Author: Princes LHS

Princes LHS are now Tesla Energy Powerwall certified installers

Written by Princes LHS on November 15, 2016. Posted in Telsa Energy Powerwall. No Comments on Princes LHS are now Tesla Energy Powerwall certified installers

Princes LHS Ltd is happy to announce we have now achieved certified installer status for supply and installation of the Telsa Energy Powerwall.

This adds to our long list of accreditations which include Gas Safe, OFTEC, NICEIC, NAPIT, MCS.

The Powerwall is an innovative piece of technology that has been developed specifically for getting the most out of your solar PV system. This battery is charged using the electricity generated from solar PV panels and can then power your home during the evening. It can be easily retrofitted to any existing installation.

It is an automated process with all of the technology contained within the battery unit that is easily installed. The Powerwall allows you to maximise self-consumption of your solar generation and reduce your energy bills even further.

For more information on any of our services whether it’s electrical, plumbing and heating or renewable energy please give us a call on 01691 624336

Are solar panels suitable for my home?

Written by Princes LHS on May 5, 2016. Posted in Environmentally-friendly homes, Solar PV system. 1 Comment on Are solar panels suitable for my home?

Investing in solar panels can save you hundreds of pounds a year on energy bills and help the environment by not using fossil fuels. But if you’re deciding whether your home is suitable to have them installed, here’s some advice on what you need to know.

Getting the best results from solar panels

An illustration of how solar panels power your home

Ideally, your roof should be south facing and at an angle of around 30 degrees to be in the best position to generate the most electricity.

However, solar panels will still work if your roof faces in any other direction and can be installed onto a flat roof with a mount (this places it on an angle). This won’t generate as much electricity but it will still be a significant amount.

View our case study and find out how Mr Johnson and Mrs Rudkin benefitted by switching to solar energy.

What if it’s cloudy?

There’s a myth that solar panels do not work on cloudy days but we can confirm that it isn’t true, they will still generate electricity.

This is because solar panels do not require direct sunlight to work, they generate electricity using the sun’s rays. If you’ve been to the beach on a cloudy day and comeback with sunburn, you’ve experienced this effect.

The panels will generate about 10-25% of their rated capacity in cloudy weather, dependant on how thick the cloud is. However, all that matters is how much sun you get all year round.

Other things to consider

With those things in mind, you’ll also need to look if there are any obstacles that could block the rays from reaching the panels. For example: trees, an extension on a building, or something even bigger.

Still not sure?

If you’re still not sure whether your home is suitable for solar panels, give us a call today on 01691 624336. We can give you some more advice over the phone if you need it to help you make your decision or you can request a free consultation.

Brad Pitt Helps to Rebuild environmentally-friendly homes

Written by Princes LHS on January 29, 2016. Posted in Environmentally-friendly homes. No Comments on Brad Pitt Helps to Rebuild environmentally-friendly homes

No matter where in the world you’re from, a safe, comfortable living space is essential for you to feel happy and secure. Although it’s easy to take for granted, sometimes we are given vivid reminders of just how lucky we are to have a place to call home.

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the devastation caused by the storm was immense. Many people lost their homes and businesses, and over the last ten years there has been a concerted effort to rebuild the areas of the city that were the worst affected by the hurricane.

One man who has become a leading figure in the reconstruction effort is Hollywood actor and New Orleans resident Brad Pitt, who owns a US$6.5 million, five-bedroom house in the French Quarter with his wife, Angelina Jolie. Since visiting the areas that were the hardest hit by Katrina, two years after the hurricane struck, Pitt has dedicated himself to the cause, and has been helping to provide new housing for people left homeless by the storm.

He established the Make It Right foundation in 2007 to build environmentally-friendly, attractive homes for the people of the city’s Lower Ninth Ward. Since then, the foundation has successfully completed 109 properties: houses that not only provide much-needed security for their occupants, but that are designed to keep running costs to a bare minimum, with solar panels to save on fuel bills and other eco-friendly features.

Could this be the future of our roads?

Written by Princes LHS on July 30, 2015. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Could this be the future of our roads?

In November 2014 the Netherlands installed solar panels in a way that had never been seen before; they created roads and bike paths from standard solar panels that we install on roofs, and covered them in glass and silicon to protect them. The result was a 70 metre test road, just outside of Amsterdam, which in its first 6 months, produced 3,000kWh of electricity, around enough energy to power an average household for a whole year.

The solar roads seen in the Netherlands could become the future of renewable energy, with proposals for the panels to even generate electricity for road signals, traffic management and lane designation. An artists impression can be seen below.

Could this be what our roads look like in the years to come?

Local couple make substantial savings on energy bills

Written by Princes LHS on July 13, 2015. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Local couple make substantial savings on energy bills

Just over a year after we installed their Solar PV system, we caught up with Mr Johnson & Mrs Rudkin, a local couple, to see how they have benefited from their install.

To read their story, and to see how we at Princes LHS Ltd might be able to help you, click on the link below to take you to our case study page.

http://www.princeslhs.ltd/mr-johnson-mrs-rudkin-solar-savings/

UK leading the way with solar installations

Written by Princes LHS on July 1, 2015. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on UK leading the way with solar installations

In 2014 the UK led the European solar expansion, installing 2.4GW of solar, which equates to 1/3 of Europe’s total installations.

“The success of the UK, set to be the largest European market again in 2015, reinforces the evidence that solar power is a versatile and cost-efficient energy source in any climate,” said James Watson, the CEO of SolarPower Europe

One of the main reasons that solar has been so popular in the UK is the continued implementation of financial incentives such as the Feed in Tariff, which have been removed across other European countries. The UK, so far in 2015, have installed 2GW of solar, a figure which is projected to rise to 3GW by the end of this year.

