To help cut escalating fuel bills, a prestigious golf club has undergone an energy efficiency overhaul, including the installation of a solar photovoltaic panel system.

While most golf clubs are heavily steeped in tradition, Coventry Golf Club has managed to combine old fashioned values with a very modern approach to energy efficiency, which has seen the club turn to renewable energy technology to help achieve cuts to both its energy bills and its carbon footprint.

After undertaking a thorough audit of their energy consumption, a survey was carried out to identify which energy saving measures would be most appropriate for the club. Most notably, a 16 panel solar PV installation was chosen to help save on electricity costs, and so far the club has been able to achieve a 25% reduction in its electricity bills, which in turn has resulted in a saving of 5 tonnes of CO2.

Thanks to the Government’s feed-in tariff (Fit) scheme, over the course of just 12 months, the golf club has been able to generate £1,500, with the system projected to generate in the region of £56,000 over the next 25 years.

The club has also invested in energy saving LED lighting and was advised of the energy saving benefits of using ‘A’ rated energy efficient appliances, as well as implementing certain behavioural changes to help reduce their energy bills even further.

“Understandably, in these economically challenging times, golf clubs nationwide are focusing on reducing costs across the board – Coventry Golf Club included,” explained course manager Phil Weaver.

“From our perspective the technology makes sound fiscal sense. Helping to save the planet while saving money is an absolute no-brainer,” he added.

Phase one of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme went live on Monday, inviting applications from the non-domestic sector interested in switching to renewable heating.

Under the Government’s flagship £865 million scheme, companies are eligible to install renewable energy technologies, such as heat pumps, solar thermal panels and biomass boilers, and get paid money for generating their own green heating and hot water.

Tariff levels and the amount of money paid will depend on the  the type of renewable heating technology installed, as well as the size of the system.

As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of wood pellets, CPL Distribution is pleased to see the phase one of the scheme finally go live, after a series of delays knocked industry confidence.

“There is no denying that the delays to the Renewable Heat Incentive’s launch knocked confidence among board-level decision makers and a large number of projects to install renewable systems have been stalled as a result,” commented Tim Minett, the firm’s chief executive.

“With the delays now behind us, this green light for the Renewable Heat Incentive will be a significant stepping stone in the UK’s transition towards a low-carbon economy.”

If you’re a business and you would like to know more about the scheme, give energy regulator Ofgem’s dedicated enquiries helpline a ring on 0845 200 2122 or visit www.ofgem.gov.uk.

The domestic side of the RHI will be launched next year.

A pioneering eco-village – a housing estate consisting of environmentally friendly properties located in the middle of nowhere – has failed to attract significant interest from private buyers, casting doubt over the commercial viability of greening Britain’s housing stock.

The eco-village, which is situated in Balvonie Braes, near Inverness, comprises 52 eco-friendly properties, of which 10 have been purchased under a co-ownership scheme and a further 10 have been occupied by housing association tenants. The remaining 32 properties have been put on the market for private sale.

Unfortunately, only four properties have sold since August, during which time the newly completed eco-village was put on display for public viewing, attracting thousands of people who were seemingly very keen on the idea of living in a purpose-built eco-home.

The properties built at Balvonie Braes offer several advantages, but perhaps none is more attractive to new buyers than energy efficiency. According to developers, some of the eco-homes can be heated for an entire year at a cost of £100 or less.

Energy efficiency is an important consideration for any prospective home buyer, not least because energy bills are expected to rise steadily over the next few years. Homeowners throughout Britain have employed various measures to control energy bills, which can be reduced by installing solar photovoltaic panels or cavity wall insulation. The homes at Balvonie Braes, however, include many environmentally friendly measures as standard.

So why are potential buyers looking elsewhere?

The issue might have little to do with energy efficiency and everything to do with price and location. Although situated close to the A9, the Balvonie Braes eco-village may be described as a little too remote for some buyers, whilst asking prices of around £300,000 for three-bed semi-detached properties is hardly representative of current market conditions.

