Payment for home-produced electricity given warm welcome

THERE was warm welcome for the announcement by Energy Minister Eamon Ryan that householders and farmers will be paid by the Electricity Supply Board for any surplus electricity that they generate from wind turbines, photovoltaic panels or other alternative energy source.

One such householder is Quentin Gargan, founder of Turbotricity, a company that makes wind turbines for the home market.

He started developing a prototype because, as the owner of an electric Citroen Berlingo, he wanted to power it from a home source.