Help For Fifers Switching To Home Renewables

With predictions of a harsh winter bringing energy bills into sharp focus, the Energy Saving Trust is urging Fife homeowners to consider investing in home renewable energy to make their homes warmer, greener and cheaper to run for the long term.

The call follows the launch of its new campaign which aims to raise awareness of just how affordable, achievable and effective today’s renewable energy technologies can be, even in the Scottish climate.

Combining clear, impartial advice with online support tools, links to local green homeowners and information about funding and suppliers, the campaign aims to remedy a number of misconceptions surrounding home renewables, particularly those relating to cost, savings and incentives.

Anthony Kyriakides, Renewables Programme Manager at Energy Saving Trust Scotland said:

“When speaking with homeowners who have switched to home renewables, so many of them have commented on how well their decision has paid off in terms of savings, income and return on investment. According to the latest stats, a 4kWp solar  PV system costing around £7,000 could, over its 25-year lifetime, generate Feed-in Tariff payments of around £11,000, (at current rates),in that same period. This also means saving money on bills.
 
“Many people also underestimate the savings they could possibly make. Changing to a ground source heating system from an oil non-condensing boiler for instance, could save up to £725 a year whilst generating anything from £2,000 per annum in domestic Renewable Heat Incentive payments.”
 
He added: “So many homeowners across Fife are already benefiting from renewable energy – we want to make sure others don’t miss-out because of misinformation.

“This is why we’ve launched our new campaign to spell out the benefits, the opportunities and the support available. As well as providing advice about renewable technologies, their installation, average costs and current incentives, we will be linking customers to potential sources of funding, such as interest free loans of up to £10,000 from the Scottish Government.”

Through Home Energy Scotland, Energy Saving Trust Scotland provides full, free, impartial advice and end to end services to householders in Scotland who would like to live more sustainably and who are considering generating their own energy.

More information about the campaign can be found at www.discoverrenewables.org.uk.

Current rates for the Feed-in Tariffs scheme can be found here: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/domestic/feed-tariff-scheme

For more information about the Energy Saving Trust in Scotland, visit: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland