February 2010 - update: Gloucestershire Renewable Energy Grant scheme has closed - sorry!

Grants are still available for a micro generation installation from the DTI's Low Carbon Buildings website. The grant is provided directly to you and does not effect our quotation price. 

For solar thermal (solar hot water) a grant of £400 is available provided you meet the following criteria:

a. a minimum of 270mm of loft insulation to meet current building regulations, where practicable - e.g. 270mm of mineral wool. (You can buy Thermafleece sheep's wool insulation from The Greenshop)
b. installed cavity wall insulation (if you have cavity walls)
c. fitted in all appropriate light fittings (which you can buy at the Greenshop)
d. installed basic controls for your heating system to include a room thermostat and a programmer or timer.

The rationale for this is that all these measures are more cost effective ways to reduce carbon emissions than simply installing a solar water heating system and should be done first.

For more information, and to apply for a grant see: www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/Grants-for-your-home - you will need a quotation from us as part of your grant application, this can be obtained from our on-line estimator .

The grants will end towards the end of 2010 and will be replaced by the Feed in Tariff (FiT). 

Feed in Tariff from April 2011

The government has said that from April 2011 a Renewable Heat Incentive Feed in Tariff will be implemented, it is suggesting a payment rate of 18p/kwhr see  http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn10_010/pn10_010.aspx for the full statement. This will mean a typical domestic hot water system with 4 or 5m2 of collector will earn about £360 per year whilst supplying you with free hot water! A space heating support system with 10m2 of collector will obviously produce more solar heat energy and earn you more money.