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Reducing the Costs of your Working Life Whilst Going Green
Many people attempt to go green in their home life; whether they try to recycle more or reduce the amount of food they waste, going green in the home is a popular lifestyle change to make. Although being more eco-friendly in the home is a huge step forward, for many people these practices are left as soon as they leave their humble abode. The truth is, going green and saving money go hand-in-hand, as you minimise waste you reduce outgoings as well as minimising your carbon footprint.
Although going to work provides you with your primary source of income it can also be a place of excessive expenditure and waste. If you find that your income isn’t as high as it should be it could be time to tighten your belt in your working life, as well as your home life.
Commuting
Commuting is arguably one of the most expensive aspects of working life. With petrol costs, car insurance and parking permits, getting to and from work can be more costly than you ever anticipated. Cars are also notorious for contributing to global warming and climate change due to their CO2 emissions.
Car sharing is one of the most effective methods of reducing your fuel costs and carbon footprint. Car share with colleagues who live nearby, alternate “designated driver” days so you have a fair rota and you should see a huge reduction in your fuel costs. In addition to the financial benefits, car sharing can also reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion due to fewer cars being on the road.
Green cars can also help to reduce fuel costs as renewable energy resources supplement the fuel tank, meaning fewer trips to the petrol station! Although electric cars aren’t the most popular type of automobile they are zero emission vehicles, making them very eco-friendly and definitely worth considering.
Eating
On-the-go lunches are another common culprit for eating up your weekday allowance. If you work in a built-up area or city centre you’re surrounded by convenience food options and eateries advertising cheap lunchtime deals. Although these can be a pleasant treat on occasion, dining out every day or even buying ready-made sandwiches can really take a bite out of your finances.
Preparing your lunch at home and taking it to work can really save you money, if you make something tasty you probably won’t want the greasy canteen food anyway! Try to use any spare meat or vegetables and incorporate them into a meal to take to work – that reduces your food waste and saves you money!
Before Leaving for Work
Another money eater is leaving electrical appliances plugged in and switched on throughout the day whilst the house is unoccupied. Not only is this severely wasteful, some appliances carry the risk of catching fire if left on and unattended. In particular, always unplug appliances which operate at a high temperature such as irons and hair straighteners.
7 Simple Tips to Reduce your Christmas Waste
Here at Solar Choice, we’re incredibly excited for Christmas and New Year! We’re always thinking of ways to reduce waste though, and the festive period is renowned for being a time of excessive waste. If you want to do your bit for the environment whilst taking part in the festive fun then here are 7 simple tips that can help you to reduce your levels of waste but not your fun!
1.Freeze your seasonal vegetable leftovers or turn them into a winter vegetable soup.
2. Recycle as much wrapping paper as possible, use minimal sticky tape as this makes the recycling process harder. You can even purchase recycled gift wrap if you’re worried about deforestation.
3. Turn off your Christmas lights as well as regular lights when you leave the room.
4. Car share with others who live nearby when attending a party to reduce carbon emissions (plus if you don’t have to drive you get to have a drink!)
5. Recycle your abundance of empty beer, wine and spirit bottles. The emptying of the bins may be disrupted over the festive period; bottles of alcohol may cause your regular bin to overflow so use the recycling one provided by your local council.
6. Layer up with those festive jumpers your grandparents insist on buying you, if they’re good for nothing else they’ll allow you to turn your thermostat down and save on energy bills!
7. Make a New Year’s resolution to be more eco-friendly in 2012. You could even start here at Solar Choice by investing in some solar panels.
Have a merry, green Christmas and a fantastic New Year from all the Solar Choice team!
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Advantages of Solar Energy
Solar panels are an incredibly popular renewable energy resource in the UK, as an increasing number of both homes and businesses reap the environmental and financial benefits solar power provides. The rise of energy bills and the increasing concern over the effects of global warming have caused a surge in popularity for renewable energy resources to be manufactured and improved. Nowadays, the advantages of solar energy being used to power the home are common knowledge and solar panels can be sighted on many buildings across the world.
Environmental Benefits
Solar energy efficiency is highly commended, as government initiatives encourage solar panels to be used for powering domestic and commercial premises.
Renewable energy resources, such as solar panels, rely on naturally occurring and renewable sources to obtain energy from as an alternative to fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are limited resources, they don’t naturally replenish and once their supply expires there will be no more. Solar panels however, use energy from the Sun, which is an infinite resource, to generate electricity. Using renewable energy resources such as sunlight, helps to minimise the use of fossil fuels and preserve them for longer.
Burning fossil fuels is incredibly harmful to the environment. As they burn they release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which is one of the main contributors towards global warming and climate change. Combustion isn’t required in order for sunlight to be used as an energy source, so it’s a clean way of powering homes and buildings. Buildings which have solar panels installed boast minimal carbon emissions and a low carbon footprint.
