CERNUNNOS
Learn how 1,000’s of UK households are slashing their energy bills, and enjoying a passive income worth £100’s – even £1,000’s each year, thanks to the latest renewable energy saving technologies.
Cernunnos Homes Design • Finance • Installation • Maintenance Impartial advice, installation and maintenance services to help you maximise your return on your renewable energy investment.
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The case for renewable energy With traditional ‘fossil fuels’ becoming ever more scarce – and the carbon impact of those fuels more widely understood – governments are under pressure to embrace cleaner, more sustainable energy sources. To help achieve demanding European carbon reduction targets – and ensure long term energy security – the UK Government in particular is offering generous financial incentives to households who invest in ‘sustainable’ energy. As a result, savvy homeowners who adopt solar, wind and other renewable energy sources are realising investment returns in excess of 10% APR – inflation linked. They’re also saving £100s each year– protecting themselves from spiralling energy prices (which continue to rise faster than headline inflation rates) whilst minimising their personal ‘carbon footprint’. And the really good news is: the initial costs associated with solar panels, heat pumps, pellet burners and the like are now lower than ever before – and can be recouped in just a few short years.
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Solar panels offer tax-free return of 10% per annum A tax-free, indexlinked return of 10 percent a year, guaranteed for 25 years may sound too good to be true. But this is the level of return the Government claims you could receive by investing in a solar panel system for your home...
Seven in ten consumers worried about energy bills Research by moneysuperm arket.com found that 40 per cent of households are concerned about the cost of heating their home and 28 per cent are struggling with their bill s. Last year, the poll revealed that 27 per cent of consumers were worried about how much it costs to put the boiler on. Much of this anxiety is down to recent price hikes from energy supplie rs...
UK energy bills set to rise by 25% Industry leaders of the UK ’s largest energy companies have explained today to a com mittee of coalition politicians tha t energy bills are going to increase over the coming years. United, the y told the government’s ‘Energy Com mittee’ that the upward trend of direction of wholesale prices would me an that domestic and commercia l energy bills will get considerably more expensive in the next ten years...
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Why choose Cernunnos Homes Cernunnos Homes is one of the only UK based company to offer a complete renewable energy advisory, installation and support service – spanning solar panels (both thermal and photovoltaic), domestic wind turbines, air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and biomass boilers (log burners).
Our independence enables us to offer our customers the entire range of energy solutions and products from all the leading manufacturers – and at the most competitive prices. Importantly (and unusually), we focus on the economic aspects of renewable energy adoption – recommending, customising, installing and maintaining proven systems, many of which are eligible for generous government incentives – enabling you to maximise your return on your investment whilst cutting your own carbon emissions. In other words, we help you to save you money – whilst you help to save the planet. Our advisory services are available at no charge and with no obligation. As needed, our highly trained consultants will explain which of the available technologies is most suitable for your property. They will outline the installation process and detail the associated costs – providing you with an estimate for the related finance (should you need it) together with a projection of the likely ‘pay back’ period; the savings you can expect to make, and any financial incentives that are applicable. Should you then decide to proceed, your chosen system will be installed at your convenience by our own fully accredited engineers.
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Your new system will be backed both by the standard (15-25 year) manufacturer’s warranty and our own unique satisfaction-assured guarantee. An established family run business, Cernunnos Homes offers its customers a uniquely ‘commercial’ perspective on the renewable energy market – drawing on a combined 40 years’ technical, financial and engineering experience. Launched in 1999, Cernunnos completed its first development of eco-houses in 2011 – along the way, attracting considerable media interest and a number of industry awards. The project was led by the company’s chief engineer, Paul Griffiths, who in turn boasts over 20 years’ construction industry experience. The team’s commitment to the highest standards of service is reflected in the exclusive distribution deals that it has secured with leading manufacturers such as Energie Solar – enabling Cernunnos to offer the most efficient systems at the most competitive prices. For the record, Cernunnos (pronounced Ker-noonoss) is the Celtic god synonymous with both nature and commerce. Like the company that now bears its name, Cernunnos symbolises the unification of economics and environmentalism.
