Generating your own energy can be good for the environment and good for your pocket too. Low carbon technologies such as solar panels, heat pumps and wind turbines use renewable sources of energy, so you use less fossil fuel, which reduces your carbon footprint as well as your fuel bills. What’s more, with government financial incentives available, there’s never been a better time to install. Find out more now!
Established in 1997 by father and son, Bill and Chris Hopkins, Ploughcroft has long been at the heart of roofing and building maintenance. In 2006 Ploughcroft branched out into low carbon technologies and renewable energy and since then we have won many prestigious awards including the SME business of the year and the National Corgi award for Best Green Business.
At Ploughcroft, we are proud of our commitment to providing our customers with the best quality service that will not only help save you money, but will also help save the planet. Have a look below at some of the products we offer:
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Our experience and reputation in PV solar energy has helped us become one of the leading suppliers and installers of solar panels within the United Kingdom. Supplying both commercial and domestic suppliers, we provide installation, training and advice on how to make solar energy work for you. Photovolaic (PV) panels work by capturing the sun’s energy using photovoltaic cells and even generate electricity on cloudy days through defused radiation. There are many benefits of solar panels. Once they are installed, they are totally free to use and a 4kWp system installed on your roof could generate over 3434 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Another reason why solar panels are so popular is because they could actually make you money! If your system is eligible for the feed-in tariff scheme, your solar panels could save and generate an income of around £980 a year!
As the United Kingdom receives 60% the amount of sunlight received on the equator, there really is no reason not to heat your water through the power of the sun! Thermal solar panels have many benefits and work similarly to your average solar panels, but instead of generating electricity, they instead heat the water in your home. Throughout the year, thermal solar panels can provide your home with up to 70% of your hot water needs, saving a typical family between £50-£80 a year on bills. Not only this, but depending on which heating system you are replacing, you could save 5410kg of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere every year.
Heat pumps are an innovative and relatively new way of generating heat within your home. Ground source heat pumps work by absorbing the energy and heat within the ground before transferring it back into your heating system. Air source pumps work similarly to ground source pumps but instead they benefit of the heat contained within the air, even in temperatures of -15°C. Both heat pumps provide great ways of saving money and the Energy Savings Trust states that a typical air source heat pump could save you up to £330 a year. Heat pumps are also known as an ‘install and forget’ energy technology, with both pumps needing minimal attention once they are installed.
Wind turbines are a great alternative source of renewable energy and are brilliant in that when they are creating excess energy, the unwanted energy is then fed directly into the national grid – which actually makes you money! The Evoco 10kW turbine can generate up to 45,00kWh of energy per year. As the average house in the United Kingdom consumes a mere 3300kWh of energy per year, it means that one turbine can cover the needs of up to thirteen houses! This also means that a productive Evoco 10kW wind turbine can save the equivalent of 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being introduced to the atmosphere every year. With wind turbines lasting up to 25 years, they are an excellent investment and a lucrative money saving source of energy.
Roofing and loft insulation is a fantastic way to save money on your heating bills. With just a 270mm layer of insulation in your loft, you could be looking at savings of up to £175 a year. With up to a quarter of heat lost through a poorly insulated roof, and with bills constantly on the rise, there is no better time to get your loft insulated. Over a lifetime of up to 40 years, roofing and loft insulation can save you up to £7000 in bills and up to 720kg of carbon dioxide production per year.