Green Living: Solar power

The Wharf is destined to be a hotbed for investment in these new technologies, and I caught up with one local entrepreneur who's leading the way in developing kit that harnesses the power of the sun to power our homes.

Alistair Smit is managing director of Greenwich-based iGen Solar, which distributes solar panels for residential and commercial properties.

He said: "The Wharf is a hugely important area for us. The kind of people who work and do business here are likely to be early adopters of the kind of technology we're producing. They see themselves as socially responsible as well as being canny investors."

Alistair explained to me that incorporating solar technology to your home would not only save money on bills, but could generate cash through the feed in tariff system.

"Using our photovoltaic panels you can sell surplus energy back to the national grid. We estimate that panel systems which we install could increase the value of a home by an average of nine per cent. That's as well as providing half of your energy needs using our photovoltaic panels, or 60 per cent of your hot water using our solar thermal panels."

To find out more about Alistair and iGen you can visit his website, igensolar.com. Government grants of up to £2,500 are available to help you on your way.

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