Government Lose 

The decision to halve the find in tarrif for solar voltaic domestic installations has gone the way of the users not the Governent.

Is this Good or Bad

Opinion is divided.  Firstly, why did people select to buy solar voltaic panels?  Was it to cut their own energy costs? or make money?Panels are far from cheap and not available to many people on cost alone, not just because their roof does not face south.So people who have money were in the position to make money – nothing new there, it’s the way of the World. I wonder how many people actually purchased because they morally and honestly wanted to save energy? You may wonder if I have solar voltaic. The answer is no. Why? because even with a generous feedback tarrif it is unlikely that the payback time would be in our lifetime.  Our choice is to run the gas central heating at 15C during the day and off at night. If it’s nippy during the day we put on a body warmer or woolly.  At night, a microwave hot water bottle and feather duvet. I don’t have flu injections and haven’t had an infection of any kind for years.  No, I’m not a nut,  just a 65 year old ageing hippy who was bought up in a house with one coal fire and a gas heater for the bath.

Back to the question.  We do have a commercial Solar Panel which is carbon neutral I.E. doesn’t need to be plugged in and runs by using the energy from a dinky solar voltaic cell to drive a pump.  This was supplied by Solar Twin who took over the development from Edinburgh Uni.  Logic told me that if it worked in Scotland …….  need I say more?  Sorry Scotland! Anyway you have until the beginning of March to get your photovoltaic solar panel fixed.  The only company I would recommend is Solar Twin.  They use the highest quality silicon in their panels ( think breast implants) they are an established firm with an energy saving ethos, not just out to make a quick Buck.  I’m not an affiliate – I don’t get paid to say this.  I’m an admirer.

If you want either the photovoltaic system or a solar water heater get in touch with Chris at Solar Twin

Now,  I’ve asked a lot of questions, now air YOUR views and comment.

Solar PV tariffs update:

The implications of the recent Judicial Review decision mean that the pre 12th December tariffs (43.3p per kWh of solar electricity generated for small domestic installations) cannot be changed to the proposed figure of 21p until after the full parliamentary process – i.e. an 8 week consultation, followed by a review of the responses and then a 40 day period before the legislation takes effect. But this is unless the Government wins an appeal.

Government was not given leave to appeal, but if it wants to make a case it must put that forward by 4th January 2012.

Effectively the situation for systems going in now is one of two things.

· If Government is able to appeal, and also if it wins, we then revert to the original situation. I.e. there is a valid consultation ongoing, and a domestic system can expect to earn 21p (or whatever government concludes after the consultation) from 1st April.

· If government is not able to appeal, or if it loses on appeal, then the 43p tariff remains in place until the new Parliamentary process has concluded (which is expected to be 1st April 2012).

Our position is that we are deeply concerned about the implications of this Judicial Review. We are concerned about the budgetary implications of a return to 43p, because it means that the funds may run out too soon.

We will keep you posted when we have any further information.

Additional news is the publication of two select committee reports which criticise Government’s handling of the tariff changes. Listen again to Tim Yeo on Radio 4.

other examples of coverage in the media can be found on
Guardian Report
Solarpowerportal

And of course our own site, which is here:

Solar Twin

Best regards,

Chris Wilcox

Email: chris.wilcox@solartwin.com
Phone: 01244 403 407
Web: http://www.solartwin.com/

The winter season delivers bitter cold, snow shovelling and, if your attic insulation is insufficient, ice dams.  Here are ideas to steer clear of this common winter weather complaint.  This now applies to the UK as well as North America.

Two years back we had an unusually snowy and chilly winter, like last year. The extreme temperatures and snow affected recently renovated 4 seasons porches. Ice dams had formed in this inclusion to  residences due to the fact these folks hadn’t appropriately insulated the area.