Cogeneration – for an ‘end to end’ carbon neutral energy solution Our independence enable us to recommend the technologies and products, that are just right for our customers. Moreover, utilising two or more systems ‘in tandem’ allows us to design complete energy solutions that deliver unrivalled cost savings. Take, by way of example, a standard ground or air source heat pump. Although it’s incredibly efficient, a heat pump requires electricity in order to run. That electricity could be generated using solar PV (photovoltaic) panels, to create a truly carbon neutral system. As importantly, combining the use of a heat pump with that of solar panels entitles you to take advantage of not one but two government incentives: the Feed In Tariff and the Renewable Heat Incentive (see page 8).
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Your renewable energy options – at a gl
Solar PV (Photovoltaic)
Solar thermal
Ground source heat pumps
Solar panels capture and convert the sun's energy into electricity using PV cells. Direct sunlight is not essential. And it is possible generate electricity all year round – even on cloudy days. (You will have seen this technology in solar powered calculators, which only need light, rather than sunlight to work.)
Not to be confused with solar PV – which creates electricity – solar thermal panels create hot water and heating for your home.
The temperature just a few feet underground rarely changes, regardless of the temperature at ground level. Ground source heat pumps use this differential to create hot water, and to heat radiators and under floor heating systems.
The resulting electricity may be used by you, or sold back to the grid. Solar PV is a tried and tested technology that can be used in most properties in the UK. The UK Feed In Tariff makes solar PV a very attractive investment proposition too – delivering inflation linked annual returns in excess of 10%.
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Much more flexible than solar PV panels – and requiring less space – they will be covered by the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive, which effectively pays you to generate your own hot water and heating. Solar thermal systems are proven to work in the UK. And the latest technology combines solar thermal panels with heat pumps to create even more efficient systems. (One such example is the Energie-Solar Thermal system featured on page 10.)
The system passes water along underground pipes then through the heat pump, which uses thermodynamics to boost the temperature. Ground source heat pumps can also produce hot water. They do however require a lot of land (or a lake) in which the pipes can be buried. That said, they are extremely efficient, and a preferred technology for new build projects.
For more detailed information on the technologies that are available – and how th 22/03/2011 08:21
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Air source heat pumps
Domestic wind turbines
Biomass and log burners
Air source heat pumps work like refrigerators in reverse: whilst in a fridge the hot air is extracted, in an air source heat pump cooler air is extracted and replaced with warmer air.
The Sustainable Development Commission reports that the UK has the best and most geographically diverse wind resources in Europe. It therefore makes sense that wind power should be one of the leading renewable technologies in the UK.
It seems counterintuitive for enclosed log burners to be considered a ‘renewable’ energy source. The key is in the related fuel (usually wood), which originates from sustainable sources and is replaced immediately it is harvested.
Although the domestic market is still developing, and the turbines can be costly, under the right conditions they can also be extremely profitable thanks to the amount of energy that they can produce.
From small log burners to huge industrial biomass boilers there’s a log or pellet burning system to meet your needs - whether you’re interested in heating an individual room and/or hot water tank, or seeking a large scale system to meet all your heating needs.
Air source heat pumps rank amongst the most flexible of renewable energy technologies as they can be installed almost anywhere (rather like air conditioning units). Similar to ground source heat pumps, they use the principles of thermodynamics to produce heat for your home or business.
It is essential to obtain a detailed site survey before you consider installing this technology. But if your property is suitable, there are enormous financial benefits to be had.
And provided your system is MCS registered, it will qualify for the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive too.
