HEAT CORNWALL
MAKING HOMES WARMER
YOU COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE SOLAR PV FOR YOUR HOME
HEAT Cornwall are offering Cornwall residents grants for up to the full cost of installation of a Solar PV system when completed with an insulation measure.
If your home is electrically heated and you are in receipt of a benefit or meet the below criteria installation will be completely FREE!
WHAT IS SOLAR PV?
Solar PV offers a renewable energy solution for your home. Solar PV panels can be installed on your roof or mounted in your garden and use the Sun's energy to generate electricity. Click the video below to find out more.
HOW CAN I TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GRANT?
The free offer requires that you have an insulation measure installed alongside your solar installation. This would typically be loft insulation (your existing loft insulation must be 100mm or less) or wall insulation if they have a cavity. If your home is already fully insulated, or you have solid walls, you can still receive a grant towards the cost of the solar system, but a small contribution may be required.
Your are eligible for the grant if you are in receipt of a benefit. If you are not in receipt of a benefit you may be eligible if you have a total household income of less than £30,000, after deducting your annual rent or mortgage, energy, water and council tax costs. You will also need to have either high energy costs, for example, because you heat your home with electricity, and have a young child or someone in the home who suffers an illness.
Your home must be privately owned or privately rented for all grant assisted measures (unfortunately social housing is not eligible).
HOW ARE CORNWALL COUNCIL INVOLVED?
If you are not in receipt of a benefit but meet the other criteria Cornwall Council can provide us with a signed declaration, which enables us to offer you these grants.
HOW MUCH WILL I SAVE ON MY ENERGY BILLS?
The amount you save will depend on the size of your solar system and how much of the free electricity you use while it is being generated during the day. A typical solar PV system would be 4kWp (around 12 panels), and if you used half of the energy when it was being generated, you would save around £300 a year on your electricity bill.
IS MY HOME SUITABLE FOR SOLAR?
In order to install the solar system, you will need either a suitable pitched or flat roof where we can install the panels, or an area of garden where we can install them on a ground mount. Ideally the roof will be unshaded by trees and other buildings and facing south. We can install the solar where the roof faces in other directions, but the grant is reduced the further away from south it faces.
WILL I NEED PLANNING PERMISSION?
In most cases the works do not need planning, but you may need to apply for planning permission if your home is listed, in a conservation area or where you wish to have the system in your garden rather than on the roof.