Challenges

Total Coverage is a graphic design workers’ co-operative. Promoting sustainable design has always been part of Total Coverage’s ethos and one of the company’s unique selling points. “We’ve been promoting recycled paper and vegetable inks long before it became mainstream”.

Sticking to the pledges has not come easily however. “Using public transport is really difficult here in the North Yorkshire Dales” she reports. “If you try regularly going anywhere by bus, you’re as likely to be late for a meeting because of a herd of sheep or cows going by. Or perhaps the bus hasn’t arrived at all, and it’s the only bus of the day”. Despite these obstacles, she’s still trying to use public transport, but admits that because of the unreliability of the buses, it’s had quite a negative impact, and she’s had to cancel meetings, setting work back by several weeks. As a result, she’s decided to only use buses for her own purposes but not if she needs to be somewhere else. read more on how solar works

What do CIOs think are the biggest green IT challenges?

Other pledges have been abandoned altogether for the time being. “I found reducing the heat of the washing machine very difficult” Sally explains. “I just prefer a hotter temperature to get white things cleaner, but everything looked grubby. I might try it again, but I have to admit that I’m reluctant to”.

Sally found turning down the thermostat and putting on an extra jumper to be another challenge. “I find it very difficult because I get cold if I sit for long and so I have to pile everything on. The temptation is in the evening when the warm day has chilled down, to put on immediate heat rather than dealing with it. I’m working very hard on that one”.

However, Sally has implemented some innovative strategies to help her with that particular challenge. “We’ve now got a winter bedroom and a summer bedroom and that makes quite a difference. My desk is wonderful in the summer because it’s lovely and warm but in the winter, it’s perishing cold in that location, so I’m going to move my desk upstairs to where there is a warmer patch of sun and I’m selling a family heirloom piece in order to get a more efficient desk to work there”.

One of the other challenges that Sally has faced is the fact that she was already doing a large number of the actions suggested by Greener Together. The couple were already growing some of their own food, had solar panels on the roof for hot water and Sally’s husband was already quite interested in saving energy. Sally has also yet to make full use of the Greener Together website. “My natural inclination is not to go onto community websites on the internet so I’m probably not making as much use of it as other people who are more used to going on those sorts of sites” she explains. “However, I do think that I could try to respond to people’s questions and suggestions more, and perhaps initiating something myself”.

What They Say about new energy...

  • DECC Confirm Contingency Plan
  • New energy efficiency rating for homes highlights need for proper valuations of houses
  • Do you wish to harness an income from your land with solar panels?
    A call for commitment from the Government re: EU renewables target
    Government needs to do more to remind the public it has not killed the FIT
    The need for real data to prove renewable technology’s worth
    Feed-in-tariff is not dead!
    Pros & Cons of The Green Deal.
    The Green Deal is coming, but what does it mean?
    Time is running out for 50kwp solar systems at the top rate of feed in tariff

 




Events 2015

'Social enterprise and the environment' event June 25, 2016

Save Up To 80% On Your Household Bills


FREE Training - how will climate change affect your community? June 25, 2016
Greener Living Fund launch - first pictures June 25, 2016

Wood Energy
Greener Living Programme launched June 23, 2016
The third sector gave us the welfare state, can it give us the sustainable state? June 22, 2016
UK Climate Projections launched (significant!) June 18, 2016
Funding Central launched June 17, 2016
Third Sector Climate Change Declaration June 15, 2016
Real Help for Communities: Volunteers, Charities and Social Enterprises June 7, 2016
The sun is inexhaustible. It will never run out meaning free energy for you forever Film June 5, 2016

Achievements

Comparing UK Solar Panel Installers could
Save Up To 65%

Compare UK Solar Panel Installers And Save Up To 65% Save Money Cut your electricity bill by 70%. Earn Money Earn over £800 per year with the feed in tariff. Accredited Companies We only deal with certified installers. Quick and Easy It might be worth talking to a number of different companies. One we have found helpful and consistently delivering high results in the commercial industry is Enviko, but please be your own judge.

 

UK Solar PV Benefits & Savings

Solar PV Cost/Savings example

This example is based on a 50kwp system with 30 degree pitch in Swindon with no grid upgrades and straight forward access. (2010)

System size: 50 kW
System cost: £75,000 +VAT
Income from FiT: £225,822 (assuming 3% RPI increase on 15.2p/kWh tariff)
Energy Savings: £106,142 (assuming unit cost = 11p/kWh)
Export Tariff Income: £15,469 (assuming inflation of 5%)
Total Profit (exc. install cost): £272,433

Benefits of Solar PV systems

    • Lower electricity bills
    • Cut carbon emissions
    • Benefit from Feed-in-tariff for 25 years
    • Cut carbon emissions
    • Improve efficiency of building
    • Sell electricity back to the grid to earn the Export tariff

    Solar PV for Farmers

    Solar can help farmers reduce energy costs and generate income at the same time. A solar PV installation can substantially reduce energy costs, especially for farms running power-hungry equipment during daylight hours. Through the feed-in-tariff you can expect a return on investment of around 8% for a 25 year period, plus the savings on your electricity costs.

    As a Solar PV specialist and accredited installer since 2004, we can help expedite planning applications and complete fit outs on permitted developments quickly and efficiently.

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Energy Saving

Impact of Participating

The difficulty of engaging with people has meant that Bryony isn’t sure how accurately they’re sticking to their pledges. “I’m hoping that the new scheme where you can make your own pledges will improve things” she says. “It’s a good move for this audience where people are probably already doing some of the standard pledges”. Pic

Wood Burning Energy?

Converting wood into energy

The renewable energy industry in Wales is providing the potential for new Wood Energy Businesses to be established by entrepreneurial individuals or co-operatives. www.woodenergybusiness.co.uk A Wood Energy Business will need: 1. A guaranteed, local supply of wood or processed wood fuel 2.

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Solar Power

The UK embraces Solar Power

The Government has set targets for the number of UK households that will have installed solar panels to their home. Contrary to popular believe the UK has over 65% of the radiation that Spain receives which is more than enough to guarantee a the function of a Solar PV system. With the Government's feed-in tariff in place that allows an income to be produced from installing solar energy the number of homes that rely soley on solar power is set to rise.Pic