More and more people are becoming interested in how much of a carbon footprint their day to day lives actually represent. Sometimes this is the result of responsible and forward thinking about the environment and our roles in it. Most often people are interested in reducing their energy consumption for more immediate financial reasons. Starting in 2011, those who use solar panels for their heat generation in the United Kingdom may be eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive.
The idea is basically very similar to existing energy feed back schemes. Private home and business owners can receive a substantial return in the form of cash equivalent incentives for every kilowatt hour they produce. This heating energy can be applied to the building which generates it or it may be distributed throughout a larger heating network.
It is estimated that the use of photovoltaic cells in conjunction with a biomass furnace can save hundreds of pounds a year on average under this incentive. A biomass furnace, one which typically burns coal or wood, has its own costs associated with its operation, but these are easily made up by the RHI payments.
This is not a flash in the pan kind of energy scheme. The government has put out a lot of effort to make this a lasting and functional program with which to address the increasing costs and consumption of traditional fuel sources. Those who qualify for the renewable heat incentive and enter into the agreement will find themselves compensated at a decent rate for twenty years. This rate is inflation indexed.
Solar panels are one of the most intriguing modern power generation paradigms at the moment. The technology has been widely available to the public for decades. Taking things one step further and incorporating photovoltaic power into our everyday lives might be one of the smartest things we can do in the long run.
