Energy firms spread solar power systems

Oct 12 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

THREE North East renewable energy installation companies are to help bring solar power to homes across the region, after being appointed as preferred installers by community interest company, Community Energy Solutions (CES).

Cleaner Air Solutions based at Meadowfield in County Durham, Rothwell Plumbing Services of North Shields and the Dodd Group, which has a depot on Teesside, were all successful in their bids to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on behalf of CES as part of a European tender process covering up to 2,000 installations in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Boldon-based CES will now work with the three appointed companies to complete the installations within the next two years in a bid to help communities generate their own electricity from renewable sources.

PV panels use solar power to generate electricity and offer both financial and energy savings in homes where they are used.

Householders with a PV system will be able to earn income from the generation tariff of 41.3p per kWh of electricity (for systems under 4kW) plus an additional 3p income for every unit exported back to the grid.

On a typical 2KW system, this could equate to more than £600 per year, in addition to the money saved on existing electricity bills.

David Lacey, operations director at Community Energy Solutions, said: “PV offers very clear and measurable benefits for the homeowner and the environment and we are delighted to be working with Cleaner Air Solutions, Rothwells and the Dodd Group to bring this technology to communities across the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber.”