years ago by Shuguang Zhang, associate director at the MIT’s Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Mershin has simplified and optimised the energy output of a pre-existing, innovative solar energy process.

Ultimately, Mershin’s project could lead to everyday folks turning their grass clippings and green like plant waste into a small photovoltaic panel, or solar cells, to create green energy.

So how does it work?

Mershin’s process involves electricity-producing “biophotovoltaics” without the sophisticated laboratory equipment that previous research suggested was needed. Essentially the technology is based on creating photovoltaic material by using the molecules that do the work of photosynthesis in green plants (such as your grass clippings) – called photosystem-I – mixed with chemicals to create what is described as a “green goo”.

This goo-like substance is then suitable to be painted onto any piece of substrate, such as metal or glass, connected by a couple of wires and as a result used to generate enough electricity to charge batteries or provide power for a night-light.

One drawback of the project is the limited production of usable energy; however, Mershin believes that the technology is simplified enough that high school and college laboratories can begin to replicate and find ways to improve it. This improvement is indeed necessary before any usable quantity of energy is produced as though this advance is a 10,000% efficiency improvement on previous plant-based solar cells; current experimental cells only convert 0.1% of sunlight to electricity.

However, even though an estimated 10 fold improvement is required before any usable energy is produced – Mershin’s dream is to bring electricity to the most remote of villages via harnessing solar power with this new process.

Cost effective and environmentally protective – the solar revolution is well and truly underway.

Are you ready to install solar PV panels? – Give us a call: 0800 369 8980

Confused about solar photovoltaics?

Solar PV (photovoltaic) panels generate electricity from the sun’s energy that can then be used to power household appliances and lighting.

You can use PV systems for a building with a roof or wall that faces within 90 degrees of south, as long as no other buildings or large trees overshadow it. Less energy will be generated if the photovoltaic surface is in shadow for parts of the day, but it will still generate some electricity.

Types of PV panels:
The are four basic types of PV panel: monocrystalline, polycrystalline (or multicrystalline), hybrid and amorphous silicon. All are made from silicon, but differ in the way the silicon is cut and treated.

Pros of Solar PV:

• Only daylight is needed to create energy – not sunshine.
• Can be connected to the national grid and any excess electricity sold back to an electricity company.
• Can cut an average household electricity bill by about 40%.

Ready to install solar PV panels? Give us a call: 0800 369 8980