A firm of renewable energy expert have found a solution to the problem of installing solar power systems on flat-roofed properties.
St Asaph-based Carbon Zero UK have pioneered a special design of solar panel mounting specially for flat roofs which will mean their owners can start to cash in on Government-backed feed-in tariffs.
These can earn the owner of an average house more than £40,000 over the 25-year life cycle of a solar heating system but installing solar panels on flat-roofed properties could contravene planning laws.
But Carbon Zero have developed special brackets that tilt the panels towards the sun without breaching height regulations, saving money on expensive planning applications.
The idea is the brainchild of Carbon Zero UK Managing Director Gareth Jones, from Llandudno, who developed it alongside steel fabrication designer Craig Coates, from Northwich.
He said: “Anything on top of a flat roof which is more than 20 centimetres or eight inches high needs planning permission and the conventional means of installing solar panels on a flat roof was higher than that and it was bulky, unsightly and made of heavy duty black plastic.
“It was anchored in place with bags of sand and when one of our clients said he thought it was ugly I agreed and decided to try and do something about it.
“The result is these neat steel brackets which don’t raise the panels over 20cm so they save on planning applications, they can be easily kept in place with concrete paving slabs which are hidden by the panel and they don’t involve drilling holes in the flat roof which is always a bad idea.”
Carbon Zero UK, who were founded in 2009 by Gareth Jones, from Llandudno, specialises in installing ‘green’ energy systems for homes and businesses and has seen its business grow rapidly.
They are experts at harnessing sun, wind, water and even the power of the air and the earth to benefit businesses with cheap power and free water and heating.
They supply and install a range of systems from solar panels for heating to wind turbines, air and ground source heating, rainwater harvesting and biomass systems for energy and heating.
But many owners of flat-roofed properties were put off solar power by the prospect of having to negotiate the planning process and Gareth said: “Once you need planning you get into all sorts of extra costs.
“But these panels are so low they don’t need planning permission and although they can’t be seen they work so well and they can be adapted to take any make of solar panel.
“They can also be any powder-coated to any colour they need to be so they can blend in if the building is overlooked.
“We’re now hoping to be able to market the brackets to other solar power installers because we feel they really do represent an ideal solution to the problem posed by flat roofs.”
Carbon Zero have seen a massive increase in business this year and Gareth Jones said: “The renewables sector is just taking off so much, solar power, air and ground source heating, small scale wind turbines, rainwater harvesting and biomass boilers.
“There are government incentives for solar power and for ‘green’ heating systems and by 2020 every new build will have to be self-sustaining which is very exciting and means a whole new approach to construction. It’s really exciting to be involved in it.
“Solar is the big seller and we are currently taking up to 30 enquiries a week for solar power alone but there is also plenty of interest in other renewable systems such as biomass heating and rainwater harvesting.”
