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| Solar and Wind Scheme News |
Solar Grants
Click here to read a case study about how the PV (solar photovoltaics) grant programme from the Energy Saving Trust worked for Ormiston Wire. Or visit the Energy Saving Trust web site at: http://www.est.org.uk/solar/ for more information
Solar and Wind Electricity Generation
 In July 2003 we installed at our premises in Isleworth, Middlesex a solar and wind scheme to generate 'Green' electricity. This energy will be used to power our factory and any surplus will be sold back to Ecotricity, our electricity supplier. Technical details of the scheme with links to the relevant parties follow.
Solar Details:
ecosol UK have designed, installed and managed the solar photo-voltaic system from concept to completion.
The system was designed to comply with the physical and budgetary constraints. The basis of the system is built around the tried and tested BP Solar 585 laminate solar module. 120 of these modular panels are mounted on top of the existing roof and connected to form 3 arrays of 40 panels. The generated power from each array is wired back into an electronic device, called an inverter. This unit converts the power from variable DC voltage to useable 230V AC power. All of the systems parameters are constantly monitored and the measured values are recorded into an on-site data logging device. Annual Energy Prediction = 7589 kWh / Year.
ecosol UK have carried out over a 100 similar installations within the UK. Further details can be found at www.ecosoluk.com.
Wind Turbine Details:
Adding a Proven WT2500 wind turbine to the factory will provide an eye-catching landmark as well as providing power from wind. This is one of the first industrial applications of small wind turbines to reduce power consumption and save money.
The WT2500 2.5kW wind turbine has a 3.5m rotor diameter and is designed to capture energy from winds between 5 and 150mph and features an advanced blade design which twists to limit output in high winds. The turbine feeds unregulated power into a Windy Boy grid connect inverter which in turn is connected to the distribution board at standard 230Vac 50Hz. Units of electricity produced by the turbine simply knock units off the bill. Proven Wind Turbines are manufactured in Kilmarnock in Scotland.
With over 400 UK and 100 overseas installations Proven are the market leader in small wind turbines. For more information go to www.provenenergy.com.
 Planning Details:
The Local Authority is the London Borough of Hounslow. The Planning Dept were approached before the scheme was started to see if they had any reservations about it, it would have been pointless to start without this verbal go ahead. They expressed support and enthusiasm for the scheme as it would enhance the councils Agenda 21 policy. The planning application went in at the end of August 2002. Even though a decision was expected within 8 weeks the written permission was received at the end of June 2003. The delay was put down to the unique application. Hounslow have no other Solar or wind schemes installed and a great deal of thought had to go into our scheme. There are similar installations in the London Boroughs of Kingston upon Thames and Wandsworth.
E-mail: frank.jenna@hounslow.gov.uk.
Cost:
The total cost of the scheme is approx £60,000.
The Solar scheme was supported by a 50% grant by the Energy Saving Trust, www.est.org.uk while the wind scheme was totally financed by Ormiston Wire Ltd.
Energy Details:
Ecotricity is the founder of the UK's green electricity market place and has been supplying Ormiston Wire since 2001. Recently, Ecotricity launched its Renewables Rewards service to reward customers who install their own wind or solar systems either at home or at their business premises. The aim of the service is to help make small renewable energy systems a cost effective energy alternative to conventional polluting sources.
Dale Vince, Ecotricity's Managing Director, "Small scale, on site renewable energy generators have a vital role to play in the fight against climate change. Our new service rewards people who have already installed their own clean energy systems and provides an incentive to those who haven't yet." For more information about Ecotricity go to www.ecotricity.co.uk.
Visits to Ormiston Wire Ltd are organised by Inside UK Enterprise, a national Business Link service www.iuke.co.uk/issues_test.aspx?ID=A6UJ9A00009V.
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