What brings about ice dams? Once snow accumulates on your roof, it eventually melts off. The melting usually doesn’t happen right up until the shingles of your ceiling get to a temperature over the freezing point. This getting warm can occur two means: the the winter season sun or from heat returning from below the snow via your attic. If the warmth is arriving from your residence, it indicates you both possess a leak in your attic or inadequate attic insulation. Once the heat melts the snow and the snow refreezes at night, it turns into ice. If this approach repeats itself for too lengthy a interval throughout the winter, the melting drinking water can discover its way below your shingles and maybe into your residence. Therefore, the Snow may reveal issues you can’t ignore.

How do you know if you have ice dams? It’s rather simple. If you have big icicles hanging from your ceiling, you possess ice dams.

Can you get rid of them? Yes, but prevent the urge to get up there with your blow dryer. If you are concerned which harm is becoming done, you can employ a elimination producer who will use steam to clear away the ice.

Which can you do to steer clear of the problem? The most likely obtain of problems is an air leak, in particular if you have a newer home. A lot new properties possess sufficient attic insulation but it is tricky to seal all holes. Also little passageways for air from the property to the attic can heat issues up sufficient to result in an ice dam. So action one is to locate and seal holes with caulk or foam insulation. Move two is to add attic insulation; reflective foil is a great choice.

Many teens have and always will have unenviable and often ‘nuisance’ life styles.
Lets look at what teenagers like to do.

 Belong to a tribe or team eg. Join a gang, support a sports team, follow a particular music group.

 Try new things eg. The way they dress, dallying with substance abuse.

 Try to shock their elders eg. Dress, alcohol use, smoke, think they invented sex.

 Teens get bored – very easily e.g Hang out on street corners,  use childrens’ play areas that are too small for them. Also heard to say
“I’m bored”

 “They don’t give us anything to do”.  Who are they?  – blank look.

Many teenagers lack confidence, lack imagination, don’t know what goal setting means, have had to grow up with inadequate role models from a young age.

So, What to do?  Throwing money at problems rarely works – the Country is broke anyway.  If it’s not the bankers it’s a war somewhere that drains our cash away.

We need to find something that will –

  Give them an established team to belong to for support and loyalty.

 Allow them to “Be themselves”  during leisure time. Dress as they please and behave as they please within the law.

 Provide social facilities where possible.

 Provide any teaching that may be needed and teach them a trade.

 Feed them a balanced diet.

This seems like paradise.  But, while there is a war somewhere and politicians know they could run that country better, paradise it is not.

I should add here that I am not and never have been a member of a Political Party. I was a secondary school teacher. I have seen substance abuse, poverty, deprivation, violence, homelessness – Mother let his room while he was at school, trauma – child coming into school because there was nowhere else to go after she had seen her father strangle her mother to death. The child blamed herself because she couldn’t remember the number to call.  All this was in the affluent S.E. of the UK in the 1980’s.

Then we wonder why many of our teenagers are a mess!

You will have guessed my answer by now – CONSCRIPTION

Conscription provides the five needs set out above.  So where will the money come from when the Territorials are having their training budget slashed?

Lets make a list of the savings.
 Reduced law and order problems at night due to alchol and   accompanying violence.
 Reduced Social Security Payments
 Reduced National Health time and resources.
 Less damage to others’ property
 Less Local Council costs
 Reduced obesity – comfort eating and lack of cooking skills.
 Reduced pregnancy – The need to be loved without reserve

This my personal opinion and mine only.  It is built from a life time of involvement with and observation of teenagers and their needs in our society.

You are welcome to comment , but any inappropriate posts will be removed.

The long silence has been because I have been on a transatlantic cruise.  On the way across the Pond we called in at Santa Cruz which has a brand new cruise port courtesy of the EC and new roads and infrastructure thanks to the EC.  And McDonalds, no thanks to the USA.  Prices in the shops are considerably lower than in mainland Portugal.  Agriculture is the main employer.

The Azores are on every cruise itinerary that can possibly be wangled next year.  I’m glad I saw the beauty before they become another Tenerife.  Now I shall go nurse my cold,  the worst in years, contract via the ship’s air conditioning.  I had pills with me for everything except a cold!

