Energy
Renewable Energy Generation
The Government is offering to pay up to double the going rate for electricity generated from solar electric panels under the Feed In Tariff Scheme. The rates vary depending on the type of generation
An excellent source of impartial information about generating your own electricity.
An excellent source of facts about the energy problem by the government's chief scientist. A free download.
Cheshires Renewable Energy Initiative
Solar Electric PV (Photo-Voltaic)
See the Energy Saving Trust pages on PV Panels
Solar Thermal
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is designed to provide financial support that encourages individuals, communities and businesses to switch from using fossil fuel for heating, to renewables such as wood fuel. The actual rate of the incentive will not be announced until June, but any schemes installed now by approved installers, will qualify for the incentive when it begins.
Appropriate Technologies are:-
- Air, water and ground-source heat pumps
- Solar thermal
- Biomass boilers
- Renewable combined heat and power
- Use of biogas and bioliquids
- Injection of biomethane into the natural gas grid.
Wind
There are a number of wind turbines installed or planned in the area. You can learn quite a lot about them from our Google map, or by searching for the word "turbine" in Cheshire East's Planning Portal.
View Wind power around Macclesfield in a larger map
If you are wondering whether your site is suitable you may like to consider investing a couple of hundred pounds in a "Power Predictor" to measure the wind speed over a period of several months before you commit to several thousand pounds of investment. Their data-logger saves the average wind speed to a memory card.
The file can be uploaded to the website where a financial projection is generated from your data, illustrating the pay-back calculation for several models of turbine.
There is a Power Predictor installed locally which uses a DIY mast to support the wind meter at the height of the proposed turbine rotor.
The majority in wind turbines installed around Macclesfield are 6kW Proven 11 models. There is now a 6kW Ampair 6000 which is about £10,000 cheaper for the same output.
Ridgeblade is a novel idea for urban wind generation, using the acceleration of the wind as it passes over a pitched roof to reduce the cost and visual impact of the turbine. more
Hydroelectricity
Bollington Carbon Revolution investigated generating water power from the Bollin, and there is a new 12kw 35m head scheme being built at Gradbach. Here is the thinking of people in Bosley
If you are looking for a VERY small water turbine, PowerPal may be of interest.
More on Hydro from The Carbon Trust and the British Hydropower Association
“Get Generating” – A renewable energy guide for rural communities
Rural communities are becoming increasingly aware of the opportunities that renewable energy can offer particularly for the many rural areas that do not have a mains gas connection. However the huge range of organisations, resources and information available nationally and locally on renewable energy can be confusing. A new guide, titled "Get Generating" produced by ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) in partnership with the CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England), CRC (Commission for Rural Communities) and NALC (National Association of Local Councils) is now available to assist groups in considering their option when thinking about developing a renewable energy scheme. Download a copy of the guide Get Generating A Renewable Energy Guide for Rural Communities