Financial Benefits
One of the other main advantages of solar energy is that solar panels are an attractive financial investment to both business and homeowners alike. The concept of generating free electricity to be used at will is hard to resist. Government initiatives such as the feed in tariff have made the advantages of solar energy even more apparent for business and homeowners.
The feed in tariff financially rewards home and business owner each time a kilowatt hour of energy is produced using the solar panels. A small addition is made for when electricity is produced and not used and is, therefore fed back into the national grid. The combination of free electricity and the feed in tariff mean that solar panels are an attractive concept for those willing to invest.
Solar panels’ financial and environmental benefits have made solar energy a widely used resource of power. Solar cells have evolved tremendously from their most famous appearance at the top of a calculator. Their advantages have been recognised worldwide and are now even used as a supplement for fuel in hybrid cars.
Solar Panel Facts
Solar panels have become increasingly popular over the past decade as government initiatives have emerged to encourage a reduction in carbon emissions, which are contributing significantly to global warming. As solar panels have become a more popular topic of conversation, it’s become harder to distinguish between solar panel facts and solar panel rumours.
Solar Panels Only Work when it’s Sunny
FALSE. This is one of the most questioned solar panel facts, as myths continually circulate claiming that solar panels are inoperable on a cloudy day. This is simply not true as solar panels have the ability to generate electricity as long as some daylight’s present. Solar panels however, do perform more effectively on sunnier days but they still have the ability to generate electricity in foggy conditions, with some homeowners even reporting slight activity during sunset.
Solar Panels are a Substitute for Conventional Energy Methods
FALSE. Solar panels can’t be used as a home’s only source of electricity due to their dependency on sunlight. Generally, the home is still connected to the National Grid, which supplements the solar panels when extra power is required. This is one of the main perks of solar panel installation, as your home’s reliance on the national grid is minimised, thus reducing your energy bills.
The Electricity I Generate from my Solar Panels will be Free
TRUE. Any electricity generated through solar PV panels is completely power for your home! The Sun is an infinite, free energy resource and a clean method of powering the home. The government encourages the use of renewable energy resources and sustainable homes so the feed-in tariff rewards homeowners for generating electricity using renewable methods.
Solar Panels Ruin the Appearance of my Home
FALSE. Although this is personal opinion based rather than fact, solar panels are designed to mimic the appearance of skylights. In addition to their sleek design, they can also add value to your home as sustainable homes are more sought after. The installation process is typically rather smooth, with little disruption to the rest of your home.
Solar Panels Require Minimal Maintenance
TRUE. Solar panels don’t generally require maintenance as they don’t have any moving parts or mechanisms which could break. Solar Choice do offer a warranty scheme though, immediately following installation, for peace of mind.
Solar panels are a highly recommended renewable energy source for homes and businesses alike. With their ability to drastically reduce energy bills whilst helping the environment, they’re a home improvement option definitely worth considering. If you’re undecided on whether to opt for solar panels, contact Solar Choice who can help you to decide whether solar panels are for you.
What Are Solar Panels?
Solar panels are a renewable energy resource which can be used to produce electricity for use within commercial and residential buildings. Solar panels consist of a collection of connected photovoltaic cells which convert Sunlight into electricity. When multiple solar panels are connected they can provide enough electricity to power buildings (one single solar panel isn’t a sufficient power source for modern day requirements).
Solar PV panels have become incredibly popular due to their environmental and financial benefits for home and business owners alike. Government incentives have made solar panels a feasible prospect for many homeowners and offer an excellent ROI. So what are solar panels and how do they work?
How Do Solar panels Work?
The photovoltaic cells, which solar panels consist of, use the Sun’s rays to generate electricity though the photovoltaic effect. The stronger the Sunlight, the more electricity the cells generate. The collection of multiple solar panels provides enough electricity to power a building.
Solar panels are supplemented by the national grid, when Sunlight is minimal the building then uses energy from the national grid and when excess energy is produced by the panels it’s fed back into the national grid.
What are Solar Panels Good For?
The financial benefits of solar panels are one of the main reasons they’re so attractive to home and business owners.
The Feed in Tariff is used to reward owners of solar panels for producing clean, renewable energy. For every Kilowatt hour of energy produced the owner is rewarded a set amount (depending on the Feed in Tariff at the time of installation). Currently, a reward of 43.3 pence per Kilowatt hour of energy produced and used. The owner’s also rewarded for energy they produce but do not use and is pumped back into the national grid, this rate currently stands at aproximately 46.4 pence per Kilowatt hour. In addition to the Feed in Tariff, the owner produces free electricity which means they will see a drastic reduction in energy bills.
