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.

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.

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.

According to figures released recently by energy regulator Ofgem a record number of households have taken advantage of the new Feed in tariff and had solar panels installed this month, according to energy regulator Ofgem. So far during August 2,257 homes have installed systems, up from 1,700 in July and 1,400 in June.

Farmers in Dorset are hoping to cash-in on a new type of crop; money from the sun. The feed in tariffs announced earlier this year guarantee a payment for 25 years for Solar PV panels of up to 41.3p for every kWh produced, and another 3p for electricity fed back to the grid which could harvest £1,500 an acre for the Solar farms.

New Feed in Tariff Rates from April 2010 to March 2012 came into force from 1st April 2010 which offer payments not only for electricity you feed back into the grid, but you also get paid for the energy you use, and it's tax free!Add to this the money you'll save on ever-increasing electricity bills and you could be in for saving a tidy sum, as well as the planet.