Viridis Energie Consultants

Why change to LED’s…..

barry — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:11:42 +0000

Cut your electricity and maintenance bills with LED lighting!

With energy costs rising each year and growing concerns for the environment, more and more people are looking for energy saving initiatives.

LED lighting is an area that many people overlook or don’t consider, but it’s actually a very cost effective way to both improve your lighting whilst simultaneously reducing the amount of energy consumed.

LED lights could slash your electricity bill by up to 90%!

Factor in zero maintenance costs through LED’s lifespan of over 30,000 hours, and the savings increase further!

In normal usage conditions this translates to over 8 years of operation without replacement of parts. Being solid state lighting devices, there are no filaments or gas filled tubes in LED lights.

Help the environment!

LED lights do not contain any toxic elements such as mercury or heavy metals. There is no need for expensive equipment for safe disposal, and there is no danger to health or harmful toxic pollution of the environment as in the case of fluorescents.

Reduce heat output!

LED lights generate very little heat, unlike other conventional lights like halogens, sodium vapour and incandescent bulbs. Air conditioning and refrigeration loads are therefore greatly reduced with the use of LED lights, saving you money.

Improve light quality!

The operating frequency of LED lights is closest to daylight spectrum, free of unwanted ultraviolet and infrared frequencies, and flicker free, thereby causing less strain to the eyes.

Instant operation!

LED lights feature instant start up, unlike sodium vapour or fluorescent lighting.

See better colour rendition!

LED lights have a high colour rendition, thereby showing up objects in their true colour. This improves the perceived light to the human eye.

Tax benefits!

LED’s qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA’s), therefore saving you more!

If you would like further advice on LED lighting, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk.

Thousands of jobs at risk after David Cameron abandons solar subsidies

barry — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:31:43 +0000

Senior figures in the industry say they face a bleak future as demand for panels collapses

New moves to reduce subsidies for fitting solar panels on homes are jeopardising Britain’s hopes of hitting renewable energy targets and threatening thousands of jobs, David Cameron was warned last night.

Some 400 senior figures in the solar energy industry said demand for panels has collapsed since the Government started slashing financial incentives for families that want to go green.

In a joint letter to the Prime Minister, seen by The Independent, they protested that the sector faced a bleak future without dramatic action to demonstrate his support for solar energy. They said that more than 6,000 people working in solar energy had lost their jobs since last summer – and 43 per cent of companies in the sector are planning redundancies.

Ministers provoked fury last year when they more than halved the subsidy for the feed-in tariff for households which feed excess electricity from their solar panels into the national grid.

Critics said the move would deter people from buying panels, which cost an average of £12,000, because it would double the time it took them to recoup their initial investment.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) is now consulting on a further cut in feed-in tariffs to come into effect in July. It argues that the scheme still amounts to a generous subsidy for prosperous people who can afford panels, funded by less well-off consumers. But the solar energy firms told Mr Cameron, who promised to lead the “greenest government ever”, that demand for solar panels has halved in the past year because of the uncertainty over subsidies.

“The rate has nosedived to such an extent that it would now take another 160 years to deliver the amount of solar energy that the Government claims it wants to generate by 2020,” they said.

Their letter called for an end to further cuts to tariffs “before the sun sets on the solar industry for good”. They said: “It is more important than ever to persuade people that solar represents good value for money. A further sudden change to the tariff will simply increase the sense that the days of valuable returns are over.”

The signatories added: “Our industry needs a chance to get back on its feet – 93 per cent of UK solar installation companies are now worried about their future.”

A Decc spokeswoman said: “Solar does have a bright future in the UK. It is an exciting and popular new technology, but it would be totally irresponsible to continue subsidising the lucky few who are making eye-watering profits at the expense of the consumer who pays for this subsidy through their electricity bills.”

She said that even at a tariff of 21p, rates of return are still higher than they were ever intended.

