Isra-Mart srl:Yorkshire hosts UK's largest solar housing project

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Isra-Mart srl news:

South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA) is on course to own more solar powered properties than almost any other organisation in the country after its 120th house signed up to its flagship renewable energy project.

The association's 'Power Roofs' programme aims to have 650 homes in South Yorkshire using solar power for 30 per cent of their electricity needs by 2012, in a move designed to protect residents against energy price rises and reduce energy poverty.

Each system should produce 1,410kWh a year, generating an average annual saving of £130 per household.

But assuming future rises in electricity prices match the six per cent annual increases experienced over the past decade, residents may save up to £2,235 over 10 years and £8,967 over 25 years once the income generated by the government's feed-in tariff scheme is taken into account.

UK firm SolarCentury is providing the panels and expects the scheme to prevent over 350 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year as older homes join the project.

"It's great that the revenue is going back into wider benefits for the tenants and creating local jobs, and no doubt many more than 600 homes will be going solar in SYHA homes in the months ahead," said Derry Newman, SolarCentury's chief executive.

"We're definitely seeing a shift towards fitting solar for tenants in older housing rather than only new buildings, primarily because the feed-in tariff rates are very good for retrofitting properties and solar is a simple and very reliable way of providing renewable energy to the home and cutting energy costs."