Affordability and location are obviously more important to buyers than energy efficiency – and understandably so. The implications for developers and the local council, however, are potentially dire.

Highland councillor Roddy Balfour, who suggested the properties might not be as environmentally friendly as advertised, noted: “Exaggerated claims have been made about the design of the houses but the public have not wanted to buy any. Now we are stuck with these houses, which won’t sell”.

Whilst many seasoned political observers have watched on in dismay as the Liberal Democrats allowed their Tory masters free rein to implement austerity measures, it would appear that the recent decision to halve solar subsidies has lit the touchpaper of discontent.

In a move that is likely to rock the political fabric of the UK, members of the Liberal Democrat Party are reportedly planning to prepare for the possibility of a potential revolt. If a revolt fails to inspire councillors and MPs – or, as may seem more likely, fail to happen at all – the Lib Dems are thought to be willing to settle for a compromise: that the cut-off point for applications under the Feed-in Tariff system (FITs) be pushed back to April next year.

Published by the Guardian online news service, a leaked briefing document is said to highlight the extent to which the Lib Dems have been upset by the Conservative Party’s decision to slash the rate paid under FITs from 43.4p per kilowatt hour to just 21p.

Written by Liberal Democrat sources in the Local Government Association, the leaked document reads: “To do it [slash solar subsidies] at such short notice isn’t good governance and [it is] bad for business planning. Changes were expected next year, not to be imposed with a month’s notice. We want the cut-off point to be extended to the end of the financial year, as originally promised”.

Although failing to propose a revolt in explicit terms, the authors of the document clearly want action to be taken to protect the UK’s solar industry. The document continued: “We fought the last general election on getting more green jobs. The Feed-in Tariff was helping to grow a new industry and get more people into work. We don’t want to see this put at risk”.

The Government’s decision to slash the rate paid under FITs for electricity generated by solar PV installations is expected to severely weaken, if not completely kill off, the UK’s domestic solar industry. Reducing solar subsidies was deemed necessary to sustain a growing industry, but to halve solar subsidies at such short notice is deemed reckless and short-sighted by many. Whether the Lib Dems’ discontent prompts change remains to be seen.

The largest business group in the UK has voiced its concern over the Government’s decision to halve solar power subsidies available to households and businesses.

CBI claimed the 50 per cent reduction in feed-in tariffs would likely create uncertainty in an economy that is already struggling to escape another recession.

Jonathan Cridland, the Director General of CBI, said: “Moving the goal posts doesn’t just destroy projects and jobs, it creates a mood of uncertainty that puts off investors – and they wonder what’s coming next. Some companies have invested heavily in solar photovoltaic systems and in the supply chains needed to install them”.

Mr Cridland added: “That commitment has been undermined by the feed-in tariff decision and so industry trust and confidence in the Government has evaporated. This bodes poorly for investment in future initiatives”.

In plain terms, reduced investment means increased risk of recession; without the investment necessary to sustain economic growth, the UK is unlikely to recover in the near future. Austerity measures may be required to curtail spending and manage the public deficit, but if investment opportunities are lost the economic crisis will almost certainly deepen.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has adopted a different position on the subject. A spokesperson for the DECC said: “We appreciate this will be difficult for companies affected, but what we want is an enduring future for the industry.

“If we left things as they are, the feed-in tariff budget would be eaten up entirely, full stop – and that would be even worse for employees in this sector and those working on other technologies too”.

The spokesperson added: “We believe solar photovoltaic can have a strong and vibrant future in [the] UK and we are proposing changes to ensure a lasting feed-in tariffs scheme to support that future”.

When the feed-in tariff changes take effect next month, the implementation of domestic solar PV will remain an attractive option for households, albeit not as profitable as it has been for the past couple of years. Rather than receiving 43p per kilowatt-hour of solar electricity exported to the grid, households will earn just 21p per kilowatt-hour, extending the cost of the average solar installation by five or ten years.

