Blog
37,238 households** in the UK who have installed solar panels on their roof are now benefiting from lower energy bills. Britain’s Top Ten cities and towns with the highest concentration of homes powered by solar panels has been revealed by HomeSun, the UK’s leading free solar firm. TV weatherman John Kettley is in the market town of Fareham today, which tops the list, to announce the UK’s Top Ten Solar Hot Spots, and demonstrate the many benefits of solar power – not only in terms of cost-saving but also for the environment.
Installing free solar on your home could save £237 and wipe out the British Gas price rise. It's offiicial! British Gas is the 2nd energy company to announce electricty bills will rise by an average of 16%. This is it's 2nd price rise in 12 months. Join our debate and tell us ways you are beating the price rise....
A Cheltenham couple today scooped the top prize for Britain’s greenest home following a nation-wide search. Glenn and Frances Simpson beat thousands of other homes across the UK to the first prize of £3,000 with a range of eco-friendly and money saving initiatives including: Building an eco-friendly extension insulated with sheep’s wool, which ensures their combined gas and electricity bill never exceeds £400 annually, Growing vegetables in their garden year round, Compost bins to minimise waste, A complete water harvesting system
Have you ever heard of a song by the Animals called "The House of the Rising Sun?" One of our customers wrote a lovely jingle in tribute to HomeSun. Brightens up our Friday!
Read what Daniel Green, HomeSun's CEO, has to say in anticipation of the Government's response to the Solar Power FIT Select Committee Report...
My savings are really pleasing. As it happens, I received my electricity bill today along with a letter asking if I would like to reduce my monthly payments. I had already reduced them from £75 to £35 a month and even after paying my account for the last period, I am now credit to the sum of £230! For the corresponding period 2010 I was charged for using 1652 units of electricity. This year for the same period, my usage has been reduced to 694 units, representing a saving of nearly 1000 units! Michael from Dorset
Now a year since John from Petersfield's solar panel install, he has saved an enormous £359 on his £1,062 bill.
Location, location, location - badly-positioned solar panels can really underperform. Here are some howlers we've spotted around the country. A solar panel is a pretty simple piece of equipment. With no moving parts, there’s very little that can go wrong once it’s in place - but getting it in the right place is vital.
Anthony from Kent is now saving £61.10 after only 36days! His electricity usage ‘before’ solar was 99777 and ‘with solar’ is 99760, showing a saving of 17 units.
Get a travel kettle 1kw or less. It will only boil 1 cups worth and as it is low powered you can often boil for free using Solar PV output. Look at having an owl monitor linked to the solar output cable to see when to boil the kettle and put on your washing. Looking for a new electric hob? Why not consider an induction hob. No heat lost in rings or hotplates as these generate heat in the ferous pans, instant response, no scary hot cooker bits to touch too!
Thanks to David for your lovely green tips!
Monitoring solar generation is quite easy using a simple monitor (current cost or OWL). Rather than hooking up the monitor to the main meter, clamp your solar meter instead. All are perfectly safe, then you can see how much energy your panels are producing, add in a few more bits and you can upload to the web
John was kind enough to write to Homesun and let us know about his experience...
Just had my new Solar PV Installation carried out by Homesun in South Yorkshire, all perfect, good installation team and now enjoying free electricity.
If you are over 70 or know someone over 70, then you can get a free energy monitor. Brought to you buy our good friends at Carillion Energy Services. Using an energy monitor to help change your habits can save you time and money, slashing up to 15%, or £35, off the average bill >>>>
Use a peltier fan on your log burner to move the air around the house; they are an investment but are free to run. Peltier fans blow heat 'round the room saving you money and keeping you nice and toasty in these cold times.
Thanks to Dean for his toasty green tip!
Proposals for a 50% reduction in UK solar PV Feed-In Tariffs, to come into effect from December 8 this year, are expected to be announced in Parliament on Monday. ClickGreen launched a 'Save our Solar' campaign today and has now received 500 message in the first two hours of its launch. Here is Bill Sneyd's message to support the campaign.
On the day that Coca-Cola announces the launch of 14 new gas-powered delivery trucks we have put together the following interesting facts about renewables:
Graham from Cowes is pleased as punch with his energy readings after his September 2011 install...
A solartastic addition to any desk and makes us smile.
When the sun comes out the kettle goes on, then I fill a vaccuum flask that will last me for the day. At night I use the gas hob of my dual fuel cooker. Sunny days are great for a bake in, cakes, biscuits and casseroles all go in, then get put in the freezer till required. Also, I have invested in solar fairy lights for both indoor and outdoor use this Christmas. It's going to be worth the investment!
Most people have heard about solar power but here are ten things we think you might not know about solar PV...
Read our response to today's changes at DECC...
Eric Rush’s solar panels still generated free electricity when it snowed!
DECC attempts to kill free solar through the back door - read our comments on the Government’s response to phase 1 of the FIT review consultation...
HomeSun has been working with the South Coast’s Radio Wave105 since early autumn and is proud to sponsor Wave105 LIVE!
On Sunday 20th November from 4pm – 8pm, a great line-up of Acts will come together in one huge gig for an evening of family entertainment. Visit Wave105 LIVE! to see who will be playing.
We have 5 sets of five tickets to give away in a prize draw. Just email your name and address to competition@homesun.com and the five lucky winners will be picked at random.
Government statistics, out today, prove "£1.5bn cost to consumers" is incorrect...
DECC's recent publication of UK home insulation figures show we are being slow to wrap-up and stop heat leaking out of our homes. With energy bills rising by 70% in just over five years (uSwitch 2011) here are some ideas for making your home more energy efficient.
