WORLDNEWS
Coventry to have first UK solar powered cathedral
DESPITE the concerns over the government’s FiT review a number of large projects continue to be announced in the UK. EOS Energy has just received the go ahead to start work on an installation of a 50kW photovoltaic array on the roof of Coventry Cathedral. EOS will be working in partnership with the Cathedral and the Renewable Energy Technology Alliance (RETA). The array will consist of 178 panels and will be completed in time for HM The Queen’s visit to Coventry in 2012.
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The Cathedral’s Executive Director Jane Woodward commented “It’s a Grade-I listed building and we are fortunate in Coventry because many cathedrals have quite steep pitched roofs behind shady parapets whereas ours is fairly flat. It will make us the first cathedral in country to have solar panels on the roof.”
Jane continued “It’s not just about saving money on our energy bills - we are committed to the idea of renewable energy and climate protection.”
This flagship project will form part of Coventry’s efforts to get the city in good shape ready for the thousands of visitors expected for next year’s Olympic football games taking part at The Ricoh Arena (City of Coventry Stadium).
The Cathedral already has an established partnership with EOS and has already received a payment of £1200 for commission on orders generated, with hopefully more still to come!
Southam seeking solar status
A TOWN councillor has done it; the local MP has signed up for it; and the population are excited at the prospect that Southam in Warwickshire is heading to become the first predominantly solar- powered urban enclave in Britain.
“There is no reason that rooftops across the whole of Britain could not be used as batteries to power all our towns and cities with renewable energy,” says Lee Summers, director of EOS Energy.
The company based in Southam is out to install PV panels on every appropriate building in the town and surrounds. The town could collectively save around £30- million a year on electricity bills.
One of the first customers was Deputy Mayor, Dave Wise, who owns the Coffee Cup Cafe in Market Hill. He paid for his installation before any subsidies and feels
it was worth every penny. After going solar, Councillor Wise set a trend and interest in the array was “phenomenal”.
“People are always calling in my cafe and asking to come and see the system on my roof, and I’m very happy to show it off,” he says.
Summers says there are around 21,000 homes and commercial buildings in Southam and its dormitory villages, which could generate a massive amount of solar power. Not all the roof-tops are necessarily suitable for PV installations, but it is also possible to place them on the ground in appropriate locations.
“At present the UK is lagging behind other European countries such as Spain, Germany and Belgium in its commitment to creating electricity this way. We intend to play our part in changing that.”
Energy Minister Charles Hendry said, “The UK is taking action now, investing in smart grid development and planning for the future. I am grateful to the ENA for this report which I am sure will prove important to making sure our electricity grid infrastructure is secure. We will study its recommendations carefully. The Government will shortly publish a high level strategy for the development of the smart grid as part of the forthcoming White Paper on electricity market reform.”
Energy Networks Association Chief Executive David Smith said, “In the future, our energy networks will be “smarter” and more complex to ensure we provide for the diverse nature of energy generation and consumption. Through a coordinated approach to cyber security we can ensure the lower carbon future of our energy networks with their greater communication is secure and robust.”
Securing a smart grid
ENERGY NETWORKS ASSOCIATION (ENA) has published a report by KEMA into Smart Grid Cyber Security. The report, commissioned by ENA for DECC considered how government and networks should develop a strategy to secure the future UK electricity infrastructure together. The report comes just weeks before a taskforce will discuss how the future influx of IT and communications on the grid will be protected. The report found that although plans for distribution network operators and Government are rigorous, a more coherent and joined-up approach is needed to meet concerns of the future.
www.solar-pv-uk.com Issue III 2011
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