PhonoStar are a UK based design and manufacturing company producing high quality performance eco-lighting. Their new EcoStar products are designed to match or exceed the light quality, colour, intensity and distribution of regular halogen and compact fluorescent alternatives.

The EcoStar allows for simple installation just like conventional downlights and can be installed in all standard ceiling types. Due to the excellent light output and a beam angle of 70%, compared with 36% on a standard LED lamp, fewer light fittings are required to achieve lighting of 100 lux.

EcoStar downlights have a life expectancy of 50,000 hours – although unlike other LED lamps where the whole fitting would need replacing, with the EcoStar the LED lamp component itself can be replaced and retro-fitted to your existing perfectly good EcoStar fitting.

Over 50,000 hours of life usage you can expect to save £201 compared with a standard GU10 halogen lamp and 1091kg of CO². The EcoStar uses 80% less energy than a GU10 halogen, but still giving out 36% more light.

The EcoStar comes with a 2-5 year warranty. For more information you can download the PhonoStar PDF here, for further information or to place an order contact us on 01392 254 435.

The SMA Sunny Home Manager is the latest development in smart management for the Solar Photovoltaic industry, and looks set to hit the UK market this summer. Don’t miss out on this amazing piece of pioneering technology.

Bluetooth connectivity between specialist SMA sockets and the SMA Home Manager configure your home appliances with your existing PV system. This means that when your system is generating enough kWh’s to power your home appliances the SMA Home Manager will distribute the necessary power required, meaning you can run your appliance for FREE.

This latest energy management device is perfect if you aren’t around during the day, but still need to run household appliances like the washing machine or immersion heater. With the SMA Home Manager you can be assured that your electrical device will kick into operation when your system is generating sufficient power – You don’t need specialist appliances, just the SMA sockets and Home Manager.

The SMA Sunny Home Manager is due for release in June, and here at Enlighten Systems we’re pleased to announce that we will be supplying and installing the latest device.

For more information you can download our PDF here or contact us on 01392 254 435.

Recent snow fall has been causing chaos across the United Kingdom, once again bringing airports, train services and motorways to a standstill, but what affect does it have on your Solar Photovoltaic or Solar Thermal system? Will it affect the efficiency of you system? Can it cause damage? These are questions that we are continually being asked, so read on to find out more.

Q) Would snow cover affect the efficiency of my panels?

A) This is a common question during the winter months. During installation you’re MCS accredited installer should have explained that in order for panels to operate they need exposure to sunlight. Quite simply, due to the angle in which panels are installed, light to medium snow showers should thaw relatively quickly.  Greater snow build ups can affect the efficiency, however, sunlight can pass through an inch or two of snow, ensuring panels are still exposed. For build ups greater than this it is recommended you clear the snow if practically possible to gain maximum efficiency, although be mindful not to cause either yourself or the panels unnecessary damage purely for a few days extra gain.

Q) Can snow damage my panels?

A) It is highly unlikely that the snow fall we get within the United Kingdom will cause any damage to your solar panels. All leading panels are put through vigorous tests during manufacturing and would be more than capable of maintaining the extra weight added through snow fall. It is likely that your panels will store a residue of heat from the direct sunlight exposure which will, in most cases, steadily melt any light snowfall.

Q) Can the pipes freeze in my Solar Thermal system?

A) The majority of Solar thermal systems are fitted with an antifreeze refrigerant that is circulated around the system, therefore protecting them against freezing issues. It is worth remembering that a solar thermal system can still make a valued contribution to your hot water requirements even through the coldest winter months.

It’s been well documented of late that due to the contentious feed-in-tariff cuts announced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) the Solar Photovoltaic industry may have reached its peak. But is this really the case? Here at Enlighten Systems, we believe the case for Solar PV is still a strong one, not only environmentally but  financially.  

Even with the proposed reduced rates, installation of Solar PV can produce a healthy return on investment over a feasible pay-back period and the benefits of green energy production will always remain. 

