Rainwater Harvesting & Solar Energy Installers - Welcome to ecosystems

ecosystems is in business with a goal; to make a big difference in the fight against climate change using construction-integrated solar solutions.

Solar photovoltaic Panels

Solar power is a renewable resource. This means that we are not in danger of depleting its reserves. Solar power is non-polluting. Unlike oil, solar power usage does not emit any greenhouse gases, nor does the acquisition of it harm ecosystems through spills or seepage. This is probably one of the primary advantages of solar power.

The energy and heat from the sun is free. Once solar panels or solar thermal collectors are set up, there are no electrical expenses necessary to power them.

Solar cells require very little maintenance, greatly because there are no moving parts that need be maintained.

Solar electricity systems capture the sun's energy using photovoltaic (PV) cells. The cells convert the sunlight into electricity, which can be used to run household appliances and lighting.

PV cells don't need direct sunlight to work - you can still generate some electricity on a cloudy day.

Solar Energy Savings can be considerable - around 1 tonne of CO2 a year. A 2.2 kWp system can generate around 40% of a household's yearly electricity needs. If the system is eligible to receive the Feed In Tariff it could generate savings and income of around £900 per year.

Selling your own electricity - you can make money on excess electricity by selling it back to the Grid through a scheme called Feed in Tariffs (FITs).

Read more about installing solar photovoltaic panels

Popular Energy Savings Questions

What Happens When it's Cloudy Will Solar PV Work?

Obviously both Solar PV and solar water heating work best when the sun shines, but even on cloudy days, all is not lost. When the sun does peep out from behind the clouds, there can often be enough heat to help warm the water, but there's no escaping the fact that this sort of solar energy system really does need the sun's warmth to make a serious contribution to household energy savings. Modern Solar PV systems run surprisingly well even under overcast skies and will continue to generate at least some electricity at quite low light levels – but as always, the sunnier the day, the better! Many people installing solar systems also choose to invest in other renewable technologies to make up for times when the sun doesn't shine; wind power or wood-burning stoves, for instance, can be used to make up the shortfall.

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Solar company gives generously

Devon-based solar energy company EcoSystems SW Ltd has recently embarked on a long-term fundraising venture with CLIC Sargent.

The solar company will donate £100 to the charity for every solar panel installation carried out by the firm and EcoSystems anticipates donating around £10,000 during the first year.

The concept was the brainchild of John Greengrass, Operations Director for the firm, he explains "We were keen to find a way to offer long-term support and donating £100 per installation is our way of saying 'thank you' to all of the wonderful staff."

Regrettably John lost his niece to cancer. He says "CLIC Sargent offered care, support and advice when we needed it most. It is a charity very close to my heart and we know first-hand how their support helps families when a child is affected by cancer."

EcoSystems SW Ltd is a supplier of PV (photovoltaic for those in the know) solar panels operating throughout Devon, Somerset & Cornwall.

Rainwater Harvesting

There are a number of types of systems to harvest rainwater ranging from very simple to the complex industrial systems. Generally, rainwater is either harvested from the ground or from a roof. The rate at which water can be collected from either system is dependent on the plan area of the system, its efficiency, and the intensity of rainfall.

Ground catchments systems channel water from a prepared catchment area into storage. Generally they are only considered in areas where rainwater is very scarce and other sources of water are not available. They are more suited to small communities than individual families. If properly designed, ground catchment systems can collect large quantities of rainwater.

Read more about rainwater harvesting

Popular Energy Savings Questions

Is My Home Suitable for Solar Energy?

The basic minimum requirements for both solar water heating and PV systems are much the same, calling for unobstructed exposure to the sun during the sunniest part of the day - typically between 9am and 3pm - and the opportunity to mount the panels or cells at an angle around 20-50 degrees to get the most benefit. A south-facing roof which enjoys direct sunlight during the two hours either side of noon is particularly ideal.

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