More Businsses Turn To Solar Pv

Solar power is used as an alternate energy source to power homes and buildings, it is the capability to switch sunlight into electricity. The benefits of solar power are that it's pollution free and less expensive than using fossil fuels.

In 2006, the UK was only representing 0.3% of the European total of 3.4GWp and had only installed 12.5 MWp of photovoltaic capacity.

A new programme, which included a feed in tariff, was created in June 2008 to encourage homeowners to generate their own electricity. This was due to an EU understanding to create 15% of electricity from renewables by 2020.

On 13 July 2011, building of the biggest solar park in the United Kingdom was finished in Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire. The 5 MW free-field system was built just in seven weeks after being granted planning permission. Each year the system will create an estimated 4,860 MWh of electricity (an average power of 560 kW) into the national grid. There are a few other example solar facilities in the UK, including the 5MW Langage Solar Park, the 5 MW Westmill Solar Farm, the 4.51 MW Marsten Solar Farm and Toyotas 4.6 MW plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire.

Some of the most powerful companies in the world are beginning to apply solar power into their organizations and promote the use of alternative energy. The Global technology company, Intel gets over 50% of its energy from renewable technology. Dell (provider of IT systems and services) uses 100% green electricity at its headquarters and some of its smaller facilities. Johnson & Johnson utilise wind power and Solar PV where they can as they think that Green power benefits the environment and also provides the company with a reliable and stable supply of energy. Other big companies that believe in renewable energy are HSBC, Dannon, Kohl's and Deutsche Bank. At its head office in Littlehampton, West Sussex, Body Shop International has just installed the UKs largest single ownership on-roof Solar PV solution.

The Green Energy for Schools programme will be providing 100 schools across the UK with solar panels. The 1st school in Wales was the Tavernspite School, near Whitland, which received panels worth 20,000, sufficient to produce 3,000 kWh of electricity each year.

After a trip to the Antarctic to discover the effects of climate change, a primary school head teacher in Walton-on-Thames initiated an ambitious programme of sustainable energy work which included the installation of high performance Alwitra Evalon Solar roof panels from ICB on a new teaching block.

On track to receive a BREEAM outstanding rating, the Ashley Primary School is providing a lesson in sustainability with Evalon Solar roof panels giving electricity, energy efficient lighting, a biomass boiler providing heat, and eight solar thermal panels warming the water for a small swimming pool and the hot water system.

This relatively new technology will begin to intermix, almost unnoticeably, into the nation's urban and rural landscapes as more and more architects and building professionals obtain experience in the integration of Solar PV systems into the built environment.