A ROOFING company has been named as the best in Britain for its work fitting photovoltaic solar panels – and helping energy-conscious homeowners and businesses make the most of a Government “reward” scheme.
Ploughcroft took the industry lead two years ago in developing a national training course for solar panel installation in a link-up with the National Federation of Roofing Contractors.
Now its foresight in setting the highest possible standards for fitting clean energy solutions has won it a host of industry accolades and unrivalled consumer confidence.
The company has won the award for Best Business Initiative for Microgeneration Technologies in the Yorkshire and Humber Microgeneration Awards 2010 – and has become the first UK roofing company to be accredited for installing and commissioning PV solar panels under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.
That means Ploughcroft is the most qualified roofing firm in the country to provide and fit MSC-approved products for customers wanting to take advantage of the Feed-in Tarriffs incentive scheme announced by energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband.
Ploughcroft managing director Chris Hopkins said: “The FITs deal essentially means that homeowners and businesses who install PV solar panels on a sunny south-facing roof will be paid by the government for the electricity they generate for the next 25 years – even if they use all of it themselves.
“For example, someone fitting a typical £12,500, 2.5kW PV system to their home will initially be paid up to 41.3p per kilowatt hour generated – which is enough to reward them with up to £900 in the first year, on top of a £140-a-year saving on their bills.
“The payments are tax free, guaranteed for the next 25 years and have been linked to inflation.
“It’s a real incentive for people to reduce their own electricity consumption and ultimately to export excess electricity generated back to the national grid.”
Said Mr Hopkins: “We expect to be very busy fitting PV solar systems.”
The training course developed by Brighouse-based Ploughcroft with the NFRC includes training roofers on the installation and integration of several different makes of solar panels into different roof coverings including slate, concrete and plain tiles. It was adopted by sector skills council ConstructionSkills in 2009.