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The UK Feed In Tariff Rewarding you for the The Feed In Tariff electricity that you in practice produce (whether you Let’s assume that you currently use 4,000 kWh of every year and are charged £0.12 per kWh use that electricity or not) electricity by your energy supplier, resulting in an annual bill of
The scheme is divided into two parts: A Generation Tariff – which pays you a fixed rate per kWh (Kilo Watt Hour) of renewable electricity that you produce – even if you use that electricity yourself (the rates paid are dependent on the property and system size and are shown below), Technology Solar PV Solar PV Solar PV Solar PV Solar PV Solar PV Wind Wind Wind Wind Wind Wind Micro CHP
Tariff Tariff Rate Lifetime (yrs) (p/kWh) <4kW (retro fit) 25 41.3 >4kW (new build) 25 36.1 4-10kW 25 36.1 10-100kW 25 31.4 100kW-5MW 25 29.3 Standalone 25 29.3 <1.5kW 20 34.5 >1.5-15kW 20 26.7 >15-100kW 20 24.1 >100-500kW 20 18.8 >500-1.5MW 20 9.4 >1.5-5MW 20 4.5 <2kW 10 10.0
£480.
You then install a 10 panel Solar PV system (at a cost of £8,171.75). Assuming that system produces 1,588 kWh of electricity per annum, and you use 50% and export 50% of that electricity, each year you will receive: Generation Income
£0.413 * 1,588
£655.84
Export Tariff
£0.03 * (1,588 / 2)
£23.82
Total
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£679.66
System Size
and
Also, as you are using 50% of the electricity that you generated, you will also save £95.28 per annum on your electricity bill. So, in this example: Total combined earnings and savings
25 years (inflation linked) – with the Generation payments being Income Tax Free: giving you a Return On Investment of over 130%!
An Export Tariff - which pays you 3p/kWh for electricity that you do not use, which is subsequently ‘fed back’ into the national grid.
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The Feed In Tariff is income tax free, inflation linked, guaranteed for 25 years and offers protection from future rises in energy prices.
£774.94 per annum
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In April 2010 the UK Government introduced a Feed In Tariff scheme – to encourage the adoption of renewable electricity throughout the UK.
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The UK Renewable Heat Incentive – June 2011
An informed investment decision
In June 2011 the Government will introduce the Renewable Heat Incentive for the Non-Domestic sector.
You can expect your Cernunnos system to pay for itself within a few short years. And to begin earning (and saving) you money right away.
In June 2011 the Government will introduce the Renewable Heat Incentive for the Non-Domestic sector.
Whichever measure you use to calculate your return, you’ll find that an investment in renewable energy will easily outperform the currently applicable rates for savings accounts or bonds.
How it works Let us assume that you currently use 45,000 kWh of energy to heat your business. You then install an approved renewable energy system which provides the same level of heating, and costs £19,756.10 to install. In this example, your annual bills against RHI: Gas
£2,117.65
Oil
£2,647.06
RHI
Only £1,350
Your new bill would be £1,350 (this is the cost of the electricity required to run the heating system) – saving you up to £1,200 or even more every year. You will also receive an annual RHI payment of
£3375 (£0.075 * 45,000)
Your combined annual savings and earnings would therefore total:
£2,025
Depending on your location, and the performance of your chosen system, the Feed In tariff should return around 5% per annum - the Renewable Heat Incentive, approximately 12%. Payments under both these incentives are inflation linked. So, taking the example from page 8, whereby we installed a Solar PV system (resulting in annual savings of £774.94), the total return on your investment would be 137.08%, equating to an inflation linked APR (annual percentage return) of 3.51%, tax free. Taking the RHI example above, we can see that the investment return, when compared to gas, is 852.16% - equivalent to an inflation linked tax free APR of 11.93%.
The RHI is inflation linked and will be offered for a period of between ten and 23 years depending on the type of system that you choose. And of course your property may also be suitable for solar PV panels or a wind turbine – enabling you to offset the costs of running your new heating system, and benefit from the Government’s Feed In Tariff.
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Choosing the right system for your ho Because we operate independently of any manufacturer, we are able to provide our clients with impartial, honest and dependable advice – recommending only those systems which, research shows, offer the very best cost/ performance. Just a few of those products are featured here.
