Energy Saving in Melrose Road

Story: Rick Watson

A large array of solar panels on five adjoining terrace roofs has been attracting attention in Melrose Road.

Fireside Housing Co-operative at Nos.55-61 has added 32 photovoltaic (PV) panels to the solar thermal (hot water) panel installed last year, and at the same time their neighbours at No. 53 fitted 7 PV panels.

It is estimated that each year Fireside’s new systems should produce 6535 KWh of electricity and save 3.53 tonnes of carbon. This appears to be on schedule, 1864 KWh having been generated in the first quarter. Output will drop for the shorter daylight hours of winter, pick up again in spring and peak in the summer.

Under the Feed in Tariff (FITs) scheme, for each unit (KWh) generated, the owners receive 43.3p generation tariff plus an export tariff of 3.1p, which comes to £864.89 in the first 13 weeks. Installation by Rai Systems Ltd of Dunford Bridge cost £26,700 for the four houses, including scaffolding, so costs and loan interest should be comfortably repaid within 10 years.

In the meantime each household is making additional savings on the electricity used as it is generated, and finding it very satisfying watching their electricity meter going backwards!

Of course saving energy is more important than generating it, so space has been left for another solar thermal system, and insulation is currently being installed under all accessible floors, and planned for the north facing rear walls and off-shot kitchens, which do not have cavity walls.