“This is why, in line with the falling costs of solar, we are proposing to gradually reduce the tariff levels so the rate of return remains stable. This will provide certainty for the industry going forward, help them to confidently market their products to customers.”

Reza Shaybani, the chairman of the British Photovoltaic Association, said he agreed with the sentiments of the letter – but not the decision to lobby Mr Cameron in public. He said the industry was more likely to persuade ministers to change their minds by patient and courteous negotiation in private.

The letter comes two weeks after Mr Cameron told a conference in London of energy ministers from 23 countries that Britain would deliver on its renewable energy commitments. He said: “We urgently need a more diverse, cleaner mix of energy sources that give us energy security without causing irreparable damage to the planet.”

If you would like further advice on solar panels, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to The Independent

RHI could trigger biomass ‘gold rush’ in 2015, says report

barry — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:35:54 +0000

Sustainable Venture Intelligence report also predicts potentially explosive growth for air source heat pump market

The renewable heat market could see a “gold rush” for biomass boilers in the middle of the decade, as a growing number of businesses and individuals take advantage of the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

That is the conclusion of a new report by consultancy Sustainable Venture Intelligence (SVI), which aims to map the renewable heat market for technologies supported by the RHI, such as heat pumps, solar thermal panels and biomass boilers.

Launched this week, the report forecasts a “steady, though not spectacular, establishment” of the renewable heat market from now until 2014, followed by explosive growth in the middle of the decade, and then a “hangover period” at the end of the decade as the market consolidates.

SVI predicts those companies which move quickly to take advantage of the RHI will benefit the most.

Energy regulator Ofgem this week revealed it has received 376 applications from businesses seeking to take advantage of the RHI since it launched in November 2011, but currently it has only approved five per cent of applications.

SVI’s report predicts that until 2014, medium-sized biomass (200-1,000 thermal kilowatts) boilers will be the most attractive technologies, particularly in the public-commercial sector, such as for social housing projects and networked district heating schemes.

The medium-scale biomass market is then likely to experience a “gold rush” in 2015-17, as falling technology costs coincide with attractive government subsidies, creating a heavily incentivised market, it said.

It also predicts that air source heat pumps could potentially see “explosive” growth in the commercial sector if the technology becomes eligible for the RHI. The tariff for air source heat pumps has been delayed to mid-2013 due to uncertainties over installation costs and difficulties in measuring heat output for air-to-air heat pumps.

SVI urged companies to avoid comparing the RHI with the feed-in tariff, arguing the green heat market has the potential to be much larger than the renewable electricity market.

“Despite the mistaken propensity for aligning the delayed RHI with the controversial feed-in tariff-driven solar market, the key to commercial success – as successful FIT-based businesses discovered – is timing,” the company said in a statement.

“Far from opportunities disappearing because the RHI has been delayed, many already exist and will become even more attractive once a stable support mechanism is in place. There is also no question that the overall business environment will improve as the renewable heat market matures.”

If you would like further advice on the RHI or any renewable technology, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to Business Green.

What is an LED light??

barry — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:51:56 +0000

“What is an LED light?”

LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights have been around for a long time now, but until recently we have associated them very much with those little blinking lights that twinkle in our computers, TVs or other electronic equipment.

Those little indicator lights that tell you your piece of electronic equipment is on standby just waiting for you to press the remote controller to spur it into action.

These little LED bulbs were used for this purpose because they could be left switched on and hardly consume any energy. As LED technology has advanced, the amount of light that can be emitted has increased exponentially.

This now means that LEDs can be used within conventional bulb shapes, using bayonet fittings or the Edison screw type fitting, to replace the incandescent bulbs which are being phased out by the European and United States Governments.

Incandescent bulbs are being phased out because nearly 90% of the energy used when switching on an incandescent light bulb is converted into unwanted heat. This is because in order to create light a incandescent bulb has within it a fine length of metal or wire, called a filament, which is heated up by electricity until it is white hot thus creating, as almost a side effect, light.

