[ Spotlight: Solar PV ]
‘Indeed, PV still represents, with rising energy bills and falling product prices, a viable alternative to household energy supplies. And in the industrial and commercial sectors, some contractors are installing at good levels.’ Both Wessex Renewable Energy and Parker Energy
report decent interest from the non-domestic market, from schools and local authorities, through to warehousing and beyond to large-scale solar farms. ‘We have diversified more into the commercial market with a number of schemes in the 20-50 kW range, through to 5 MW solar farms,’ says Mortimer. What the sector doesn’t need is yet more
uncertainty, but that is exactly what lies ahead with proposed levies on solar PV panels imported from China. The European Commission recently launched an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation
Despite the reduction in the tariff, homeowners can still see a return of six-to- eight per cent
against Chinese solar manufacturers, after European manufacturers lodged complaints alleging that Chinese rivals were benefiting from unfair subsidies. If additional tariffs are introduced, they will
increase the cost of photovoltaic panels imported from China substantially, in some cases, and could slow growth in the sector. The Solar Trade Association (STA) and other bodies have been urging the UK government to vote against the measures. ‘The duties will actually result in a net reduction in EU solar jobs, restrict the growth of the solar market and damage Europe’s chances of meeting its 2020 renewable targets,’ claims Paul Barwell, chief executive officer of the STA.
Wessex teaches green lessons at Newlands School
Newlands School, a new build in Southampton, involved Wessex Renewable Energy at design stage to size and fit a solar photovoltaic system to reduce the school’s projected utility bills and carbon emissions. Due to Building Regulations, the school was required to provide a set number of kWh to provide a percentage of its estimated electricity consumption. Shading from nearby trees, and the ‘U’ shape of the building itself, meant Wessex Renewable Energy had to do a detailed design, using industry recognised software, in conjunction with the main contractor and structural engineer, to place all 150 panels in the most efficient locations. Wessex Renewable Energy was able to offer advice on locations of the panel to enhance performance, while also considering the design to ensure a neat and attractive finish. The school can now open its doors, safe in the knowledge that it is generating a lot of its own electricity, saving money on ever-increasing electricity bills. A display screen has been installed in the main entrance to show staff and students how much the system is generating and how much CO2
it is saving, so everyone can learn
a little more about solar power and carbon reduction. Key points: n 37.50 kWp system n 150 x Sharp 250Wp polycrystalline photovoltaic modules n SMA ‘Sunny Boy’ inverters n Combined expected saving (including Feed-in Tariff) of £5,200 per year for 20 years n Average expected payback period of seven to eight years.
56 ECA Today June 2013
Green Deal or no deal? The nascent Green Deal might bring extra work to PV installers, many of whom are in pole position because their MCS certification opens the door to a becoming an authorised Green Deal installer. Solar PV is one of the recognised Green Deal energy performance measures. ‘But,’ explains Bill Wright, ‘although solar PV can attract a Green Deal loan, it’s only on the basis of the savings from solar electricity and does not take FITs into account. So, customers will still have to pay around two-thirds of the upfront costs of PV before getting a loan to cover the rest. However, FITs are then available on top, which means Green Deal PV is still a good customer proposition. Yet, if the FIT was actually included in the Green Deal payback calculation, this would have really boosted the industry.’ Of course, there is more to the Green Deal than
solar PV, and contractors need to weigh up the overall business opportunities. ‘It’s early days for the Green Deal, but there are some major projects taking place, such as in Birmingham, which will have commercial benefits for local sub-contractors and the supply chain,’ says Richard Pagett.
Sunny outlook? So what is the future for ECA firms looking to embrace solar PV? Is there a sunny outlook? Clearly, solar PV is now little different to other areas of electrical contracting – a tough market, with increasing pressure on margins and one where it is increasingly hard to compete with those that ignore good on-site practice. According to Paul Reeve, ECA director of Business
Services: ‘We have had boom and bust for domestic Feed-in Tariffs, but we are still struggling with its legacy. PV is still a good customer proposition – perhaps as good as it has ever been – but the FITs debacle means that many customers think they have simply missed the good times. Yet, out there is an experienced, competitive PV industry with falling installation costs and customers facing long-term energy price rises. It’s been a wretched time for the PV industry and they deserved much better, but many of the business indicators are now pointing in the right direction.’
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