Mr. McKenna said, “We received a terrific service from Eco-Environments, they helped point us in the direction of the best tariffs available to sell our surplus electricity, and the chaps that installed the panels were first class.”
“Our primary reasons for installing the solar roof was to cut our carbon footprint, though the financial benefits are improving all the time, the increased ROC payments, and Feed-in-Tariffs coming in soon will reduce the payback on our system dramatically.”
Over the years the McKenna’s have done a great deal to improve the energy efficiency of their home, from installing cavity wall and loft insulation, to installing solar thermal solar panels to provide hot water. For some time it had been their idea to further reduce their carbon footprint and to generate their own electricity. Having researched the costs and grants available they called a few companies to provide further advice and a quotation.
As one of those companies we went to visit the McKenna’s to discuss what exactly they wanted to achieve, undertake a site survey, and to talk about the best options for them. From our meeting they decided to engage our services to install a 1.89Kwp, nine panel system, using Sanyo panels, and an SMA inverter. It was important to them to use recognised market leading products.
The next stage was to review the grants and loans available to support them make this positive step for the environment. As MCS accredited installers Eco Environments can access the full range of government grants. We were able to assist the McKenna’s to get a £2,500 grant towards the installation through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme- Phase 1.
We also discussed with the McKenna’s the best energy supply company to sell back their surplus electricity to. When a solar PV system is generating more than the house is using, for example weekdays when the house is empty, the summer months, holidays etc, our grid connect systems automatically export the surplus to your electricity supply company, for which you get paid. When you are using more than you are generating you import the additional requirement. This is all done automatically, and a special export meter shows what you have imported and what you have exported.
The McKenna’s, being keen gardeners, are often outside and are stopped by passers by asking questions about the panels. At Eco Environments we provide our customers with a ‘Sunnydisplay’, a simple solar powered display which records and shows the electricity you are producing now and over the last month. They frequently bring this out to show interested neighbours and those that enquire. Although the inverter records total generation on an ongoing basis the ‘Sunnydisplay’ is a useful tool.
When we went back, a month after installation, to ensure they were happy with the installation Mr McKenna told us, “We have been pleasantly surprised with the amount of electricity we have generated over Christmas. Even with the short winter days we have been generating well most of the time, now we can’t wait for the summer.”
Mr McKenna
Information Updated on: 20 October 2011
