The Met Office has just reported that 2012 was the wettest year on record in England and the second wettest ever for the UK. We’ve had floods in many parts of the country and many acres of farmland are still under water which is likely to push up food prices. All the Big Six energy companies increased their prices by between 6% & 11% towards the end of 2012 which is more than double the rate of inflation.
In light of the dreadful weather experienced in 2012, it is interesting to analyse the performance of our solar panels in Wakefield. We have a ten panel, 2kWp system which was installed in the summer of 2011.
The following graph and table show the monthly generation against our predictions using the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). According to SAP, we should have generated 1676kWh of electricity and we finished the year with 1727kWh. The table shows the solar panels generating well above expectations in several months but the disappointing summer really dragged down the totals. Overall, we generated just over 3% more than predicted. The final quarter (October-December) saw generation figures 11% above forecasts.
Solar Installation Video
We are currently in the middle of another round of price hikes from the Big Six energy companies. SSE were the first to move with 9% increases on both gas and electricity. British Gas and NPower have just followed suit with above-inflation price rises which are most unwelcome just before winter. All the companies blame the wholesale cost of gas and declining North Sea reserves.
One solution to the problem of rising energy prices is to make use of free solar energy. We have produced the video below to show how simple it is to fit solar panels to the roof of a house. It only takes a day or two to complete such an installation and it will generate free solar power for decades. Installation costs have fallen dramatically in the past couple of years so it might be cheaper than you think.
Medoria Solar is a fully accredited installer of solar PV panels and serves customers in Leeds, Wakefield, Bradford and right across Yorkshire. We offer free advice, surveys and a no obligation quotation so we invite you to contact us to protect yourself against future rounds of energy price increases.
Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets Report
Today’s report from OFGEM saying that the UK is ”at risk of electricity blackouts by 2015” should be a wake-up call for us all.
The key issues are:
1) Britain will face significant levels of gas imports increasing our exposure to uncertainties in the global gas market, supply disruption and potential price increases.
2) Given the levels of investment needed, there is a high likelihood of rising consumer bills, especially if oil and gas prices continue their underlying rise since 2003.
3) The closure of ageing power stations and the need to meet tough environmental targets.
Medoria Solar has a partial solution to these forthcoming problems for homeowners in Leeds, Wakefield, Bradford and across West Yorkshire. We install solar panels on customers’ roofs which can reduce electricity bills by over 50%. The investment pays for itself in under 10 years and the customers are protected from future energy price rises as they generate some of their electricity for free using solar power.
A wonderfully simple, tried and tested method of generating solar energy without damaging the environment!
