Solar company offers powerful argument for green monitoring system

Ploughcroft Solar joined forces with German company Solar-Log, which monitors photo-voltaic (PV) panels 24 hours a day, to devise the system. It means that if a cable is ruptured, the system gets damaged or panels are stolen, the owner of the equipment will be informed immediately and Ploughcroft will repair it.

The Brighouse firm installs photo-voltaic systems and works with Vaillant, Plumb Center, which is part of building supplies giant Wolseley, and nPower. Photo-voltaic systems cost in the region of 15,000 and homeowners expect a 1,600 return on their investment from the feed-in-tariff.

Under the tariff, which came in on April 1 and is known as clean energy cashback, the owners of properties can receive up to 1,000 a year for small-scale, environmentally-friendly power generation.

Chris Hopkins, managing director of Ploughcroft Solar said: "The UK is the world's fastest growing market for solar PV technology. With so many Brits having invested in solar installations and expecting to benefit from the feed-in-tariff, it is vital that their investment is protected.

"The Solar-Log tracking device can be installed on any existing solar PV system and it can also be included as part of a new solar PV installation. All you need is for the tracking device to be installed and broadband in order to monitor your investment."

The service also provides users with a daily yield and error report on email, so they can see if there has been a drop in production. Parent company Ploughcroft Building Services has an ambitious target of increasing its 2m turnover fivefold within two years.

Ploughcroft was set up in 1997 by Mr Hopkins and his father, Bill, as a traditional domestic building and roofing business. When the older man retired. six years ago, his son bought him out and opened an eco-roof centre in Brighouse, where schools, colleges and environmentalists could see demonstrations of solar panels.