For many years companies have been trying to invent and create windows that double as solar panels.

What this means is that a window will become able to generate electricity from the suns light that it captures during the day. The window will look the same such as normal windows, however it will be able to harness the power of the suns energy.

Currently, solar panels are made up for solar cells that turn the suns light into energy and these solar panels are not appropriate for use as windows due to their dense and non-transparent nature. Therefore, to create the solar panel windows the whole concept and design of the solar panel has to be changed. This means that the new solar panel windows have to concentrate and retain the light and then this energy would then need to be collected on the edges of the window by solar cells.

It is felt that the solar technology deployed in the windows should not be noticeable and obvious which could affect the aesthetics of your home. The windows should also be able to withstand current weather or window washing conditions without the performance of the window being affected. The only requirement needed for home installation would be some wiring from the window to a voltage controller to ensure the smooth running of the system.

In the past such attempts at creating a solar panel window has resulted in low efficiency and this is a major factor that needs to be overcome if they are to become a viable renewable energy solution for countries like the UK which have low-light conditions. However, new research is looking into chemical formulations that can be used in the solar cells that allows for high visible-light transparency, making them more efficient.

The only other concern over the solar panels windows is the cost of installing these solar cells and windows on houses and buildings. The high costs could mean that it takes years to pay off the outlay made on such an investment.

However, in our pursuit of becoming greener and investing in renewable energy sources there is no denying that solar power is one of the best sources of renewable energy available. So, we should try and utilise it and put investment into inventions such as the solar panel window.

This technology concept has been around for many years with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) being at the forefront of its development. The windows are still in their early stages of development but if the initial teething problems can be overcome and they can be created in a cost-effective manner, they could provide a practicable and renewable energy source for heating our homes in the future.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

Making your home operate more efficiently is quite straightforward. First you need to know where your energy or heat is being lost so that you can address this. The best way is to get your home properly assessed for it’s energy efficiency.

An Energy Performance Certificate or EPC will give you a picture of how energy efficient your home is and how much carbon dioxide it is emitting. Government statistics document that around 30% of the UK’s total carbon dioxide comes from domestic dwellings. Your home’s EPC can tell you what your carbon footprint is at home (excluding your car of course). An EPC costs around £40 and does not just tell you how energy efficient your home is but it will contain recommendations in order to increase the energy efficiency rating of your home. It should always be carried out by a government registered Domestic Energy Assessor or DEA.

To find a local DEA for your EPC try the official government sponsored database run by Landmark or contact your local estate agent who should be able to recommend one.

An EPC for your home will last for 10 years and an example one can be viewed here on the Communities and Local Government Website.

If your EPC recommends either cavity wall or loft insulation then you may be eligible for some financial assistance. The Government are running a scheme called Warm Front who can help in providing householders with insulation costs in England. A similar scheme runs in Wales called Warm Wales and new applications are still be taken. For people in Scotland there is an Energy Assistance Package which provides help in making your home more energy efficient.

If you are not eligible for financial assistance try to source OFGEM approved products and suppliers when insulating your loft or cavity walls or speak to Energy Saving Trust for help and advice. They have approved lists of installers throughout the UK.

The benefits of installing a good heat insulation system for your home cannot be understated. Good loft insulation could save you around £145 annually which will mean that this pays for itself in TWO YEARS.  But don’t take our word for it, check out the figures yourself for both loft and cavity wall insulation at the Energy Saving Trust’s Energy Savings Assumptions page.

So with a new energy efficient boiler plus all round insulation that’s you all up and running isn’t it. You’re ready for winter and you’ll be saving the maximum amount you can. WRONG. There are so many ways to make your home SUPER energy efficient and next time we will address energy saving gadgets that you can pick up at your local builder’s merchants that will help further.

 Guest Article by Caz Williams

The title British Gas Homecare has taken on a new meaning thanks to the energy company’s decision to sponsor the Home Move Box.

British Gas Homecare is behind a latest marketing initiative – called Home Move Box – which sees it agreeing to provide home movers with a number of incentives and offers built around energy and home services.

British Gas is a lead sponsor of the scheme, joining the likes of B&Q, Clipper Tea, John Lewis, Pepsi Co, Proctor & Gamble, Nectar, Sainsbury’s Energy, Screwfix and Wickes.

The Director of Communication and Brand Marketing at British Gas, Mr Will Orr, said: “With so much to think about when you move house, we wanted to provide people with services and offers that mean their energy needs are sorted from day one.”

The Home Move Box is essentially a box of household special offers and items, all of them deemed essential, which are delivered to home movers on the day of the move, for free.

It’s reckoned that some 20,000 homes a month will receive the box. British Gas see it as the ideal opportunity to help customers get the right sort of start in their new homes.

