Solar PV at Ecobuild Showcase Key Energy Installation Trend.
The presence of Solar PV technology at this year’s Ecobuild show in London, which takes place from March 2-4, 2010, is a sure sign of the growing interest in installing clean renewable energy in the UK. In addition, visitors will be able to find out more about the government’s Clean Energy Cashback Scheme, due to be launched in April 2010, which allows owners of PV systems to be paid a guaranteed rate for the energy they generate.
Solar systems are not new, and have been used around the world for many years. It is sometimes assumed that solar technology is not suitable for northern European climates, but this is not true. In Germany, for example, where a similar scheme has been in existence since 2000, the market has grown by approximately 3GW per year, creating what is now the largest and most developed market in the world. PV subsidies have been introduced in many other countries around the world with rapid market growth being achieved in each instance.
With over 40,000 systems installed in the UK alone, solar power is becoming the leading source of providing alternative energy. In the UK , we receive sufficient sunshine to provide up to 70% of our annual domestic hot water needs from a well designed solar installation, and this type of system will also reduce harmful emissions by up to 500 kg per square metre of panel per year.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a solar water heater is a long-term investment, representing real cost and energy saving and providing insurance against energy price increases. Solar PV systems are one of the renewable energy sources that you can have your property assessed for and have the panels easily and safely installed on your roof without the usual kind of local planning problems.
Training to be a plumber or electrician now involves working with the installation of renewable Green Energy for use in the home or workplace. AbleSkills have built dedicated renewable energy training workshops in conjunction with energy assessment courses to supply an increasingly vital service.
Solar heating course training in specially built classrooms provide the necessary theory and practical knowledge for correct and safe installation, which is undoubtedly at the tipping point of becoming an essential skillset for all trade skills trainees, from now on.
