Home grown power

Many UK households could one day be self-sufficient in energy needs and routinely make money by selling surplus electricity from home generators such as solar panels and micro-wind turbines.

This is among the possibilities raised by Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks as the Department of Trade and Industry asks for views on the development of "micro-generation" of low-carbon energy by homes, businesses and public buildings.

Micro-generation is the production of heat and/or electricity on a small scale, from a low-carbon source. Various technologies can be used, including air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, fuel cells, micro-CHP, micro-hydro, micro-wind, bio-energy and solar (thermal and photovoltaic).

The DTI is developing a cross-Government strategy for the development of micro-generation, including micro-hydro, micro-wind, solar power, fuel cells, micro-combined heat and power, and ground and air source heat pumps. How much can be done will depend on the costs and how they compare with other technologies.