In mid-November 2011 DECC announced that the feed-in-tariff would be cut by at least 50% on midnight of December 11 2011, causing an influx of installations leading up to the cut-off date. Many expected that moving forward in 2012 the Solar Photovoltaic industry would struggle to continue growing as one of the fastest UK industries, as the cost of installation would exceed a feasible pay-back period.

With many more entrants to the market and improvements in technology, manufacturing costs have fallen and prices for materials have been increasingly under downward pressure.  Not surprisingly therefore, following the announcement from DECC, many manufactureres have been prompted to pass on these savings to safeguard demand.  Consequently, as a result of the decline in product prices it is now possible to install a 3.75kWh system under the 23p tariff with an identical payback period to a system of the same size installed  12 months ago under the 43.3p tariff.

In January 2011 a 3.75kWh system would have an installation cost of around £14,000, with the majority of this cost being due to material costs.  Under the 43.3p tariff, a system of this size would generate a pay-back period of 8 years.

Fast forward 12 months to January 2012; and due largely to advances in technology, increased world wide production and the growth of installations within the UK, product prices have declined by up to 33%. Meaning a 3.75kWh system can now be installed for around £8500, almost a 36% reduction, which under the 23p tariff will generate a pay-back period of 8 years – which as you will note is no different to that in January 2011.

Admittedly, for those fortunate enought to catch the wave right in late 2011, a 3.75kWh system would have produced a pay-back period of around 5 to 6 years.  However, in conclusion based on todays figures and todays economic climate , Solar PV still offers a sound investment choice with favourable financial returns.

The Energy Saving Trust held their annual Energy Saving Week between 24th October and 28th October, reporting that millions of households and businesses across the UK have already cut energy bills and had started to save on the associated costs. With energy prices soaring and forecasted to continue doing so, Enlighten Systems stepped in to provide you with some top tips to avoid running up a hefty bill.

Get Motivated Monday

There are countless ways homeowners and businesses can save energy and the associated expenditure, but do you know how or where to start? Enlighten Systems will be giving you some top tips on just how to make a difference.

• The average home in the UK could save around £280 and 1.1 tonnes of CO2 a year by being more energy efficient.

• On average, UK households spend around £85 per year on electricity to run their lighting.

• If every UK household turned their appliances off when not in use, collectively we could save £530 million every year.

Thermal Tuesday

With cold winter temperatures, come the warm of your home or office heating. Here at Enlighten Systems we will be providing you with some top tips to avoid getting a cold shock when it comes to paying your gas or electricity bill.

• Hot water tank insulation can save around £40 and 170kg CO2 a year.

• Insulating pipes that are exposed within your house could save you around £15 and 60kg CO2 a year.

• Replacing an old G-rated boiler with an A-rated boiler with a full set of heating controls could save you around £300 a year.

Wattage Wednesday

Lighting is one of the main expenditures on any property, with as much as 44% of the annual electricity bill in a residential home being made up from lighting alone! Are you aware of the simplicity in changing standard bulbs to energy efficient LED spotlights?

• Turning off your lights when you don’t need them or alternatively using occupancy sensors could save you around £8 a year and 26 kgCO2 a year.

• By replacing standard bulbs in your home with energy saving LED bulbs you could save around £55 a year from your energy bills.

• In 2011, UK households are expected to spend around £2.2 billion on electricity to run their lighting.

Thermostatic Thursday

Here’s another chance to stop the freeze this winter. Are you aware of the savings you as homeowners and business owners a-like could make with the installation of thermostats, or even the right practice when using them?

• Fitting a room thermostat saves around £70 and 280kg CO2 a year.

• Turning down your thermostat if it is set too high will save around £60 a year on heating bills and 250kg of carbon dioxide.

• If every home in the UK turned down their thermostat by one degree, collectively we could save £705 million a year on energy.

Feed in Tariff Friday

Solar Photovoltaics is the process of generating your own electricity. Whether you’re a homeowner or business owner, with the installation of a Solar Electricity system you’ll be entitled to the tax free, index linked, Free-in-Tariff.

• A typical Solar PV installation could generate savings & Feed in Tariff income of around £1190 a year and £28,000 over its lifetime.

• A typical solar electricity installation can generate around 75% of a home’s annual electricity needs.

