Solar-Powered Homes

That may not seem like a lot, especially when compared to the 140,000 in Germany and the 400,000 in Japan, or the fact that Spain has issued national guidelines insisting that the number of solar-assisted (a more accurate term than solar-powered) homes increase tenfold by 2010.

In Portugal there are plans to build the world’s largest solar energy power station that will be capable of sustaining 130,000 households.

However, the UK’s government is encouraging the take-up of domestic solar power by setting strict planning targets for newly built homes: all new developments must make use of renewable sources to get a minimum of 10% of their energy. Surrey is the first county to agree to an area-wide plan that includes these guidelines.

Almost any property can be fitted with a solar-powered water heating system. All a building needs is to have an area of roof that is roughly south-facing, for maximum expose to the sun.

The solar panels or photovoltaic tiles absorb the sun’s energy and convert it into heat, which is piped into the house’s hot water system, where it joins heat generated by a standard domestic boiler.

While overcast days will mean the boiler must do most or all of the work, on a sunny day – it doesn’t have to be warm, just bright - the solar system can provide all an average house’s daily hot water. (The solar energy Britain receives each year is 750 times larger than its national electricity consumption.)

There is a common belief among reluctant homeowners that solar panels require frequent attention and are difficult to maintain, but property developers claim that the opposite is true. And the idea, which people got from the ugly solar-power systems of the 1970s, that panels can ruin the look of one’s home is outdated. These days, solar slates are discreet and come in a wide range of colours – except black (because it’s not efficient enough).

It costs about £8,000 to convert a typical family home to solar power – but most properties qualify for a government grant of approximately half this amount. Householders must of course put up the rest of the cash, but the outlay will cut their annual bills for heating water by around half, according to the government’s Energy Saving Trust (EST). On top of that, a house adapted for solar power will produce 34 fewer tonnes of CO2 emissions in its lifetime - and that is a major contribution to the environment.

The EST’s website (http://www.est.org.uk) offers grant application forms for homeowners, those who run small and medium-sized enterprises, public bodies, charitable organisations and large business concerns. There is also an extensive list of accredited installers throughout the UK.

The EST also offers advice on equipment, suppliers and fitters through its telephone hotline (0800 512 012) and a number of local centres (listed on the website).