Energie Solar Thermal Dynamic Heating System There are relatively few registered MCS1 systems for Solar Thermal (compared with 585 for Solar PV systems). By far the best in our view is the nextgeneration Energie-Solar Thermodynamic system: a breakthrough in thermal heat technology that combines solar thermal panels with the mechanics of thermodynamics found in air source and ground source heat pumps.
Solar-World SunModule Plus Solar PV System The multi award winning SolarWorld SunModule Plus system combines impressive cost/performance with simple and flexible installation. The system’s proven track record is reflected in the manufacturer’s 25 year warranty.
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1 The MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) is the national standard for microgeneration products and installers. It is also a prerequisite of eligibility for the government’s Feed In Tariff and Renewable Heat Incentive.
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ur home pUre Solar Thermal Evacuated Tubes
MPS Solar Thermal Collectors
One of the most efficient and cost effective solar thermal collectors currently on the market, this low maintenance system is suitable for domestic hot water applications. It is backed by a 15 year guarantee and can be installed on most properties. On a cost/performance basis, we believe this is one of the best solar thermal systems available for hot water applications.
These attractive solar thermal collectors will stand up to the worst the weather has to throw at them. And their 2m panels rank among the largest on the market. Importantly, a ventilation system on the panel eliminates the problem of condensation in the mornings – allowing the panels to reach maximum efficiency far quicker than their competitors.
MCZ Biomass Pellet Burners
For more information on these – and our catalogue of complementary products and solutions, telephone us on: 0845 680 2183 or visit: www.cernunnos-homes.com
These stylish Pellet burners are a simple and effective way to provide both space heating and domestic hot water. And because they are MCS registered, they are covered by the Renewable Heating Incentive, making them a great way to heat your home whilst earning you money.
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Choosing the right system for your ho Energie Solar Thermal Solar Panel system The Energie-Solar system is the first “nextgeneration” solar thermal system to use a refrigerant gas - rather than the more commonly used water or antifreeze – in its panels. The system works in a similar way to a refrigerator, albeit in reverse. When it is pumped into the solar panels, outside the house, the temperature change causes the refrigerant fluid to become gaseous. This gas is then transferred to a heat exchanger that increases the pressure of the gas – thereby creating even more heat (thanks to the laws of thermodynamics). This heat is then transferred to the water circuit. As the pressure is increased, the gas reverts to a liquid and is sent back to the solar panel to restart the process.
The heat exchanger resembles those found in ground source and air source heat pumps, and the thermodynamics of the system work in a similar way. The panels are arranged just like other solar panels: the greater the number of panels, the greater the heat that is produced. A small 4 block system will produce enough heat for a household’s water heating requirement; a large 16 or 24 block system will produce enough heat for a large house’s water heating and space heating requirements - all year round. The Energie Solar Thermal system generates heat in outside temperatures as low as -10 degrees. So it will work 95% of the time in the south of the UK (night and day) – unlike other solar thermal systems that generally work only 60% of the time (and only during the day). It also eliminates the risk of pipes freezing.
The refrigerant fluid used in the system is called R407c. It is a very stable fluid that has strong thermodynamic properties. It is also environmentally friendly. Should it ever escape into the atmosphere it does not represent a threat to people.
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The Energie Solar Thermal system is designed to meet a household’s hot water and space heater requirements, but it is also ideal for heating swimming pools, which require a lower temperature at a more constant flow rate.
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Energie Solar Thermal system and swimming pools
And of course the system is also eligible for the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive. To learn how the Solar Energie Thermal system can be used to heat your swimming pool – and your home, contact us. Telephone: 0845 680 2183, or email: info@cernunnos-homes.co.uk
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The installation process in brief The installation process is designed around our customers’ needs. As appropriate, we will be happy to work with your preferred architects and contractors – or we can provide our own professional team to design and install your equipment. Either way, you can be sure we will be discreet, tidy and punctual – minimising disruption by installing your entire system (or systems) in a single visit. And of course all our work is backed by each manufacturer’s 15-25 year warranty and our own ‘satisfaction assured’ guarantee. Moreover, our work does not come to an end once your system is up and running. Quite the contrary. Following your successful installation, we will register you for your FiT and RHI payments. Then on an ongoing basis we will monitor your equipment’s performance (to ensure you continue to derive the maximum financial benefit from your new system). And of course we will service your system for you each year. As a valued Cernunnos customer, you’ll also benefit from a 24 hour call-out service in case of emergency. And we’ll even keep you up to date with the latest renewable energy market news and developments through our regular enewsletter.