• Each kWp installed can generate savings and income of around £410 and save almost half a tonne of carbon dioxide per year.

Enlighten Systems and its customers have been taking full advantage of our Indian Summer Sunshine. In these last two weeks we have managed to install five different systems, accumulating 23.67kWh. The 5 installs are forecast to generate around £250,000 in indexed linked tax free Feed-In-Tariff payments over the 25 year period, not bad for two weeks’ worth of instalments huh?

A 3kW system in Tavistock was the first in the chain, followed by a massive 10kW system on an industrial unit in Barnstable. Whilst this week, the favourable weather conditions have seen us install and commission a further three installations, two here in Exeter, and another nestled in the heart of Dartmoor.

That’s a total install of 23.67 kW in 10 days, which should produce in the region of 18,000 kWh of renewable energy every year for the next 25 – 30 years and result in a reduction of approx 10,000 kg of CO² on a year on year basis.

With these kinds of statistics, can anyone afford not to take Renewable Energy seriously.

Devon Fires held two open days on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September at their showroom located in Woodbury Business Park, fitted out by ourselves with energy efficient LED lights. Enlighten Systems are pleased to have supported Devon Fires with this event. In fact we even had one of our own inverters, panels and monitoring systems on general display for all to see and get a feel of – which went down a treat!

Enlighten Systems would like to thank the Devon Fires team for inviting us along and congratulate them on two very busy days. Everyone who attended we thank as well, they all certainly seemed to enjoy themselves, viewing the range of wood burners and the Solar PV kit that was on display.

Visit the Devon Fires website

A property in Exeter with a 3 kW Solar PV system installed by Enlighten Systems has reached the midway point of an annual 12 month SAP calculation after only 3 months. Due to higher solar irradiation exposure in the South West of England a Solar Photovoltaic system within the Devon area is more than likely to exceed National SAP calculations.

Should you have a PV system installed at your property, an accredited MCS installer will always provide a SAP calculation as part of your quotation. The SAP calculation uses figures based around national averages, however, empirical evidence shows that Solar PV systems installed in the South West of England generally outperform any UK average SAP calculation.

In this particular case the 3 kW system made up of 13 Sharp NU-245 panels, the SAP estimated that the customer should generate a total of 2257.53 kWh each year, with a further 1212.29 kg of C0² reduced on an annual bases.

Nonetheless, when the customer was asked by their Energy Provider to report their first quarterly generation meter reading the results were somewhat staggering. A total of 1136.00 kWh had been produced in only the first three months, more than half of the estimated 12 month figure. Similarly 610.03 kg of C0² had been saved in the three month period, again more than half of the 12 month estimated figure.

This lucky customer generated a tax free £509.50 of Feed In Tariff income, not to mention savings against their annual electricity bill.

Plumb Centre have partnered with the leading names in bathroom and showering to provide a showroom offering a wide range of products and styles to assemble the modern bathroom. 

We are able to offer our customers a Plumb Centre showroom open 7 days a week, including bank holidays, with all the leading products on display. As an Enlighten Systems customer the Plumb Centre are able to offer you a design and planning service allowing you to visualise exactly how your dream bathroom will look.

Finally and more importantly, the Plumb Centre can offer those Enlighten Systems customers wanting to spread the cost a competitive financial package, Plumb Centre will also offer regular promotions on a wide range of their bathroom products. Consequently, Enlighten clients can now take advantage of the nationwide Plumb Centre services but maintain the benefits of knowing that their installation will be carried out by a local professional company who will consider their own individual circumstances and take the time to meet their exacting needs.

Making the most of natural light can make a significant impact on energy consumption. By wiring a simple daylight sensor control to areas of the pool which recieve significant levels of natural daylight, it is possible to reduce energy consumption and costs in the region of 10%.

Daylight sensors can be pre-set to switch artificial lights on when there is not sufficient ambient light level or automatically off when there is.

Within larger areas, even simple on – off daylight sensing can be used to control lighting when fittings are wired and controlled into simple zones. So ensuring that the correct level of light is maintained in darker areas of buildings but not wasted unnecessarily near windows or skylights.