The box, which will feature the British Gas logo and branding, will include key discounts and major incentives. This will include:

• a free EnergySmart electricity monitor which allows customers to not only monitor their consumption on a accurate basis, but also allows detailed monthly billing;
• some 25% towards a new front door lock;
• when customers sign up to a British Gas energy and HomeCare 100 plan, a total of 3,000 Nectar points;
• some £150 towards a new boiler (an energy efficient model);
• energy customers get help with insulation.

The Home Move Box director, Mr Charles Wasdell, said: “We are delighted to have British Gas on board, and it’s12 month commitment to us is testament to what we are achieving as a company. The Home Move Box currently offers brands a direct way into over 20,000 households a month, at a time when choosing new utility suppliers and making new purchases for the home is a necessity.”

Certainly a new meaning for British Gas Homecare.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

Baxi has extended its range of biomass boilers with the introduction of the Baxi Bioflo.

In terms of advanced biomass boilers, Baxi believes this is a breakthrough and it will be specially designed for properties where there is no mains gas.

The Baxi Bioflo is stylish and compact, free-standing boiler which relies on a pellet fed system to keep it going. It is suitable not only for the more traditional locations for a boiler, but can also be accommodated in outbuildings.

The pellets are fed from a 34kg capacity storage compartment at the rear into the boiler via a manually operated fuel hopper at the top of the unit.

When the Baxi Bioflo control system signals that heat is required, the pellets are released into the combustion chamber by means of an advanced feed system. Then, when it reaches an even combustion level, the boiler then switches to a full modulation mode which has output levels of between 30% (3.8kW) and 100% (12kW). The levels vary according to demand.

Graham Parkes, who’s Head of low Carbon Sales for Baxi, said:
“Biomass fuels, such as the wood pellets burned in Baxi Bioflo, are classed as carbon neutral, because they absorb as much carbon when they are growing as they do when they are burned. Use of local, managed fuel sources means biomass can maintain a truly carbon neutral and sustainable balance.”

The company state that the Baxi Bioflo boiler is Microgeneration Certificate Scheme (MCS) certified which basically means that when it is installed into a home, that residence will qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme which will be introduced shortly. The condition is though, that the boiler in question, will have to be installed by a MCS accredited installer.

The Baxi Bioflo boiler can be used in a Clear Air Zone and does not require planning permission to be installed. It provides carbon neutral heating and hot water for the house.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

When you start to wonder whether it’s time to consider replacing your old heating system, it really comes down to whether your current system is as efficient as it could be.

If you don’t think your current heating system is operating at maximum efficiency – which basically means heating your house without stressing your household expenditure – then it’s time to think seriously about upgrading your heating system.

And there are a number of key reasons for taking such a step, the most important being efficiency. And some of the main indicators of an inefficient heating system include:

• noisy boiler;
• cold spots around the house;
• half-warm radiators;
• break-downs;
• high energy bills.

Let’s take a look at the boiler. It’s a well known fact that older boilers tend to be only around 70% efficient. Now a modern condensing boiler can return an efficiency rating of over 95%, so what that means is with older boilers, some 25% of the energy you are paying for is literally going up the flue. And that translates to about 25p in the pound being wasted.

Modern boilers are highly efficient and safe. They will maximise your household spend and get the most out of your central heating system. If your current boiler is starting to make noises, or appears to be labouring under the task required of it, then not only should you have it checked out for safety reasons, but you should also consider upgrading it.

High efficiency boilers are also better for the environment, as they also emit far fewer carbon emissions and will help the Government reach their demanding environmental targets.

Cold spots around the house are not just a sign that the boiler is getting to its ‘sell-by’ date. Cold areas might not only suggest that the system is becoming inefficient (blockages caused by sludge can be removed, but blockages caused by pipes corroding, or joints corroding will need greater attention), but also that the heat distribution controls are not adequate enough. Modern thermostat controls are very good at distributing the available heat around a property at a given time. Poor heat control cost the user money.

Half-warm radiators are again a sign that the heating system is not working properly. It might be a simple case of the radiator needing bleeding but it might also mean that a ‘sludge’ build-up throughout the system will necessitate a major flush out of the dirt and debris common in all systems. Or it might mean that the system’s network of pipes, valves and controls is becoming obsolete and will need replacing.

Break-downs are a major sign that all is not right and one of the biggest problems here is that older boilers are sometimes unrepairable as parts are commonly not available for the older models.

Finally, keep an eye on your energy bills. Talk to your energy provider, maybe politely ask your neighbours what they pay, or do some internet research and find out what typically your property should cost to keep warm.

If you discover you’re paying too much, then it may well be time to invest in a new heating system.

Call British Gas on 0800 327 7832 to ask further questions about arranging a heating system survey!

Article by Alan Potts