Given that 19% of the world’s energy is used to produce light any improvement in efficiencies could have a significant effect on reducing the amount of fossil fuels we continue to burn – no wonder Governments around the world are showing such an interest in the efficiency of the lights we use.

LEDs on the other hand by using semi conductive material, which has been doped, (had impurities added to it) to create a flow of electrons in such a way so as to produce photons (light). This means that nearly all the energy consumed is being used to create light and not heat thus making the significant savings in energy consumption compared to incandescent bulbs, in some cases as high as 90%.

LEDs also have the advantage that they have a much longer life span than incandescent bulbs which typically last just over 1,000 hours compared to LEDs which last anywhere from 25,000 hours to 50,000 hours.

LED bulbs or LED lamps, as some people refer to them are now available for most of the light fittings that you would find in a typical UK home.

Many people start with replacing their Halogen GU10 bulbs with LED GU 10 bulbs and then, realising the potential savings they can make with LED lights, start to replace the other lights they have with led lighting.

If reducing your electricity bill and carbon foot print wasn’t enough LEDs offer the further advantage of being available in different colours as well as warm whites for those romantic relaxing parts of your home and bright brilliant whites for the more task orientated areas.

If you would like further advice on, or wish to purchase, LED lighting, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484 or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to LED Bulbs UK

Lumens? – Watts the difference?

barry — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:07:15 +0000

Watts are out and Lumens are in!

Why?

Ever since bulbs became mainstream everybody has referred to bulbs by their wattage rating.

For example they would go along to their local store, before the days of armchair internet ordering, and buy a 40 Watt bulb, a 60 Watt bulb or 100 Watt bulb. The 100 Watt bulb, as we all know, would be brighter than the 60 Watt bulb and the 60 Watt bulb would be brighter than the 40 Watt bulb.

This was because the more energy you put through an incandescent bulb’s filament the brighter the light you achieved. Most of the energy consumed and paid for by you however, was converted to heat rather than light.

With new technology in lighting and especially with the introduction of LED Bulbs this coarse way of measuring light has been turned on it’s head. A LED bulb (LED stands for Light Emitting Diode) can produce as much light as an incandescent bulb consuming up to ten times more energy.

For example a 6 Watt LED bulb could provide as much light as a 60 Watt incandescent bulb, so buying a 60 Watt light bulb, has now become a little more confusing.

What you want is to buy a bulb with the same brightness as your existing incandescent bulbs – so how can you compare?

Enter the word Lumens!

Lumens are a measure of brightness that for years have enabled lighting engineers to design lights and fittings for all sorts of commercial and industrial applications. They define how bright a light source is and from this the lighting design engineers can establish what fittings and bulbs to fit into different settings, dependant on the task or activities, that the space is being designed for. (ie to ensure that correct brightness of the light is available for the activity which is being planned to be carried out in that particular space)

So given that technologies like LED bulbs produce the same amount of light whilst consuming up to 90% less energy, what you will be looking for is a bulb producing a set amount of light with the least possible energy consumption.

Regulations in the EU and the USA are set to change such that packaging will now provide you with the information, including lumen output, to make a more informed decision about which bulb to choose.

The UK’s Lighting Association estimates the output of incandescent bulbs to be the following;-

25 Watt = 200 Lumens

40 Watt = 400 Lumens

60 Watt = 660 Lumens

75 Watt = 900 Lumens

100 watt = 1190 Lumens

We have found however that many consumers are more than happy to replace their 100 Watt bulb with a LED bulb that emits a lower lumen level than the 1190 Lumens quoted by the Lighting Association.

This is caused by a number of factors such as the colour of the light emitted from a LED bulb (often referred to as Colour Temperature) and Colour Rendering (the ability of the light emitted to reproduce the true colour of the object it is illuminating).