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Cernunnos building services At Cernunnos, we do a whole lot more than simply install renewable energy systems; over a decade’s construction industry experience equips us to design and deliver garden buildings, extensions – and even complete ‘eco’ homes – harnessing sustainable systems to minimise your energy costs.
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Home extensions
Your home energy audit
If you are considering building an extension, it really could pay you to choose a builder that can integrate a renewable energy system into your plans – creating an energy efficient extension that delivers an attractive financial return, and makes your home improvement work for you.
Becoming energy efficient is about more than simply installing sustainable energy systems. Research by the Energy Saving Trust reports that poorly insulated homes lose up to 35% of their heat through the walls, and a further 25% or more through the loft.
New ‘eco’ builds Planning your dream home? Cernunnos Homes can help. NHBC (National House-Building Council) registered, we specialise in building properties to the Sustainable Building Code. And our energy efficient ‘zero carbon’ homes have attracted multiple industry awards.
Our advisers will be pleased to conduct an energy efficiency review of your home, recommending affordable energy saving solutions such as cavity and loft insulation which are sure to save you money (and for which a government grant may be available). Then, as you prefer, we’ll either take care of the work for you – or ‘project manage’ your own preferred suppliers. 17
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Frequently Asked Questions Can renewable energy supply all my energy needs? No. Renewable energy systems are not capable of meeting all your energy needs. They are designed to work alongside more traditional energy systems.
Can I install my own renewable energy system? Yes, although this means you CANNOT apply for the FiT (Feed In Tariff) or RHI. To be eligible for the FiT and RHI your system must be installed by an MCS registered installer.
Is my house suitable for solar PV? As a rough guide, to be suitable for solar PV the roof of your home should be a minimum of ten square metres in size, and either south, southeast or southwest facing, with no obstructions (such as trees or buildings). To find out if your home is suitable for solar PV – or an alternative renewable energy solution, telephone: 0845 680 2183.
Is my house suitable for solar thermal? Solar Thermal is more flexible than Solar PV and can be used on roofs that are westerly, easterly or (ideally) southerly. It is not suitable for north facing roofs.
Do solar PV and solar thermal only work in the summer? No. The panels only need light, and will work on cloudy and cold winter days (although their performance will be diminished).
What exactly is my APR? This is your Annual Percentage Return APR – also known as your AER (Annual Expected Return). The figure allows you to compare your investment in renewable energy with other investment options, such as bank deposits, equities or bonds.
What should I do next?
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Postal address: 56 Cambridge Road, Impington, Cambridge, CB24 9NU.
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Contact us today to find out whether your home is suitable for a renewable energy system – and to discover exactly how much you could save and earn.
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CERNUNNOS
Designed by Jamie Bello â&#x20AC;&#x201C; jamie.bello@gmail.com
For expert advice: Telephone: 0845 680 2183 Fax: 0845 680 1183 Email: info@cernunnos-homes.co.uk
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Cernunnos Building Services, trading as Cernunnos Homes, is a member of the REAL Quality Assurance Scheme and follows the REAL Consumer Code. Details about the Consumer Code can be found at www.realassurance.org.uk with direct information about the code at www.realassurance.org.uk/pdf/leaflet.pdf Cernunnos Homes is currently registered as an MCS approved installer under the corporate name Cernunnos Building Services for Solar PV technology and is in the process for qualifying as an Approved Installer for other technologies. Cernunnos Homes is the trading name for Cernunnos Building Services. The use of the MCS and REAL logo on this brochure, and any other marketing material from Cernunnos Homes, only refers to the Solar PV technology as of February 2011. Please ask a member of Cernunnos Homes for an update if you require one.
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