Green Britain

When we think of hydro-power, we most often imagine the huge power stations sited in places like Wales and Scotland.

Despite government commitment to helping homeowners to achieve reduced levels of energy consumption, the installation of a wind turbine still requires planning permission in most cases.

If you would like to have solar panels installed on your home, you will need to make sure that the installer has been correctly certified to carry out the work.

A recent investigation by Which? has discovered that many insulation installers are unable to give good advice to homeowners about whether their homes are suitable for wall cavity insulation.

Any homeowner or business owner who would like to make money from their property could do so by investing in solar panels and taking advantage of the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT).

Wind turbine installation company "Maden Design and Build"is enjoying rapid expansion thanks to the surge of interest in renewable energy generation thanks to the Feed In Tariffs.

A survey published this week reveals that over eighty per cent of farmers in the UK would like to take advantage of the feed-in tariffs by installing Solar PV panels on roofs of agricultural buildings and structures within the next three years.

British Gas is putting up its energy prices by 7% in December for 8 million customers, and Scottish and Southern and EDF have already increased their prices.

It's claimed that millions of UK householders are struggling needlessly to stay warm this winter despite help being offered by local government and energy companies in the form of insulation grants and reduced energy tariffs.

Up until the late forties when the electricity grid was upgraded to a national system and started to reach outlying rural areas, watermills were commonplace in many villages and towns across the UK where the giant water wheels generated electricity for the local population.

UK micro wind turbine manufacturer Quietrevolution have secured orders in Germany for their innovative turbines designed specifically for operating in densely populated urban areas either on roof-tops or as a stand-alone installation.

Energy regulator Ofgem announced that the first few months of the introduction of the new feed in tariffs has seen an unprecedented uptake of over eleven thousand generators producing 44MW capacity, enough to power 35,000 homes.

Worthy Farm, famous for the Glastonbury festival recently installed a huge 200kWp system on the roof of the 'Mootel'; the cattle shed that house the farms' cows during the festival and farmers from across the UK are arriving in droves for their "Farming Futures workshop" to see what all the fuss is about.

Wrexham council has announced that it will take advantage of the government's feed in tariff by installing solar PV panels to 3,000 of its' council house stock, schools and other council buildings.

Solar Technology International, a solor photovoltaic panel manufacturer has announced the creation of 80 new jobs across the South West of England as it struggles to keep up with demand since the introduction of the Clean Energy Cash-Back Scheme or Feed-in tariff.

A Shropshire farmer is taking full advantage of the feed in tariff by installing an 80kW wind turbine and now is setting up a consultancy to help other farmers do the same.

Cornwall council has approved a project likely to cost some £14m to create a solar PV farm close to Newquay airport. Councillors say the scheme would pay for itself in ten years and for th following fifteen years generate an annual income of £1.5 - £1.9m.

A school in West Cornwall has taken advantage of the renewable energy feed-in tariff by fitting a 4kWp solar PV system which is estimated to generate approximately 4000kWh per year, which will generate an income of £1,600 and save £400 on energy bills.

250,000 new jobs will be created in green industries according to Chris Huhne , energy secretary who said at the Liberal Democrat conference that a "green deal" would lead to workers being employed to insulate 26 million homes in a bid to be the "greenest government ever".

An estate of flats in Aberystwyth are set to have their heating bills cut by up to 40% with the addition of new external wall insulation in a bid to make them more energy efficient.