If you would like further advice on LED lighting or other energy efficient measures, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to LED Bulbs UK

RSPB announces wind turbine plan to reduce its carbon footprint

barry — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:31:07 +0000

The RSPB is today unveiling plans to build a wind turbine at its UK headquarters in Sandy, Bedfordshire.

The RSPB believes that renewable energy is an essential tool in the fight against climate change, which poses the single biggest threat to the long term survival of birds and wildlife.

In addition to campaigning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the RSPB is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint by generating its energy needs from renewable sources wherever possible.

The proposal will be a significant step for the wildlife charity, which is joining forces with green energy company, Ecotricity.

The RSPB and Ecotricity will shortly be submitting a planning application for a meteorological mast to be erected close to the charity’s head offices at The Lodge nature reserve near Sandy in Bedfordshire. This is the first step in determining if this site is suitable for a wind turbine.

If the site is found to be suitable, the proposed wind turbine will be erected, at the earliest, in autumn 2013 and will measure 100m at its highest point. It will generate around two thirds of the RSPB’s electricity needs across all of its UK operations. (See note 2)

Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director said: “We are keen to promote the use of wind energy where it does not result in unacceptable impacts to wildlife and we are confident that this is a suitable location to do so.

“All of us have a part to play in helping to meet the UK Government’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, and this turbine will be one more step along the way.

“We need a revolution in the way we generate and use energy – but we want that revolution to take place in harmony with the natural environment.

“We know that with the right design and location wind turbines have little or no impact on wildlife. The RSPB has commented on over 1,500 wind farm applications. In the small number of cases – around six per cent – where we feel there is likely to be a significant impact on wildlife we have lodged an objection. In many of these cases the developers have listened and redesigned their plans to make sure they do not threaten wildlife.

“We hope that by siting a wind turbine at our UK headquarters, we will demonstrate to others that with a thorough environmental assessment and the right planning and design, renewable energy and a healthy, thriving environment can go hand in hand.”

Dale Vince, Founder of Ecotricity, said: “Ecotricity’s mission is to change where Britain’s energy comes from because this is our biggest single source of the carbon emissions that cause climate change.

“It’s essential that wind energy projects provide their vital environmental benefits with the minimum environmental impact. To ensure this, we conduct detailed studies on up to 27 different areas of potential impact such as health and safety, cultural heritage and wildlife. Our aim is to ensure that any wind project we build will be a good neighbour, for people and for wildlife, for the entire lifetime of operation.

“So far our studies show The Lodge site is suitable for a wind turbine and would make a significant contribution in reducing the RSPB’s carbon emissions and energy costs.

“Ecotricity is a British company which started 16 years ago as the world’s first green energy company and we don’t pay dividends to shareholders, instead we use our profits to build new sources of green energy.”

How you can help

You can do your bit to help stop climate chaos. Together we can make a difference.

If you would like independent advice on the viability of a wind turbine or other renewable technologies, then contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to the RSPB

Nine out of 10 people want more renewable energy

barry — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:46:35 +0000

Almost nine in 10 people want to see the government ramp up the UK’s use of clean domestic energy and reduce the country’s reliance on imported gas, a new YouGov poll reveals.

Just under two-thirds of the 2,884 people questioned on behalf of campaign group Friends of the Earth listed wind, wave, solar or tidal as power sources they wanted to see playing a greater role in the UK’s electricity mix over the next decade, while just 2% backed an increase in gas capacity.

The survey is the latest to signal strong public backing for renewable energy, following Sunday’s YouGov poll for Scottish Renewables that found 71% of Scots supported wind power, and a separate Ipsos MORI survey last week that reported 67% of respondents were in favour of using more wind power.

Currently, only 9.5% of UK electricity comes from renewable energy sources. Friends of the Earth is concerned the government is encouraging a new “dash for gas” by exempting gas-fired power plants from emissions restructions that will effectively ban new coal power stations.

The wind energy sector is also facing an increasingly vocal campaign against new wind farms, while concerns are mounting that renewable energy investments are being put on hold as a result of investor concerns over the degree of political backing for clean energy.

