Go green, earn green: U.K. pays people for wind, solar power

The United Kingdom is setting out to lead the world in home energy-efficiency, and on Monday, it unveiled a key incentive: paying homeowners who produce low-carbon power such as solar or wind.

Beginning in April, consumers will be paid for the electricity they generate, even if they use it themselves. The amount will depend on the technology used.

A homeowner could earn up to 900 pounds ($1,433) each year for a typical 2.5 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system and save an additional 140 pounds ($223 ) on their annual electricity bill, according to an announcement by the U.K.’s Department of Energy and Climate Change.

In April 2011, the U.K. says it will be the first country to begin paying people who install low-carbon heating technologies such as ground source or geothermal heat pumps, biomass boilers and air source heat pumps.

USA Today