Two schools could be used in the fight to reduce carbon emissions locally after plans proposing the installation of solar panels were put forward.
Wokingham Borough Council has suggested placing solar panels at The Forest School in Robin Hood Lane, Winnersh, and Waingels College in Chequers Way, Woodley.
The authority says school buildings are one of the council’s biggest sources of carbon emissions in the borough, with around 65 per cent of the emissions produced locally coming from schools.
Through its work with The Carbon Trust, the council has announced targets to reduce its carbon emissions by 15 per cent in 2015 and by 40 per cent in 2020.
It is also hoped installing solar panels at the school will go someway towards achieving its target of having 10 per cent of its energy being generated from renewable sources.
Number crunchers at the council have worked out the revenue made from the sale of energy created by the panels should see the investment used to purchase them returned within eight years.
Councillor Rob Stanton, who is executive member for children’s services at the borough council, said more schools in the borough could one day be powered by solar power.
The proposals for The Forest and Bulmershe have been submitted together as buying solar panels in bulk will allow the council to benefit from reduced purchased rates.
Cllr Stanton said: “Quite a lot of schools are looking at this.
“They are a good thing, it saves money and sets the right tone. It sends out a statement – a positive one – and I think it is a good idea.
“Providing the planners agree with the purposes of the application and are happy with it, and it is sensible, then it’s a good thing.”
The paperwork filed with The Forest application said the panels would benefit the environment and schoolchildren.
A planning statement for The Forest proposal said: “An additional benefit of the solar panels will be the possibility of using the system as a tool, not only for the pupils of the school, but also for the staff, visitors to the site and the local community.
“This will be achieved through the installation of a visual display unit, detailing energy produced and carbon emissions located within a prominent position within the building.”
People wishing to make comments on the application have until Friday, February 18, to submit their support or objections with the council.
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Solar panels to cut council's carbon emissions - News - getwokingham - The Wokingham Times
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Three solar energy parks for Sedgemoor? (From Bridgwater Mercury)
SEDGEMOOR could soon be home to three multi-million pound solar energy parks providing power for up to 5,400 homes.
Wessex Solar Energy has earmarked land in Whitnell, near Fiddington, Dunwear, and Durleigh for the developments.
The renewable energy firm says each 40 to 45-acre site, costing between £12million and £15million, could generate power for up to 1,800 homes.
Before any formal plans are submitted to Sedgemoor District Council a range of factors will be considered, including the local communities and environments, and cost.
Spokesman Paul Taylor said: “If the schemes are taken to planning and receive consent, they would generate more than £300,000 per annum in business rates for Sedgemoor District Council, as well provide jobs and or business opportunities for local firms during their construction.”
Each energy park would consist of thousands of horizontal rows of solar panels - larger versions of those found on modern calculators - mounted on steel frames.
There would also be several small buildings for electrical equipment and a new cable to export the electricity produced on site.
Mr Taylor said the developments would help meet renewable energy targets and a number of studies would take place to consider visual impact, ecology, traffic and infrastructure effects.
Wessex Solar Energy has notified local residents, councillors, and district planners, and will be holding various drop-in sessions in the coming weeks.
More Homes Suitable for Solar Panels Following British Gas and Panasonic Agreement
More Homes Suitable for Solar Panels Following British Gas and Panasonic Agreement
London, Feb 15, 2011 - (JCN Newswire) - More British homes will generate their own renewable electricity from solar panels and earn a yearly income of hundreds of pounds, following an agreement today between British Gas and Panasonic.Under the agreement, British Gas will now be able to offer Panasonic Group's HIT(R) Solar PV Panels to its customers. The Panasonic panels are some of the most efficient in the market and are smaller compared to standard panels. With higher
output per square meter, the Panasonic panels will make solar PV a more viable option for smaller homes with less roof space to generate their own electricity from solar power.By being more efficient, the Panasonic panels will also make smaller homes suitable for the British Gas "roof lease" scheme. Under the scheme, British Gas install solar panels at no upfront cost or on a dramatically reduced rate for private and social housing customers. Householders benefit from the free electricity from the solar panels with British Gas claiming the Feed-In Tariff - a scheme that pays owners of solar panels for the 'renewable' electricity they generate.
Households who own their own panels can be better off by around GBP 600 a year through a combination of cutting their electricity bills and earning money through the Feed-In Tariff. Those with bigger systems could benefit by up to GBP 1000.
Sainsbury’s and British Gas put solar panels in the weekly shop | Easier
Sainsbury's customers can now top up their weekly grocery shop with one-off purchases such as Solar Panels, to help them generate their own energy at home.
Sainsbury's Energy, in partnership with British Gas, will offer customers access to new energy technologies, energy deals, information, and energy saving advice in a place that's convenient for them with trained energy experts also available in selected stores.
This ground-breaking partnership sees two of Britain's leading companies working together to help British households get the right information about how they can produce and manage their energy now and in the years ahead.
Despite having some of the lowest energy prices in Western Europe, British homes have some of the highest bills because of a lack of energy efficiency measures, such as insulation, and because of low take-up of new energy technologies like solar panels and ground source heat source pumps.
Recent surveys have shown that 87% of British consumers don't know what microgeneration technologies are, and 80% don't know where to go to buy them.
Sainsbury's Energy aims to tackle these problems by providing easy access to energy products, information and advice.
Sainsbury's chief executive, Justin King, said: "Sainsbury's has a long history of helping customers save money without compromising on quality. With the launch of the new Sainsbury's Energy, we plan to continue with this heritage.
"Our ambition is for Sainsbury's Energy to become the number one destination for customers looking for new energy technologies, energy efficiency measures and great energy deals, so we can help them to reduce costs, while also reducing carbon emissions."
Phil Bentley, Managing Director of British Gas, said: "We know people are worried about rising energy costs, but higher prices don't have to mean higher bills. Energy efficiency and energy generation in the home are the keys to keeping bills down, but people need more help to take advantage of them. This is why British Gas is delighted to be back on the ‘high street' with Sainsbury's, making it easier for customers to get the products, information and advice they need."
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne said: "Being smart about energy use is a no brainer, it reduces bills and cuts carbon, so I am pleased Sainsbury's and British Gas are bringing energy efficiency and green power to the high street. This new partnership is the sort of collaboration we want to see under the Government's Green Deal to stimulate green growth and kick start a radical and urgent increase in home energy efficiency."
Sainsbury's Energy, in partnership with British Gas, is now available to customers in Sainsbury's stores across the UK, and online at sainsburysenergy.com.
To start with, Sainsbury's Energy customers will have access to the following:
Gas and electricity, with a great Nectar offer including 10,000 points in the first year
Competitively priced Insulation (including loft insulation, which can save the average household around £145 each year)
Solar Panels
Home Energy Assessments (tailored energy savings reports for customers based on their individual homes, energy usage and domestic appliances)
Specially-trained Sainsbury's Energy Experts will be available in selected stores and working in hundreds of stores across the country by the end of the year.
And, this year, a Sainsbury's Energy roadshow will tour Sainsbury's supermarkets up and down the country with a fully interactive energy display truck where customers can talk to experts and see new home energy generation technologies in action.
Alternative Energy News
Solar Powered Wheelchair Sets World Records
Haidar Taleb, a 47 year old man from UAE, displayed a rare combination of human spirit and willpower when he took up a 200-mile long journey on a wheel chair that he has built for himself which runs on solar power. Being a person with polio since the age of 4 has not stopped him from taking up this challenge on this wheelchair, a piece of technological innovation