When it comes to renewable energy sources the rhetoric is clear, its better for the environment and its cheaper; it’s a no-brainer!
But, if clean energy is so beneficial, why are we so slow in making the switch? In my opinion it’s a minefield . . .
For the past two years I have led on sustainability at Notting Hill Genesis immersing myself in books, conferences, talks and materials to enable us to support our residents to make the switch. I have been accepted onto an MSc at UCL on the very subject. However, it wasn’t until I decided to explore solar for my own home that I realised we are nowhere near where we need to be in terms of education and information.
I set about my solar installation epic adventure by initially contacting my local authority helpline, I was intrigued by the advice I would be given, which turned out to be poor, completely unhelpful, and basically told me to explore the market.
Solar power may be better for the planet but it’s not entirely reliable. I have a flat roof which is south facing, which seems ideal for solar, but I had many questions. Would I need batteries to store excess energy, would they be the right size for my requirements, what storage space would they need, do they need to be maintained, if so, how often, are my existing electrics in good order, how many panels would I need to produce what I needed? One of my biggest fears was an over specified solution, paying for something I didn’t really need.
I went on to look at who was based locally (the most sustainable choice) and did the traditional tried and tested approach of of obtaining three quotes. They were wildly different, very technical and offered me still no clue as to which was the best option for my home. In the end I plumped for someone I know who travelled down from Manchester to help me get a solution I trusted.
As it happens the very same week a neighbour posted onto our WhatsApp Group for advice and help on installing solar. There is clearly a huge gap in the information provided and given the large investment required this is a problem. My neighbour’s quotes varied from £9,500 to £15,500 for the whole project
I have heard time and time again that we need to “change resident behaviour” (a phrase I strongly object to) to enable residents to interact with new technologies and buy-in to retrofit. But I am left asking the question, how do we support residents when the information is so unclear? We clearly have a lot of work to do here with the support of our supply chain and contractors . . . .
The housing adventures of Elly Hoult 