In 2014, solar installations across the world were 100 times greater than the total solar installed in 2000.

With current trends set to continue, there is no better time to invest in solar; see your energy bills decrease, while adding to the UK’s continued progress towards a country powered by renewable energy technologies.

Projected FIT cuts

Written by Princes LHS on June 25, 2015. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Projected FIT cuts

On July 1st 2015, the Feed in Tariff rate for installations below 4kW will be decreasing to 12.92p/kWh, and for installations over 4kW, but not exceeding 10kW we will see the rate decrease to 11.71p/kWh.

“Degression is a periodic reduction in tariffs, the size of which is dependent on the amount of deployment in the preceding period” -DECC

Therefore, the more solar power that is installed, the further the Feed in Tariff rate is due to drop. Even though it is too early to confirm, The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) figures suggest that there is also going to be a reduction in the tariff on October 1st 2015.

Request your FREE site survey today so that you can make the most of you Solar PV system.

Win a complete 1KW solar PV system

Written by Princes LHS on October 24, 2014. Posted in Competition, London Marathon, Solar PV system. No Comments on Win a complete 1KW solar PV system

Win a Solar PV system worth over £3,000, installed on your home.

On 26^th April 2015 Simon Lewis, director of Princes Solar Energy, is running the London Marathon for local charity the Kenyan Schools Project (KSP).

KSP, who are also based in Ellesmere, Shropshire, raise money to fund and build schools in Kenya. Princes Solar Energy is aiming to raise money for a Solar system to be placed on a school built by KSP to provide free, clean electricity.

Running alongside this fundraising we are running a competition for someone to win a complete 1KW Solar PV System installed on their home, (subject to T&C’s*).

To be in with a chance of winning this system entrants must like the Princes Solar Energy Facebook page, and then guess the time that Simon will complete the marathon in. Guesses should be in the format of hours, minutes and seconds and written as a comment below our Facebook post, which can be found at our Facebook page . The winner will be the person with the time nearest Simon’s actual race chip time.

You can also sponsor Simon directly at www.virginmoneygiving.com/PrincesSolarEnergy

*Terms and conditions

Competition is limited to households within a 50 mile radius of SY12 0EW.
If the competition is won by an individual that is not a homeowner then the system can be given to a nominated recipient who is a homeowner within a 50 mile radius as above.
Competition is limited to one entry per person, more than one entry can be made per household.
Entrants must be over 18 years old.
To be in with a chance of winning the solar system entrants must like the Princes Solar Energy page on Facebook.
If more than one person guesses the time correctly, or multiple entrants have times are equally close to Simon’s actual time, then these names will be placed in a hat and the winner drawn out at random.
Competition is not available to employees of Princes Solar Energy or immediate family of employees.
The solar system may be upgraded for a bigger system at the expense of the competition winner if required.
Competition closes for entry 12pm Friday 24^th April 2015.
Installation of solar system is subject to roof survey and suitability, if the roof is not suitable then the system may be donated to a nominated recipient.

Feed In Tariff rate change

Written by Princes LHS on October 14, 2014. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Feed In Tariff rate change

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that the current Feed-in Tariff rate of 14.38p/kWh is set to decrease by 3.5% on the 1st January 2015. This will make the rate drop to 13.87p/kWh.

It is important to note that any solar PV system that is commissioned before this date will still be eligible for the higher, current tariff, subject to gaining an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) at a band ‘D’ or higher.

Degression is a periodic reduction in tariffs, the size of which is dependent on the amount of deployment in the preceding period.- DECC

Because of the number of Solar systems that have been installed in the UK in the last quarter, and because there hasn’t been a change in Feed-in Tariff rate since 1st April 2014, we are now due a change in rate.

Here at Princes LHS Ltd, we commission the system and send off your Feed in Tariff application forms to your energy provider for you, meaning that you can begin to see your electricity savings as soon as possible.

Solar remains Britons’ most popular energy generation technology

Written by Princes LHS on September 3, 2014. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Solar remains Britons’ most popular energy generation technology

Solar is still the most popular energy generation technology amongst Brits, according to the latest results of the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s public opinion tracker.

The tenth wave of DECC’s public attitudes tracker reveals that support for renewables is still extremely high, with 79% of those polled expressing support for the generation of energy from renewable sources.

In particular, solar enjoys the most support with 82% of those asked supporting its deployment in the UK followed by wave and tidal (73%), offshore wind (72%), onshore wind (67%) and biomass (60%).

The findings of the survey suggest that the government’s assumption that increased solar farm deployment would adversely affect public support for solar is misplaced. In April, the ex-climate change minister, Greg Barker told Solar Power Portal that he wanted investors to turn their attention away from ground-mount to rooftop solar in order to “avoid solar becoming the new onshore wind”. Since then the UK has seen record ground-mount deployment that has driven the sector to the 5GW cumulative install milestone this month.
Shale fail

The government figures show that support for fracking is dropping with just 24% of Brits supporting the extraction of shale gas – down from 29% in March 2014. The figure is in stark contrast to polling data published by UK Onshore Oil and Gas which claimed that 57% of Brits supported fracking. The survey was widely criticised for leading questions and misleading question structure.

In addition, the amount of Brits concerned about the UK’s energy security has declined, with 48% stating that they were concerned about power cuts becoming more frequent compared to 61% last March.