Today though I had an extra spring in my step, the sun is out and you can really feel the temperature change after the poor recent weather.
The heat from the sun is very potent today (yes, i burn easily!) and I just starting thinking about all that potential energy that we can now utilise to save money, save power and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. We are more than aware of the risks to the environment with fossil fuels especially with the current ongoing catastrophic oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico with BP. The environmental impact from this will be unprecedented.
It’s only comparatively recently that we’ve all seriously begun investing in the technologies to harvest the sun’s free power, either to create electricity or to heat the water of our homes.
Their are two different energy saving systems on the market, the first is photo voltaic which uses “photo voltaic panels” to convert the suns energy into electricity. The systems are made up of thin layers of semi conducting material, usually silicon, which generates electrical charges when the sun hits them. Each cell produces a small voltage so with loads of them connected you form one panel. These systems have been a massive success in Germany with hundreds and thousands of homes having these installed – also helped by a government incentive scheme. Fingers crossed the same scheme will be available in the UK soon. Christine Shine who Clint wrote about in an earlier blog post constructed 390 photovoltaic panels in her garden and now makes money on her own energy!
The second type is Solar Thermal. This uses solar panels to convert the suns energy into heating a home’s water. This works by the solar panels on your roof heating a constantly moving stream of water which then passes through the pipe-work in your home’s hot tank, exchanging its heat as it goes. To get maximum benefit from solar the panels need to be fitted to a south facing roof – although they can work well elsewhere.
Keep an eye out on the blog next week for some exciting Anglian product development news!
Anglian Home Improvement, formerly known as Anglian Windows. Helping improve the efficiency of homes since 1966.
Earlier this week Clint reported from Elkstone where Anglian was filming with TV presenter Philippa Forrester on Christine Shine’s amazing 390 panels of solar power.
Below are some more photos from that day which helps give a better understanding of the size and magnitude of the solar technology on display.
In the next few weeks I’ll be reporting back with some more facts, clips and interviews so watch this space!
Anglian Home Improvements, formerly known as Anglian windows. Helping improve the energy efficiency of homes since 1966.
With the general election next month the Blog Team wanted to find out some more about the environmental policies of each party and whether any of these would impact on the Double Glazing Industry.
Below is a guest post from Better Generation written by Dom. Better Generation was established in Spring 2006 with one main focus, make mircogeneration affordable. Better Generation has become one of the most active independent web communities in the UK. More recently Better Generation has featured on BBC2, BBC3, Channel 4, The Guardian, The Telegraph and most recently Channel 4’s Grand Designs Magazine.
This gave us the Blog Team a better understanding of the environmental policies and hopefully it helps you to. The article written by Better Generation will be split into three separate blogs each focusing on a particular political party. Today we will look at Labours pledges:
Philippa Forrester joined Anglian Home Improvements recently at Banham Zoo to shoot a 10 minute film about energy efficiency co-starring penguins, a great grey owl, snow leopard & a seal, all of which were filmed using infrared cameras to highlight how energy efficient these animals are!
The short 10 minute film will be distributed to schools throughout the UK teaching key stages one and two and will be used to explain how energy conservation, as seen in the infrared footage of the zoo animals, can be replicated in the home with energy efficient products.
Commenting on the film shoot Philippa Forrester said: “We are filming at Banham Zoo with the penguins and other animals to demonstrate how cleverly these creatures hold on to heat and use it really efficiently. The same effect can be replicated in our homes if we use the right energy efficient products we too can be very good at retaining energy rather than letting it seep out wastefully.” (more…)
The final day has arrived for the much publicised Copenhagen Summit. One hundred and ninety three nations have gathered to try and negotiate what is commonly described as the most important meeting of recent generations.
The aim of the submit is simple ‘ To negotiate a binding agreement on curbing greenhouse gas emissions in order to prevent dangerous climate changes within the near and distance future’.
The proposed Boiler Scrappage Scheme which will save home owners money and energy has taken a massive step forward today according to several news sites. The pre budget report, due to be announced on Wednesday 9th December will include the scrappage scheme which was originally campaigned for through Reheat Britain.
Anglian launches the latest in driveway development with the new ‘Porlock’ permeable driveway which ticks all the requirement boxes. Introduced to comply with new planning regulations the new Porlock permeable driveway provides an alternative driveway solution to the current non permeable blocks where an additional soak away is required.
Chloe Smith MP for Norwich North joined Anglian Home Improvements Group Chief Executive Peter Mottershead to hear more of Anglian’s £2000 National Windows Scrappage Scheme
Miss Smith had a factory tour of Anglian’s glass shop to understand more about the manufacturing techniques that create B rated, thermally efficient windows, which are produced as standard across all Anglian Home Improvement products.
According to the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning for the Environment in the Netherlands, a temporary scheme has been launched which will subsidise the installation of double glazing within the home.
Homeowners in Holland can apply for a voucher which discounts €35 per square metre of Double Glazing up to a maximum of €1,100 per home (including VAT):
Earlier this week 