Details of the cuts affecting feed-in tariffs (FITs) have been published online by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) – only to be removed almost immediately.

The leaked information has come as a shock to homeowners and solar PV installation firms. According to the EST, the UK Government will slash the rate of the feed-in tariff from 43.3p per kilowatt hour to just 21p – a drop of more than 50 per cent and one that is rumoured to fall further to 20p per kilowatt hour.

The rate paid under FITs for solar electricity is obviously very important to homeowners. If a typical solar panel installation costs £10,000, homeowners can expect to recover this amount in approximately 10 years if savings work out at a steady £1,000 per annum. The rate paid to homeowners under FITs is secure for 25 years, so households would expect to make a handsome profit in the following 15 years – up to £15,000 in fact.

If the cuts published by the EST are accurate, homeowners would not be able to repay a typical solar installation (from solar savings alone) until the 18th year, leaving just 7 years for a return to be made. A return that would be less than £4,000. Few homeowners are likely to consider a £4,000 return over 25 years worthwhile.

A spokesperson for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) stressed the EST’s publishing of the report was a mistake that ought to be ignored. The spokesperson said: “We’ll be publishing a full consultation on changes to the solar PV tariff changes in parliament on Monday. The Energy Saving Trust inadvertently published a draft of documentation on its website that was neither final nor accurate”.

Chair of the Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network, Professor Stephen Frankel, was upset by the news, claiming that the reduction would harm local initiatives. Professor Frankel said: “This fund is available for local projects, as decided democratically by local people. We are now told that the FIT is to be curtailed drastically. If that is true, our efforts to act upon government advice and encouragement will have been for naught”.

Homeowners have until the 8th December 2011 to have new solar panels installed that qualify for the current rate of FITs.

Under the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) scheme, funding for social landlords to install renewable heating technologies has been increased to £4 million.

The announcement was made at yesterday’s Solar Power UK 2011 conference in Birmingham, with Greg Barker, the Minister for Energy and Climate Change confirming that funding set aside for social housing has been increased by 33%.

In August, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) launched the RHPP, the first phase of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme. An initial pot of £3 million was made available, and housing associations and local authorities were invited to bid for up to £175,000 to help off set the installation costs of renewable heating equipment.

According to the energy minister, 34 projects had made successful applications, but he added that overall interest in the scheme had been somewhat disappointing.

“Take up under the RHPP is marginally slower than expected, particularly for solar thermal, and I would urge you all to embrace this scheme which is due to finish at the end of March next year,” he said.

Technologies eligible under the RHPP range from air source heat pumps and biomass boilers, to ground source heat pumps and solar water heating.

Today sees the start of the Energy Saving Trust’s Energy Saving Week, which highlights how you can take back control of your bills by implementing a variety of energy saving measures.

A unique annual event, “Take back control of your energy bills” will give homeowners the opportunity to learn how to become more energy efficient, from making their home better insulated to installing renewable energy technologies.

The Energy Saving Trust’s 15th annual Energy Saving Week will show homeowners how they can make a difference when it comes to saving energy and reducing household bills.

With the average home capable of saving up to £280 a year by being energy efficient, this week the Energy Saving Trust will be turning up the heat on saving energy, offering energy saving tips and impartial advice on everything from energy saving measures to available grants.

For example, energy saving light bulbs can last up to ten times longer than ordinary bulbs, and could save you around £30 a year if you were to fit them to all the lights in your house. That works out at around £480 over the lifetime of all of the bulbs.

It’s also worth considering replacing your central heating boiler with a new energy efficient one, particularly if your boiler is more than 15 years old. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that around £886 million a year would be saved if all homes with gas or a G-rated boiler were to fit a condensing boiler.

