British cyclists return from 13,500 mile cycle ride to new rewards for making solar electricity.

On the road at an angle. As well as sun in the deserts there is definitely a lot of wind...

A pair of campaigning cyclists will tomorrow return to London having completed a 13,500 mile, nine month circumnavigation of the globe. British environmental campaigners Susie Wheeldon and Jamie Vining, otherwise known as the ‘Solar Cycle Diary’ team, are celebrating the success of their trip in helping to raise awareness of the important role of solar power as part of the world’s energy future. 

A monk takes an interest in the bikes on the Tibetan Plateau - the closest place on Earth to the Sun

When the cyclists departed from Tower Bridge, London, in May 2009 they called for a decent price to be paid to those generating solar electricity in the UK. Together with ‘We Support Solar’ they claimed this strong ‘Feed-in tariff’ would create a more stable, cleaner energy mix and creating thousands of ‘green collar’ jobs. The team has also raised thousands of pounds for SolarAid, the London based non-profit solar energy organisation for the developing world.

Just over a fortnight ago, to the delight of the cyclists, solar power industry and homeowners across the country, the Government announced the price to be paid to those generating solar electricity in the UK, known as solar ‘Feed-in tariff’ rates. Heralded as ‘revolutionary for UK solar power’ by the UK’s leading solar energy company Solarcentury, the average home can now earn and save over £1,000 a year with a typical solar electric system, a return guaranteed for 25 years. Research has shown this will create thousands of new jobs over the next three years.

At the Kuraymat Concentrated Solar Power Station

Cyclist Susie Wheeldon said: “It’s great to be home after such a huge journey. Even better to think that our campaigning might have made a difference. We are more determined than ever that solar power must play a very significant role in our energy future; we’ve seen some fantastic solar projects across the globe and know it can deliver on a larger scale. We’re so happy that the UK’s made so much headway since our departure - now solar power is a great investment for people. We will continue to campaign for this fantastic technology.”

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London said: ‘Welcome back and very well done to Susie and Jamie. Their epic round-the-world trip, fuelled by a potent combination of human pedal power and the renewable energy of the sun, has helped to successfully put the latest solar technology on the map.”

The gruelling journey took them through 14 countries, deserts and mountains to also raise money for

Solar Cola! Susie wearing hijab in Iran - very warm for cycling

SolarAid; the London based solar energy charity for the developing world. They were equipped with thin-film photovoltaic (PV) panels, custom built into their panniers by G24 Innovations, to power the very latest in Nokia navigation, communications and sports technology; allowing their supporters to follow them second by second around the globe. For more information to go

www.thesolarcyclediaries.com

We Support Solar today welcomes the newly announced Clean Energy Cash Back scheme.

The Government’s new Clean Energy Cash Back scheme should drive forward a year on year expansion of the UK solar PV sector, albeit at lower levels than would have been delivered at the tariffs recommended by the campaign.   The tariff numbers confirmed today stop short of the campaign ask of another 10p, but do mean that the solar PV  industry can invest in new jobs and new products with confidence, after a period of policy uncertainty.  The Government is to be congratulated for recognising the important role that solar PV can play in engaging households to help deliver its 2020 renewable energy target and for improving it’s original July 2009 consultation proposals for the technology  It’s vital now that the scheme is implemented smoothly and without delay from April.

The cash payments that will be made to homes, businesses and communities for generating green electricity - announced today (Monday 1 February 2010) by climate secretary Ed Miliband - are lacking in ambition, says Friends of the Earth.

The environmental campaign group, which led the campaign for a feed-in tariff, said that the payment levels should have been set to produce a 10 per cent return on investment instead of the five to eight per cent return that has been agreed.

Although the Government announced some welcome improvements to its feed-in tariff proposals today (such as increasing tariff payments with inflation), the scheme is still predicted to contribute just two per cent of UK electricity by 2020, despite research which shows that the scheme could generate three times as much with increased tariff payments.

Friends of the Earth’s green homes campaigner Dave Timms said:

“The introduction of cash incentives to boost small scale green electricity generation is welcome - however, Ministers have been far too timid with a policy that could make a significant contribution to cutting emissions and boosting energy security.

“Installing renewable technologies will now be a good investment for many homes

- but farmers, businesses, communities and others will get little or no extra incentive to invest in clean electricity.

“There is huge public support for small-scale green energy schemes. The Government must do much more to tap into this enthusiasm and ensure that everyone plays their part in developing a safer, cleaner future.”

Last week a YouGov survey for Friends of the Earth, the Renewable Energy Association and the Co-operative Group revealed that two thirds of the population think that Government feed in tariff plans are not ambitious enough, and 71 per cent of homeowners said they would consider installing green energy systems if they were paid enough cash.

Households and communities who install generating technologies such as small wind turbines and solar panels will from April be entitled to claim payments for the low carbon electricity they produce.