There are also incredible environmental benefits from having solar panels. They produce energy from a renewable resource as opposed to fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels has significantly contributed to climate change and global warming, due to them damaging the o-zone layer. Solar panels use a completely clean energy resource and therefore, significantly reduce the building’s carbon footprint on which they’re installed. As part of the government’s plans for a greener Britain they introduced the Feed in Tariff to make solar panels are more attractive prospect for homeowners and businesses to invest in.
Solar panels have dramatically increased in popularity over the years and are now an option many home and business owners should consider. Aside from their environmental benefits, they’re a sleeping asset and source of free electricity – two aspects which are hard to refuse.
Solar Panels for Schools
Solar energy is widely recognised as one of the most cost effective and popular sources of renewable energy available to us. Installing highly efficient solar panels onto a building has proved to be an effective way of reducing the occupant’s carbon footprint significantly, whilst at the same time giving them an opportunity to reap the financial benefits of producing their own energy. Once installed, solar panels can comfortably endure more than 25 years of general wear and harsh weather. We are all responsible for the reduction of our carbon footprint, using electrical appliances and lighting comes with more than a financial price, and in light of this we seek to use a cleaner energy means to power our homes. Installing panels on family homes is a great way of reducing out individual carbon footprints, but when working with schools there are many benefits that may not immediately come to mind.
Financially Beneficial
It’s fair to say that schools are often very large and busy structures that require a large supply of electrical energy for the majority of the day. The amount of electricity used is without a doubt a very costly necessity, and introducing solar power to these buildings can be financially beneficial in a number of ways. As schools generally have a large surface area atop the buildings, a larger quantity of solar panels can be installed, harnessing a larger amount of the sun’s rays. If the school was to harness more electricity than it used, it could supply the remaining units of power back to the national grid and receive an appropriate payment. In theory, solar panels for schools can not only help to reduce energy consumption, it can account for the amount of energy needed and still have more in reserve.
Educational Values
Aside from the financial benefits of having a solar panels installed on schoolhouse structures, there are many priceless benefits that apply to the function of schools. Renewable energy is a concept unfamiliar with many of the older generations, and after providing solar panels for schools we can set a great example to pupils, parents and relatives concerning the practicality and benefits of renewable solar energy. Children are at a perfect time in their life to adopt modern concepts and attitudes, by teaching the children about the purpose, and results of using renewable energy they are much more likely to accept and practice these methods later in life.
Environmental Benefits
The main purpose of renewable solar energy is to provide a clean, inexhaustible and environmentally friendly source of electricity to those who have the panels installed. Providing clean energy to sizable structures that use a larger amount of electricity will help to greatly reduce the occupant’s carbon footprint Taking on these projects regularly and providing more and more solar panels for schools may not only have a significant impact on the amount of money saved and clean energy used, but could also have an impact on the local residential areas. Schools often choose to involve parents and locals their recycling and eco awareness projects, the installation of solar panels can play a huge part in this and help to educate others on the benefits of using an alternative, clean energy.
For schools and local councils, renewable solar energy can bring a range of financial and practical benefits, many are immediate and economically valuable, and others are priceless. Demonstrations concerning eco awareness and the functionality of alternative energies can educate and enlighten students, giving us all hope for a brighter future.
Commercial Solar Power Projects
Solar power is not just being used in individual homes. It’s happening on a much larger scale too, right here in the UK.
Solar PV on the CIS Tower, Manchester
In 2005, the CIS Tower in Manchester became the largest solar project in the UK to date. 4898 photovoltaic solar panels adorn the side of what was, until the Beetham Tower’s completion, Manchester’s tallest building. These panels generate enough electricity annually to power 61 three bedroom houses for a year! This saves 100 tonnes of Co2 each year.
Solar PV at Solar House, Sunderland
The Solar Office was completed in the late 90s and from 2003 housed The Northern Rock. It is located on Doxford International Business park, Sunderland and contains 38000sq feet of office space. The building has won a number of awards, including the 1999 Euro Solar Award, the 1999 Design Council Millennium Project Award and the 2000 Energy Globe Award. It’s photovoltaic solar panels generate around 55000 kWh of solar electricity each year.
Solar Power in Eco-Towns
The Government has recently given 9 more areas the go ahead to develop what will be known as ‘eco-towns’. These developments must meet certain criteria to be given funding to become ‘eco-towns,’ including being made up of at least 5000 homes, 30% of which must be affordable to low income families and individuals. The development plans must also incorporate low carbon buildings and services. The eco-towns will make use of solar electricity and solar water heating to make the houses more environmentally friendly. The sites approved to become eco-towns include a location near Bradford, along the Shipley canal and another in West Sussex.