Insulation is also pivotal to energy saving, whether it’s insulating your hot water tank, getting cavity wall insulation or fitting loft insulation. In the latter case, it’s a well known fact that something like 15% of what you’re paying for your heating could be escaping through your roof if it isn’t insulated. Which could save you around £175 a year off your heating bills. But you need to make sure that your loft is insulated to the recommended 270mm.

If you’re a homeowner and you would like to know more about the Energy Saving Week, give the Energy Saving Trust a call on 0800 512 012 to speak to a dedicated advisor.

A project set up to provide thousands of social tenants with solar PV panels is under threat after the Government announced a comprehensive review of feed-in tariff subsidies.

The social enterprise behind the initiative, Empower Community, fears the UK Government – the ‘greenest ever’ to take office according to Prime Minister David Cameron – will slash subsidies that had been earmarked for some 22,000 social tenants in Lincolnshire, Wales, East Anglia and Yorkshire.

Managing partner of Empower Community, Alex Grayson, said: “I was gobsmacked when I heard [the news that the Government would likely slash funding]. The policy is being cut off at the knees”

Despite rumours to the contrary, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has insisted that no policy change has been made as yet. A spokesperson for the department said: “We’ve made it clear that tariffs will remain unchanged until April 2012 unless the review indicates the need for greater urgency”.

DECC’s official line is unlikely to inspire confidence among social tenants who expected to reap the benefits of solar installations. Rumours circulating at present suggest the Government’s review will find the need for greater urgency, with cuts of up to 75 per cent expected to be introduced by January. Unfortunately, the anticipated cuts to feed-in tariff subsidies mean that many solar PV projects will not go ahead, including Empower Community’s pioneering plan to bring solar power to the masses.

Until recently, solar power has been the preserve of the wealthy in Britain. Social tenants are typically unable to afford solar panel installations and cannot, therefore, avail of the feed-in tariff subsidies. The feed-in tariff scheme (FITs) ensures that a set payment is made for solar energy exported to the National Grid. Under the scheme, households can currently expect to make a profit on solar panel installations over the 25 year period pertaining to FITs, but the cost of installing solar panels remains high.

If the Government does cut subsidies by up to 75 per cent, however, many solar PV projects will become unaffordable, meaning that thousands of social tenants, unable to pay for solar panel installations, will be unable to enjoy the benefits of using solar energy, which can slash annual electricity bills by up to £250.

If you’re a builder, renovator or simply someone interested in making your home greener and more energy efficient, then the Big Green Home Show is going to be right up your street.

A one stop shop for eco and sustainable help and advice for the thousands who visit, the Big Green Home Show 2011 is held annually at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre in Swindon.

Catering for all your eco-friendly needs, the three-day exhibition plays host to a wide range of industry experts who can help you find ways to reduce your energy needs. Offering impartial and comprehensive advice, the Big Green Home Show is dedicated to people keen to reap the benefits of a more eco-friendly and sustainable home.

The best and brightest experts in the renewable energy industry will be in attendance. From the Renewable Heat Incentive and the Feed-in Tariff, to solar PV systems and ground source heat pumps, industry experts will be on hand to deliver a packed schedule of seminars, lectures and presentations to held guide you through the maze of eco options available. There’s even a walking tour – undoubtedly one of the most unique elements of the exhibition – which is designed to give visitors an in-depth understanding of the sustainable building and eco technology options currently available.

“You will find free expert advice and guidance on the essential eco elements along with a wealth of seminars, products, new technology, systems and services, all on hand and designed to help you achieve an energy efficient and more sustainable home,” explains Verdi Taylor, from the National Self Build & Renovation Centre.

“It’s the UK’s brightest eco exhibition, and could help you save pounds as well as the planet.”

Now in its fourth year, the Big Green Home Show exhibition will take place at Swindon’s National Self Build & Renovation Centre from 28 – 30 October, 2011.

For more information, or to obtain free tickets, visit www.biggreenhomeshow.co.uk