Testimonials
Solar PV - Mike & Janet Williams
Holmfirth residents, Mike and Janet Williams had Solar PV panels installed on their garage roof by Yorkshire Energy Services’ specialist solar installations team, ‘YESrenewables.’
Mike and Janet are both self employed management consultants and moved to the area 20 years ago to enjoy the picturesque Pennine countryside. The couple have always been interested in renewable technology and have been very active over the last 3 years in reducing their domestic energy consumption. ‘We wanted to look at new ways to cut our carbon footprint and live more efficiently’ explained Mike. ‘We had already done a lot of work on internal insulation and draught proofing, so Solar PV seemed the next logical step.
During the summer, Mike and Janet received a leaflet promoting Yorkshire Energy Services’ Solar PV offer. ‘We had looked at a few national
installers including our own energy provider, but decided to get in touch with Y.E.S. as they are a local company who we have had contact with in the past. Y.E.S. were also providing an early adopter offer which we felt was a very good deal.’
Although the financial benefits connected to renewable technologies were a consideration for Mike and Janet, the overriding decision to install Solar PV was down to their growing commitment to live more ecologically. ‘The financial side for us was secondary. What we were really interested in was reducing our carbon emissions; incidentally this will help us save money as well.’
Mike was aware that the Government enables owners of PV systems to access a tax free income for generating electricity. ‘The Feed-in-Tariff was certainly a factor in our final decision. We were mainly interested in the free, green electricity, but I think the Feed-in-Tariff will seal the deal for many people. It certainly makes the technology more accessible!’
Mike and Janet’s house is north facing, so the only place for solar panels was on the roof of their detached garage. An appointment was arranged and a surveyor came out to look at the property. ‘The surveyor was very helpful. He was very clear about what a PV array could or couldn’t do here. He was open and honest and explained the whole process in detail. He wasn’t trying to put any pressure on us, as the last thing we wanted was a hard sales pitch. He carried out some calculations to give us a better idea of how much electricity we could expect to generate and how much income we were likely to earn through the Feed-in-Tariff.’
Mike had been concerned about the positioning of his garage. ‘I was worried that the installers would have to dig a trench up the drive to link the system to the house. But the surveyor ensured me that everything would be contained within the garage. This meant there would be no impact on the house whatsoever. It was great to have that initial conversation to iron out any issues and figure out the logistics of the job. We were happy with the quote and thought it was a better deal than other companies we had been speaking to.’
The couple decided to proceed and an installation date was arranged. ‘The team were very good! Initially, the installers came over with a solar panel to see if the garage roof was strong enough and whether it needed any structural alterations. They certainly got on with the job and in the harshest weather conditions. The first day when they were erecting the structure, the rain and wind was horrible! But they didn’t complain and worked really hard.’
Janet kept offering the team cups of tea mainly to help the installers warm their hands. ‘They started the job around 11am on the first day and finished the whole installation at 1pm the following day’ explained Janet. ‘We were very happy with how efficient the whole operation was. One of the things that impressed me the most was the fact that two of the installers were only in their early 20s. I thought what a great job to embark on at this point in time when so many young people are so anxious about the availability of jobs. They were very competent, friendly and pleasant. Their whole manner and style was very nice and certainly gave us confidence in what they were doing!’
Since the installation Mike and Janet have been very proactive in encouraging other residents to consider installing solar technology. ‘Holmfirth is pretty well off and you see an awful lot of big cars going around. I think people in general are pretty wasteful about energy! If you have enough money you can make a choice and do something about it. This is what we did.’
Mike and Janet are both members of a community forum and invited Yorkshire Energy Services to exhibit at one of their events to promote the benefits of solar technology to the wider community. ‘We invited the initial surveyor to come and run a stand and there was quite a lot of interest shown. One of the residents actually came up to see our system afterwards and told us how useful it was to be able to see a system and look at how it had been installed.’
Although it is too soon to tell exactly how much money the couple are saving on fuel bills, Mike and Janet seem very pleased with their new PV array. ‘We have had a very positive experience and we would recommend Yorkshire Energy Services and their installers YESrenewables who did a very professional and proficient job. We just hope that more people will take the opportunity to invest in Solar PV and make steps towards a more sustainable future.’
Contact YESrenewables today for a free quote! Call 0800 052 7496 or visit www.yesrenewables.co.uk
