Green Zeal: renewables and ration packs

At Green Zeal we think quite a lot about solar panels and SEO. This is not something that I would ever admit if I was to meet you in person, but as you can imagine, these are two subjects which are highly involved in our work.

I therefore thought it was about time to produce my list of the top five sites listed in the results for a Google Search of “solar panels”

1. Clean-energy-ideas.com. We don’t like this site as it looks like it has been put together by a group of 6 year olds. Highly ugly and unfriendly to the user, its only charm is a few photographs of some solar panels on a sunny day, which (I think you’ll agree) makes us all dream.
2. Wikipedia. The stalwart of internet references is a bit of a let down with this search – showing only a very short two line entry for “solar panel”. Granted, these two lines contain a few links to more detailed information on solar panels, although, as my old boss used to say, “for additional click you lose a customer”
3. YouTube – how to make solar panels video. God-damn this is a dull video – and optimises much of what I hate about environmental technologist. The wide-faced American presenting it, looks like somewhat of a chump and the sound is too boring register
4. Sunshinesolar.co.uk. Looks very similar to a scam website a friend of mine set-up a few years ago, to sell Spanish villas to northerners. However, they do maintain quite a good range of solar panel products and accessories. Alas they are based in Norwich – an area of the country known for its disreputable retail trade – particularly in the solar panel game
5. Independent.co.uk. I have nothing much to say about the independent, apart from I find it a little tiresome. However, on this occasion they have done well, with a nice little article about how solar panels are a bad investment (with a 100 year pay-off apparently).

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There is little science behind our product reviews at GreenZeal – indeed it is fair to say that this section has only been created in order to encourage the creators of these products to send us a few complementary gadgets.

However, given an opinion (or should I say our opinion) is worth a thousand facts, below is our top 5 portable solar panel list:

1. The green golfing cap – topical rather than trendy, this little beast may be a little ugly but will make an excellent fathers day present

2. I’m pretty sure there was a joke about this when I was at school – the solar powered torch. Excellent portable solar panel technology (I’m sure), although exquisitely useless otherwise

3.  A year ago (whilst I found myself briefly insane and station in a sanatorium near Hull), this turned out to be quite a soothing little device. The days were long and dull, as you may imagine

4. This one I actually genuinely like, and indeed provide the only genuine reason for producing portable solar panels. I would like this even more if I lived in a sunny country. But I don’t, so I don’t.

5. This is more than a shaver. It is a sign, that there are stranger things and people out there than I have ever imagined. I maintain a dream of one day sitting on a beach and finding a use for this thing. Alas, I doubt it shall ever happen

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As you may have ascertained, at GreenZeal we do not think much about the portable solar panel. Man may have invented many wondrous things but the portable solar panel isn’t one of them.

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1. Trail blazing gadgetry

In a few years it is likely that most houses in the country will be required to have solar panels. Impress your friends and visitors by being one of the first

2. Increases your house price

There are some who say that including solar panels can add as much value to your home as a conservatory. We don’t know about that, but there are certainly benefits in the energy cost savings

3. Makes your house easier to sell

New regulation will require all houses being sold to be within a minimum standard of energy efficiency. In many cases this will require upgrading of appliances and fittings in the house to meet these requirements – solar panels can be part of this answer

4. May prevent future energy wars

As the media is never tired of reminding us, we will soon be in the midst of global energy crises – they say in a few years 80% of our energy will be sourced from Russia. Again, we would question this fact but it is certain that using solar panels and solar energy will ensure a scare resource will become more abundant and perhaps improve the outlook of international politics

5. Aesthetically more pleasing than a windmill

May energy conservationists are opting for wind turbines on their crown of their homes. Personally I am all for this, although their this something infinitely more pleasing to the eye about a sleek black solar panel

6. Increased solar panel efficiency

Solar panels are becoming increasing efficient and longer lasting – new systems expected to operate for 25-30 years. Simply this makes the financial arguments even stronger.

7. UK’s energy crunch

I’m not sure if the current high energy prices are a temporary issues or something that will be longer lasting. Either way a great investment in solar panels now may at worst seem like a good investment in a few years (if for example the UK finds an oil reservoir the size of Alaska’s underneath the Wales). Most likely, energy shortages and prices will become even higher – making your great investment ever more worthwhile

8. Clouds? What clouds?

To me this is the most important improvement in solar technology over the last few years – being able to convert an overcast day into useful energy (particularly in the UK).  A few years ago I went to see a swimming pool being heated by some solar panels on a grey winter’s day, near Birmingham. I was extremely impressed.

9. The longer term benefits

At an interest rate of 0.5%, money left in a bank account is actually costing you. I dare say a return of even £1,000 in solar panels would provide an increased return compared to most vanilla investment vehicles.

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