Arthur, a retired physics teacher, is one of a growing number of homeowners switching to renewable energy to cut their bills. In Arthur's case, he is using solar power to produce most of his hot water.
A solar panel was fitted on the roof of his Birmingham home in March.
Fluid is pumped through the panel, warmed by the sun, then pushed back to a tank downstairs where its heat transfers to warm a water cylinder. Even on an overcast or wet day, the panel does its job.
Arthur is enjoying the novelty of the system and checks the water temperature every morning and evening.
He says: 'Recently, when it rained most of the day, the water in the tank was still measuring 44C (111F) by the evening, which is plenty warm enough.'
He estimates that the solar panel will cut his gas bill by a third, saving him roughly £200 a year.
Arthur's home is one of 130 properties in Summerfield, Birmingham, that have had solar panels installed. The plan is to fit them to more than 300 homes in the area and also upgrade insulation and heating boilers. Other properties nearby are testing wind turbines.
When complete, the district will become one of Britain's flagship neighbourhoods for eco energy. One road, Willow Gardens, might be better named Solar Street because four out of five of the homes there have panels fitted.
David Stevenson is head of regeneration at housing association Family Housing, which is co-ordinating the work.
'We have been active in improving this area for several years. The idea for making homes more environmentally friendly came from the residents themselves,' he says. In a typical family home, solar panels can heat between 40% and 60% of the hot water needed over a year. Arthur says: 'I understood about the potential of the technology and as soon at it was suggested, I was keen to try it.'
While the sun's heat is free, the equipment needed is not. The typical cost of installing a solar panel, new water cylinder and re-plumbing work is between £4,000 and £5,000, including labour. But higher energy costs are making many projects more economical.
Homeowners can claim Government grants towards some of these costs (see panel left). New funds worth £12m were made available last month. But Summerfield residents do not have to pay a penny. Birmingham City Council is bankrolling the project with £1.5m - partly from the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal fund.
The properties being improved are privately owned or privately rented homes, not social housing. Residents qualify for help because they are retired, are on benefits, or have annual household income of less than £20,000.
John Lines, the councillor responsible for the city's housing, says: 'The idea is to benefit those residents who are facing high energy bills in relation to their incomes.' The project also fits with the council's plan to reduce the City's carbon footprint by 30% by 2010.
Family Housing is turning the district into a living research project. The association is working with two suppliers, Eaga Renewables and New World Solar Installations, to improve techniques for installing panels and to train technicians. Stevenson says: 'We are also carrying out research to see if installing solar panels or fitting a wind turbine makes a difference to people's lifestyles and whether it makes them more aware of energy efficiency and will change their habits.'
But the project is firmly grounded in reality. There is no point investing in solar panels if hundreds of pounds worth of heat is leaking through poorly insulated walls and roofs. So insulation is also being upgraded.
Family Housing is also helping to save even more power by fitting energy-efficient lightbulbs into homes.
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