Renewable Energy Resources

Sunrise

Our society may be entering a Solar Age. The sustainable energy industry has been on the rise for decades, but sluggishly. The problem was that people weren’t convinced by the technology. Now at last, it is being touted as a viable energy source, with 3kW solar panels leading the way – but there are other options to choose from in a flourishing green market.

Deploying 3kW solar panels

Depending on your requirements, solar panelling will be of different kilowattage. The most common kind – 3kW solar panels – are being commonly deployed on homes and SME’s (small/medium enterprises), and are highly efficient.

3kW solar panels typically require around 21m2 of roof space. As an indication of how much space is required to install other varieties: 1kW panels require 8m2, 2kW = 14m2, and 4kW = 28m2. The more roofspace you have available the bigger the energy potential, and your profit will be more lucrative.

The idea is of course to make an initial investment in the solar installation, which will then continuously save you money off your energy bill and, after a number of years, pay for itself. 3kW solar panels are the most widespread choice among solar users, and offer a good rate of payback.

The Feed In Tariffs Scheme (FITs)

The FITs Scheme is all over the news at the moment. Not only because it marks a seachange in the way sustainable energy is (now) being encouraged, but because it is at the centre of an ongoing court case.

The UK Government has being taken to court by an alliance of UK solar energy suppliers and Friends of the Earth, and so far the courts have ruled against the Government, deeming their actions “unlawful”. 

The implications of the case are that people whose panels are producing solar energy might find their home-charged power valued less than previously thought. Fortunately for solar power users, the Government has been overruled both in the initial case and on appeal.

People deliberating over whether to install 3kW solar panels, or any other size, are advised to hurry up and decide sooner rather than later, to be eligible for the higher rate.

The FITs case is ongoing, but the higher rate is likely to be available until a March deadline.

The Eco Experts regularly update their blog with news of FITs and other Green Deal announcements.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/the-rise-of-solar-energy-5625908.html

About the Author

The Eco Experts is a free service for people interested in reducing their carbon footprint.

We help you find advice and the best value for money on solar panels and other sustainable energy methods.

We work with the best accredited suppliers of green technology.
We are free to use – we don’t charge you a penny, or make any percentage on sales.

For more information on solar energy and other green technology:

/   @theecoexperts   /   http://www.theecoexperts.co.uk   /

How much time do you spend thinking about the wider environment? There’s clearly a whole set of issues here that worry some people more than others. You may sometimes think about your own place within the wider world.

Many of the issues can almost seem too large to really think about. When we think about climate change, for instance, we may wonder if it’s truly realistic for us to have any great input. As individuals, we can see that there’s a great danger here for people on the entire planet. But what we can really do to change things.

Living in the UK, for example, we may feel that there’s a limit to how much influence we can have on emissions in China or India. But does this mean that we should simply give up and accept that things can’t be changed? It certainly seems like a real shame to think in this way.

Instead, it may be better to think about what can be done. Although we may not be able to change things on a global scale, it seems likely that we should be able to have an influence at the more local level. Almost inevitably, changes must start at home.

We can begin by considering the way in which we use the Earth’s resources. Are we even aware that we are doing so? It’s so easy to become convinced that you live in something of a bubble, where nothing that you do really has much of an influence on anything else. This is an unfortunate way of thinking.

In truth, it’s likely that you’re responsible for using water, oil, coal and natural gas. That’s just for starters! Once you look at things in this context, it becomes clear that there’s often real scope for improvement. Have you thought about your strategy in terms of home energy usage?

If it helps, it may also be useful to know that changing domestic habits can also have financial benefits. You won’t need to worry about those energy bills quite so much, once you put a plan in place for taking control of energy use. This might begin with simple steps, such as opting to take a shower, rather than making use of a bath.

There are clearly more significant changes that can be made too. You might, for instance, consider installing solar panels, or looking into the possibility of using heat pumps. You may think that you are making changes on a small scale, but you’re actually doing your bit.

It’s often the case that simply thinking about your impact is the first step on the road to making a real difference.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/thinking-about-your-own-impact-on-the-environment-5626264.html

About the Author

Consider environmental concerns and issues by reading more articles by Simon Barnett. This article may be used by any website publisher, though this resource box must always be included in full.