Disclaimer
The Nottingham Energy Calculator is provided as a tool to assist persons estimating solar potential and to illustrate the potential value of installing energy efficiency measures and solar panels. The Council does not warrant the accuracy of any information contained in or calculated from the Energy Calculator, and specifically does not represent, promise or guarantee that you will achieve the outcomes estimated by this site or that the estimated savings will be obtained. The use of the Energy Calculator is intended for research and informative purposes and is not intended to replace professional specialist advice. You should verify all information and values obtained from this website.
Nottingham City Council and all parties associated with the development of this website do not accept any liability or responsibility with regard to the use or reliance on any materials and information contained on the website.
Help with Installation
This page gives you information designed to help you take the next steps in installing energy efficiency measures or renewable energy technologies. It gives information on:
Local support available
A number of local schemes are in place to help with installation:
Nottingham Warm Zone offers free or discounted cavity wall and loft insulation to residents of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Aspley Super Warm Zone offers whole house energy efficiency makeovers, focusing particularly on solid wall insulation, to residents of Aspley.
SunGain Solar PV is a free independent advice service for people thinking of installing solar electricity systems.
SunGain Solar Hot Water install solar hot water systems for domestic and commercial properties using certified local installers.
See Case Studies of local residents who have had energy efficiency measures installed.
Financial incentives
A number of government-sponsored schemes are forthcoming or already in place which can give you financial support for installation:
The Green Deal will be launched in late 2012 and will offer loans for the installation of measures to improve the energy efficiency of properties and reduce fuel bills. The scheme will be designed so that over time savings on fuel bills will pay back the cost of the loan. At present Nottingham City Council is looking into the role it can play in facilitating take up of the Green Deal in the city.
The Feed In Tariffsscheme has been introduced by the government to improve financial incentives for householders to install renewable electricity technologies such as solar electricity systems. As well as saving on your bills through generating some of your own electricity, you will receive an additional payment for the all the electricity you generate (whether you use it or not) and a separate payment for excess electricity exported to the grid.
The Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme offers the opportunity to apply for a £300 voucher towards installation of solar hot water systems up to 31st March 2012.
The Renewable Heat Incentive is an incentive scheme intended to reward those who invest in renewable heating systems such as solar hot water systems. Payments will be made to householders for each unit of heat generated. The Renewable Heat Incentive will not be introduced for domestic installations until late 2012. However any installation made from 15th July 2009 will be eligible for RHI payments.
General advice on installation
To qualify for subsidies such as Feed in Tariffs and the Renewable Heat Incentive you must use both certified installers for installation of renewable energy technologies and certified equipment. A list of certified installers and certified equipment can be accessed from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). You can find local installers by putting your postcode into the MCS Installer Search engine.
For a wealth of locally available information on energy efficiency and renewable energy, including advice on installation, visit the Nottingham Energy Partnership website. Information is available nationally on the Energy Saving Trust website.
Planning permission
In most instances planning permission is not required for installation of energy efficiency measures. Domestic solar electricity and solar hot water systems are also classed as ‘permitted development’ and therefore do not usually require planning permission.
However you may be required to notify Building Control on structural issues such as those relating to installation of roof-mounted renewable energy systems. You may also require a brief written statement from the planning authority to confirm that the site qualifies as permitted development.
If you live in a listed building or in a conservation area you may still require planning permission. Use the ‘show on map’ button on the results page to see whether you live in a conservation area or listed building.
To enquire about planning permission please contact:
Planning Applications and Advice Service
Nottingham City Council
Loxley House
Station Street
Nottingham
NG2 3NG
Email: development.management@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
Tel: 0115 8764447
You can also contact the Building Control Service at the same postal address.
Email: building.control@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
Tel: 0115 8764028
See also the Energy Saving Trust website for general information on planning permission.
Background Info
The Energy Calculator has been developed by Nottingham City Council, working with Nottingham Energy Partnership and other selected organisations including Geographical Information System company Esri UK. It has been developed as part of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Local Carbon Frameworks project.
The development of the Nottingham Energy Calculator is a key element of the Council’s Energy Strategy, which aims to reduce city-wide carbon emissions by 26 per cent by 2020 (based on 2005 emissions), and to ensure that 20 per cent of Nottingham’s energy requirements are met from low or zero carbon sources by the same date.
The Energy Calculator also supports the Nottingham Community Climate Change Strategy, one of the objectives of which is to raise awareness of and facilitate take-up of energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities by residents.
For more information on the work of Nottingham City Council and its partners on energy and climate change please click here.
Case Studies
To read about Nottingham and Nottinghamshire residents who have installed energy efficiency measures,
saving money and energy and helping to make their homes more comfortable, please click
here.
Case studies
Many local residents have already benefited from the types of measures which the Energy Calculator suggests. This page allows you to read more about how they have saved money and energy and made their homes more comfortable, as well as the help and support they have received from local schemes.
Read about Nottingham and Nottinghamshire residents who have installed insulation and heating improvements through the Nottingham and Broxtowe Warm Zone projects.
Find out about residents in Aspley who have received whole house energy makeovers, with a particular focus on solid wall insulation, through Aspley Super Warm Zone. Watch a video on youtube to find out more.
You can also read about the positive experiences of residents who have had solar hot water systems installed through the SunGain initiative.
