Lihou gets green power with a wow factor
Monday 17th October 2011, 2:29PM BST.
Warden Richard Curtis, left, with solar power installation donor Jon Heaume and patron of the Lihou Island Charitable Trust Bailiff Sir Geoffrey Rowland. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 1189071)
LIHOU ISLAND’S new solar power system was officially opened yesterday by the Bailiff, Sir Geoffrey Rowland.
The photovoltaic system, which converts the sun’s energy into electricity, will now be the island’s main source of power.
The solar panels were donated to the Lihou Island Charitable Trust by retired accountant Jon Heaume.
It is hoped the new system will help the trust not only save £5,000 a year but will make the island more sustainable for the future.
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Great idea :) a generous gift
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Hate to do this, GP, but those are Photo Voltaic (PV) panels, not solar panels as reported above.
Solar provides hot water.
PV provides electricity.
Common mistake.
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A very nice gesture
I would imagine that one day ,beyond my lifetime,PV systems will replace the dirty fuels which the world is running out of,and might overtake wind farms and wave generators
However at 21 square metres and requiring three tons of batteries I hope there is plenty of seed money being invested on finding ways to reduce the size of these things so that eventually a PV system will be able to power electric cycles,scooters,cars,homes and office blocks etc
Development at this stage is probably akin to the ‘Flying Bedstead’ which led to the jump jet,or perhaps even the model T Ford
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I’m another Lihou now living in Cornwall and have PV system producing up to 4Kw. Thanks to a Government scheme, I receive Feed in Tariffs for all the electricity I produce, whether or not I use it (yes, that’s right!). By linking private and grid systems, storage isn’t necessary because someone else will use what’s produced. As the tariffs are guaranteed for 25 years, the investment is sound. It’s been running just over a year and is giving a return on investment of around 8 – 9% per year. That doesn’t include the savings made by not having to purchase increasingly costly energy. I’m now considering the installation of a heat pump to increase the financial and environmental benefits.
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I do hope someone has considered the total environmental cost of these PV panels. There are some very dangerous materials (as well as a lot of energy) used in their production and eventual disposal.
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Sadly my available roof does not face the right direction and do not have the land space either for a similar installation. Trying to find out if panels can be split across east and west facing roofs.
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Cornwall Pete
Don’t you go and get our Guernsey Rosie over excited now!
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