Today Friends of the Earth is using St George’s Day to launch a new Clean British Energy campaign that calls on theprime minister to use his speech at the Clean Energy Ministerial on Thursday to demonstrate his backing for low-carbon energy.

The group claims that increasing the UK’s reliance on domestic renewable sources would not only help decarbonise the energy sector, but would also enhance energy security and create new green jobs. Government figures show just under £4bn of investment in renewables over the last year yielded nearly 14,000 new jobs.

“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,” said Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth’s director of policy and campaigns. “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.

“David Cameron must back Britain by using his speech to kickstart a switch to clean British energy. It’s time to wave goodbye to costly fossil fuels and develop affordable power for the future.”

Thanks to The Guardian

An early warning on the Green Deal!

barry — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:26:10 +0000

B&Q staff are to be allowed to enter homes, decide how to make them more energy efficient and then sell their own green products to householders, under a new Government scheme.

The DIY giant is one of a number of businesses set to reap multi-million profits from the new Green Deal, which will see homeowners borrow up to £10,000 to fit boilers, insulation, double-glazing, doors and other eco-friendly features.

However, there will be fears that private sector energy assessors employed by B&Q and other firms may exaggerate the measures needed in the property to maximise their profits.

These green assessors are also under no obligation to offer homeowners any products other than those sold by their company.

Although the Green Deal is set to be launched in October, The Sunday Telegraph has today revealed that opposition is growing amongst Tory ministers.

B&Q is in the vanguard of the companies expected to profit from the initiative as the company has already forged strong links with the Coalition.

Last week, Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, announced that the DIY firm had been recruited to run a pilot where B&Q cleared homeowners lofts before installing insulation. Unwanted items were then taken to the charity shops by the B&Q workers.

Ministers also picked the DIY giant to run a trial of the scheme in south west London last year which saw 70 homes fitted with insulation, draught-proofing, boiler upgrades and solar panels.

The Green Deal has the potential to be very lucrative for the retailer. B&Q sells an array of solar panels, with some costing nearly £5,000. Some of its radiators cost as much as £1,000, with boilers priced at around £600.

Homeowners will also be able to buy double-glazed doors and windows, which could easily cost several thousand pounds.

One senior energy industry source said: “There will be strict rules about the initial assessment – what the energy assessors can say needs to be done to the property to make it more energy efficient. But what will be less-regulated is the sales process that will follow.

“The Government feels that existing consumer protection laws will be able to ensure consumers are given a fair deal. We will not know for sure whether consumers are getting a fair deal until the scheme has been up and running for some time.”

To pay for these eco-friendly upgrades the Green Deal will allow homeowners to borrow up to £10,000. This will effectively create a second-mortgage, which will pass to the next owner if the property is sold.

The Government hopes that outlay on green upgrades will save the homeowner money in the long-run by reducing their energy consumption and thereby cutting their heating bills.

However, there is no guarantee that the improvements will leave the household better off.

are offered a good deal that is easy to understand by a company that they can trust, they are likely to remain sceptical about its value.

“Some homeowners are also worried about the potential impact on the future saleability of their properties, or do not like the idea of incurring a debt.”

The Department for Energy and Climate Change maintains that the Green Deal is vital to help the UK meet its commitment to slash carbon emissions under the Kyoto Treaty.

The government hopes as many as possible of Britain’s 26 million homes will be fitted with insulation, new boilers and other energy efficient measures under the scheme, which is set to launch in October.

Consumer Focus, the statutory consumer organisation, said: “It is essential that the government requires Green Deal providers to set out their offers, including the costs and potential savings, in a clear, comparable format.

“As the proposals stand, consumers risk being confused by offers for Green Deal plans that present costs and savings in different formats, have different ways of handling unexpected costs and different use of small print.

“Obviously, consumers are interested in potential energy savings, but they are also interested in comfort and are aware of rising energy prices.”

