Solar water heating in the United Kingdom is one of the more attractive aspects of utilizing the sun’s energy. In accordance with the European Union’s plan to generate at least 20% of its power by way of renewable energy, the UK has set their own goals to lead the low-carbon, or even carbon-free, charge.

Whether by powering homes with photovoltaic (solar) energy, or by heating water with water heating systems, the UK hopes to reduce its carbon footprint significantly in the coming years. Photovoltaic energy is that which is used to power a home by converting sunlight into electricity, but even with government grants and incentives such as feed-in tariffs, the upfront installation cost can still scare some potential customers away.

Solar water heating systems, on the other hand, have a much lower initial cost to install than photovoltaic systems. Whereas photovoltaic systems cost around £12,500 to set up, a 2 kilowatt solar water heating system generally requires the much lower sum of £4,000 to £5,500. With a return of around £500 annually for the next 20 years, more citizens view this method of renewable energy as the way to go.

Although a relatively large number of citizens in the United Kingdom have voiced an interest in solar heating as an appealing use of renewable energy, some question what they are supposed to do in the winter months when the amount of captured solar rays is not enough to heat the water in their homes. A modest boiler or compression tank is usually an adequate method to back up a solar system. Because the boilers and compressors are not performing the entire workload and receive assistance from the solar system, the carbon emissions remain low.

There is even more incentive for citizens of the United Kingdom to install a solar heating system. In addition to the £500 annual return that solar heating already affords, the UK government has enacted the Renewable Heat Incentive. This act calls for the payment of £400 per year for those who apply heat pumps, biomass boilers, and solar energy systems.

Because of the relatively cheap installation costs, solar water heating is likely to be preferred route of homeowners partaking of the incentive. Along with governmental incentives and grants, the attraction of the returns presented by solar water heating is sure to spur the United Kingdom’s renewable energy efforts further.

In England’s seaside burg of Lancashire, overlooking the Irish Sea lies the gorgeous city of Blackpool. This place has long been one of the most popular tourist locations in not only England but in all of Europe. It is still the United Kingdom’s most popular coastal destination and the city still depends on tourism as the backbone of its economy. A trip to Blackpool will quickly remind you of that, upon bearing witness to the fantastically fun diversions scattered around the quaint burg.

While many of the yearly visitors to Blackpool come from surrounding areas like Glasgow, Blackpool still is a major draw to a worldwide audience. There are more hotels in Blackpool than in the entire country of Portugal and the astonishing Pleasure Beach is a must-see for anybody who loves massive roller coasters and similar theme park attractions. The “Pepsi Max Big One”, for instance, is one of the world’s largest wooden coasters and has one of the highest freefalls in all of Europe. Pleasure Beach used to be free but, sadly, recent lean years have forced the town of Blackpool to start charging admission to the historically important attraction.

Like many seaside towns with an economy steeped in fun, Blackpool has a sizable and strong gay population. Ever since the first gay pride parade in 2006, Blackpool has been considered North England’s gay capital but Blackpool’s friendliness to gays dates back to the 1940s when gay clubs and bars began popping up around the city proper. Blackpool’s apparent tolerance of others is admirable, although an interesting tidbit surrounding Blackpool’s tenuous relationship to Rock music is well-known to fans of the Rolling Stones. In 1964, when performing in Blackpool, the Rolling Stones angered the crowd by simulating sexual acts. A riot broke out as a result and the Stones were banned from ever performing in Blackpool again. In 2008, the ban was lifted but this story is evidence that Blackpool does seem to draw the line somewhere!

Blackpool, while still being a huge tourist draw, is slightly less popular than it was in its heyday. Millions still visit Blackpool every year but the total amount of tourists is millions less each year than the year before. The city has recently attempted to reinvent itself as a casino town in the same vein as Atlantic City or Reno but the British Government has thus far denied these attempts. Since being forced to charge admission to the historic Pleasure Beach, the city seems to be in a perpetual landslide toward irrelevance. Citizens of Blackpool scoff at this assumption, though, and cite that the city has always had periods of waxing and waning. Besides, one can hardly fear for the future of the city when it is still the most visited coastal town in all of England!