The first thing I noticed was the lack of special offers on instant coffee.  There were no more wars than usual in the coffee growing regions, so it must be disease  or climate to blame.  Most coffee growing regions have no problem finding workers.  It’s unlikey that disease would strike in all areas at the same time.  This leaves us with – you’ve guessed climate change problems.

Then I saw a report from Columbia saying how bad the coffee harvest is.

My advise is, if you are a coffee drinker, either ‘real’ or instant, buy now and stock up for a siege.  Coffee prices will not be falling and are already rising!

Don’t forget you can save money on household bills by installing a Powertune plug-in Energy saver.

This extract from France24  just about sums up the European view of the US psyche.  Never mind, 50 people have been killed in the Carribean but our oil and petrol production will be OK.  What price a human life compared to a barrel of oil?

• Some County in Minnesota is going to disband it’s Police Force to save money!?!?
• Poland that has been invaded more than any other European Country because it is flat and slap bang in the middle of the continent so trouble comes from all sides.  So how are they going to fight the credit crunch?  By cutting their defence budget, of course!
• Orlando, Florida.  39 bus routes are to to face cuts.  So, how will people have to travel?  Use cars more or walk.  In a land built for a minimum of four wheels each, you could die of starvation walking to a shop.  I know, I tried walking there, but gave up and hired a car.
• Next to save costs Mr Bush is cutting the Science budget, presumably so he can have his country continue fighting everyone else’s war.  Not the defence side of this budget, but the area that did atmospheric research to try to find ways of helping the world’s poorest nations fight climate change.
• China has had to take cars off the road to fight pollution because of the Olympic Games.  This means that the people who were  disposessed and given no compensation because their homes were in the way of the stadium,  can sleep in the open and actually see the stars for the first time in years.
• David and Goliath have taken up arms and Israel is coming in on David’s side.  Doesn’t Israel have enough trouble at home without mixing it on Georgia’s side against mighty Russia. 
• And who is just round the corner?  Poland who is cutting its defense budget! 

 But, what I am certain of is that spending a little on a Powertune energy saver will save a lot of money and energy.  At least something is reliable and makes sense in the world. today.

And where is there the most oil?   ALASKA The Last Wilderness. I’ve been to Alaska.  Go there now to see the beauty that will be lost through mans’ greed.   

Did you see ‘Burn Up’ last night @ 2100 on BBC2?  Second part Friday.rrels of oil now recoverable rom the Arctic Circle should be enough to meet the     This drama production is in danger of getting far nearer to the truth than Channel 4. It is both entertaining and frighteningly factual.  It would make an ideal study  for ‘A’ level.

LETS GET SOME DISCUSSION GOING ON THIS POST!

I’m trying to do my bit to offset the consequences of the energy crisis as it is now called.  Pop over to my PowertuneEnergySaver site and see what I mean.

The repot said that deforestation worldwide has been caused by population pressure.  True in part, people need firewood to cook in many regions also wood for building.

It’s easy to blame the world’s problems on lack of birth control.  In many areas there is need for a high birth rate because people die so young for a vaiety of reasons.

BUT, what about us?  We like our Teak garden furniture.  Too often wood from non-sustainable sources is used.  This means when the tree is felled, all the nutrients in the tree are removed from an ecosystem and the soil ‘dies’.

Brazil is a problem.  Rich land barons ravage the rainforest to turn it into grassland.  Why? to graze cattle on for a couple of years until the soil ‘dies’ in another place.  But never mind there’s plenty more rain forest and the natives are illiterate so what does it matter?!

So, what happens to the animals?  juicy steaks and corned beef for stomachs that don’t need it.

Question.  Can anyone tell me the make of corned beef that does not come from South America?   Or, have we got the the China syndrome?  It’s cheap and good value but I would buy British if anybody still made it here!

A product which is not made in Brazil or China is Powertune Energy Saver. Take a look and see how to save 25% off your electricity bill with zero effort!