It’s been an exceptional start to 2013 for the renewable energy industry, with a general feeling that 2013 is going to be a positive year. Following a turbulent 2012, we are now back at a stage where – thanks to 50 per cent panel reductions in the past 12 months – solar PV costs much less to install yet continues to offer 12-14 per cent returns each year.
Exciting projects in 2013
Personally, I have felt hugely optimistic too: just this month SunGift has seen a pick up in both our domestic and commercial renewable energy installations, including starting work on a 250 kW solar PV array for Numatic (makers of Henry Vaccuum cleaners); winning a competitive tender to install 200 kW of solar PV on Exeter City Council buildings; and completing work on a 60 kW commercial water source heat pump system.
But that’s just the start, as current industry analysis suggests that the UK might install a gigantic 1 GW (1,000,000 kW) of solar PV in the first three months of 2013. This will almost double the UK’s PV capacity in a very short space of time. In the SunGift office we’re certainly seeing the positive signs too, with an upturn in the number of domestic and commercial solar PV installs we carry out and interest in our Green Energy Account (which enables householders to have the technology installed without any upfront costs).
$2.5 billion PV development
The positivity is also reflected on a global scale, including a $2.5 billion solar PV investment from US business magnate Warren Buffett (more details below).
As I write this newsletter we are also working hard on our new ‘Refer a Friend’ scheme, that will reward you with fantastic gifts – all from first class SunGift business customers – for recommending our services to others. We hope to release full details of this soon.
As always, if you have any renewable energy queries or would like to talk to one of our team of experts at any time, please design@sungiftsolar.co.uk or call us on 01392 213912.
Gabriel Wondrausch
Managing director