The Government is poised to decide in the coming weeks which other companies will be allowed to deploy energy assessors under the scheme.

While B&Q is considered a certain to participate, others companies expected to participate include British Gas, Homebase, Wickes and EDF Energy.

Conservative ministers have grown increasingly sceptical of the plan in recent months and have tried to claim that policy was the brainchild of Chris Huhne, the Energy secretary who recently left the Cabinet. A growing number of Tories within the government are keen for the entire scheme to be scrapped.

Barry Nutley, Partner at Viridis Energie Consultants, warned – “It won’t just be B&Q. Many other companies will be able to offer the Green Deal, and send their “assessors” to your home, “free of charge”. Ultimately, their aimis to sell you products. This could lead to some less than scrupulous sales tactics, similar to those we started to experience in the solar PV market?”

If you would like totally independent advice on energy efficiency measures, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to the Telegraph

Not all solar panels are the same?!

barry — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:10:34 +0000

“Not all solar panels are the same” may sound obvious? But, research suggests that most consumers don’t realise that there can be some significant differences between solar panels, and what the financial impacts could be?

Solar panels come in all shapes and sizes – 180wp, 200wp, 250wp etc etc, and many other sizes… Most people would realise that each one of these panels, potentially, gives a different output. But, unfortunately, most people don’t realise that there is, potentially, a different output (not to mention build quality) from two 240wp panels from different manufacturers?!

Now here’s the problem faced by consumers, and consider these -

1). MCS accredited installers are required to use SAP as their calculation tool, to provide financial analysis for their clients. Unfortunately, SAP doesn’t differentiate between panels, and treats one 240wp panel the same as another (not to mention the inverter combination, but that’s for another day?).

2). The wholesale price of solar panels can vary (on relatively small amounts) from 60p/watt to £1.30/watt.

3). There is an element of truth in the saying “you get what you pay for”, in the solar world. But, that’s not to say that you will get twice the output.

4). There are very few “household” names in the solar panel manufacturing world (and even if you have heard of them, that’s not a guarantee of high performance?). So, most consumers wouldn’t know a “budget” panel from “premium” panel? Only what a salesperson would tell them?!

Let’s take a “typical” 4kwp domestic installation as an example, and let’s assume that the price of all other equipment and labour is the same, and let’s look at a “budget” panel, and a “premium” panel (using the prices above).

As you can see, the difference in installation cost of the 2 could be as much as £2,800. This makes a huge difference and faced with that, the consumer is likely to opt for the cheaper option – bearing in mind that the SAP report tells them that they are going to earn to same money, both panels are MCS accredited, and both may well have similar warranties?

However, this doesn’t necessarily reflect the real scenario, and unfortunately, the average consumer wouldn’t know this, and may live to regret it in years to come???

Interestingly, not all installers specify panel type when quoting (they merely specify size)?? Similarly, if you’re installer changes the panel type at the last minute (usually for legitimate reasons?), ensure you are getting the same quality of panel?? As you can see, changing the panel type could net them an additional £2,800!!!!

Help is at hand though!! Here at Viridis, not only have we many years experience in the solar PV market, but also we have independent software that enables us to calculate the outputs of almost every panel currently on the market, in conjunction with almost every inverter on the market, all linked to localised solar irradiation. And this is, really, the only way you will know that what you’re getting is good value for money….

If you would like further information on this service, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484,or email info@viridisec.co.uk

Free Biomass Boilers::

barry — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:29:38 +0000

Would you like to reduce your heating bills by up to 50%, for no outlay?

Well, for non domestic properties it is now possible, thanks to the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)…

Viridis have teamed up with a National supplier, and are in a position to offer free biomass boiler installations for suitable buildings.

Ideally, you will have an annual heat demand in excess of 200,000 kwh – schools, hotels, leisure centres, commercial premises etc.

If you are interested to find out more, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

Alternatively, if you wish to fund an installation yourself, then we can help too..