Solar water heaters come to the boil as a cash incentive tied

Government incentives are to plates meet solar water heating a financial no-brainer for millions of households in the UK, as long as they over a South-facing roof have.           Before two weeks guardian money outlined the attractiveness of electricity boards as a result of the introduction of "feed - in" tariffs that pay households for the extra energy that they produce. However, the installation is cost - around £12,500-will expose it to many people.           Solar water heaters, which are likely to pay an annual return of about £500 for the next 20 years and cost some £4,000 £5,500 for a typical 2kW are less repulsive. But make sure you not by the large number of cowboy plumbing in this sector burned.           The Government carrot is renewable heat incentive and in April will enter into force. A probably to the greatest number of houses speak - solar thermal water heating on the promotion it is far-sighted households technologies such as ground or air-source heat pumps, biomass boilers and you want to install.

You can now install it, safe in the knowledge that you get the incentive payments - around £400 per year be - in 14 months.           Solar thermal use solar energy collecting plates to absorb heat from the Sun. The hot water is pumped then, a storage cylinder to warm its contents. Ideally you should be a South-facing roof - South East or South West works too, but not as efficient.           Thermal solar panels should provide most of your hot water needs from April to September and one post to increase your water temperature in the remaining months, and saves you up to $ 100 a year on bills. Solar panels are compatible with the most hot water systems, although you need to keep a cylinder large enough, two days worth of hot water.           When is a "combined", it possible complications, and you must with the manufacturer to see, check whether it accepts preheated water.           The Government is still consulting on its proposals. When it made the announcement, said the Department of energy and climate change (DECC), it would be to pay households installing solar thermal 18 p per kWh, although it still to work out how they are calculated, since it is impossible to measure the output of a solar Arbeitsfluids.           On the top of annual £400 the Government has indicated, it will be worth, households can expect lower energy costs. A solar system can up to half of your needs, reduce your heating costs between £50 and £100 per year, depending on the use. With a careful management you can get this number up to 70%.      The "clean energy payments" to get as it is called, you must meet certain criteria. You will get only the money, installed when your system from a Microgeneration Certification scheme approved Installer, which is controversial, because many small companies, the successful renewable companies installing have built up not MCS approved. In the past it was become accredited expensive.           Because the system must be approved, this seems to also exclude the £ 400-a-year payments for those, the building their own systems. Many of the 100,000 solar water heaters already used in British households, are even built Affairs.           Even if you are your system prior to the installation of July last year, does not entitle you to the payments.           David Matthews, Chief Executive of the solar trade association, says the renewable heat incentive will be the biggest thing, renewables are taken. But, he asked, why the financial support for solar thermal was lower than in other technologies.           The DECC has said it wants to be the return on investment for the installation of solar thermal energy to around 6%, but there are payments, which equate to a return of 12% for the installation of biomass boilers or heat pumps.           Now, if you have the money and a suitable roof or other place to place your plates, you can plan your installation. Since the DECC still to finalize how it is to go to work, and it is a change of Government in may, can it's worth waiting a couple of months before you on the dotted line. In other words, the Conservatives have indicated that they support the policy, so you can begin, the brochures and working conditions to find out whether it works for you.           • The pressure on the Government grows on households that have installed give to generous feed-in tariff as the appropriate electricity generating photovoltaic panels the same access they now have. Who implement these plates on the roofs now produce 41 p per kWh they are paid, and the new tariff is expected thousands of new plants.           Early adopters are up in arms, because many see their payments fall under the conditions of the system 9 p per kWh. There is a petition in the No 10 website calling for tariffs be compensated. The Conservatives have said that they give access to the higher one feed compensation, all PV generators if to win them the next election.