The Northern Ireland Government is set to cut the grant for small scale Photovotaic installations (residential roof top) from 4 to 1.6 NIROCS. 
This will have the effect of reducing income from a 4KWp photovoltaic installation from around £900 to £600 per year. Paybacks on PV installations will therefore increase from around 8 years to 12 years.
A NIROC has a value of 4.08p.
Therefore the government grant has been reduced per unit of electricity produced from 16.32p to 6.52p.
A unit of electricity is around 16.96p and the export price back to the grid is around 5.1p.
The government has cited the falling cost of photovoltaic systems as the reason for the cut in the grant.
Photovoltaic systems are now around £1,800 per installed KWp.
Costs of PV systems are expected to fall by 5 to 10% a year over the next 5 years.
If you are thinking of adding a PV System to your roof then get it installed before 01 April 2015 when the changes will come into effect.

The work horse of any home is the standard bayonet cap or B22 light bulb.
This is the light bulb that hangs from the ceilings in bedrooms, halls and landings.
It is also found in table and floor lights.
The old incandescent version was either a 60 watt or 75 watt.
The 60 watt bulb has a light output or brightness of 800 lumens.
It also a very warm white colour of 2700 kelvins (yellowy white).

If the light bulb was in a bedroom and was on for 2 hours a day it would cost the following to run:
60 watt = £7.88 per year
75 watt = £9.85 per year
However if it was in the living room and was on for 4 hours a day it would cost double that to run:
60 watt = £15.76 per year
75 watt = £19.70 per year
These bulbs also have a lifespan of about a 1,000 hours so would last about a year and a half in the bedrooms and less than a year if in the living rooms.

To replace this light with an LED Light you should ensure the light bulb has the following:
Brightness = 800 lumens
Colour = 2700 kelvins
B22 Bayonet Cap Base.

These lights generally run on 10 watts of electricity which means that they will save you around £6.50 a year if used in a bedroom or £14.50 if used in a living room. If you use it to replace a 75 watt bulb the savings will be greater.

Additionally as an LED bulb has a life span of 20,000 hours compared to 1,000 hours for an incandescent light bulb, they should last for up to 20 years saving you even more money.

Homebase have the TCP classic 60 watt replacement light bulb for £4.99. 
It is 10 watts, 810 lumens and 2700 kelvins and a life span of 25,000 hours.
TCP are a respected brand and this price and quality is a great combination.
If you need a dimmable version of this light it will cost £11.99.

Argos supply a light from OSRAM with the same specification for £8.99

A Renewable Heating Incentive is expected to be introduced soon for Domestic Properties in Northern Ireland. Broadly speaking the Domestic RHI scheme is for heating systems for single homes and will cover the installation of the following heating systems:
biomass boilers
air source heat pumps
ground source heat pumps
solar thermal panels (flat plate or evacuated tubes)

The Domestic RHI shall gave payments to the householder that will allow their investment in these systems to be paid off in 7 years. These systems should last 20 years so if you are planning to stay in your home longer than 7 years then the Domestic RHI may suit you.

An EPC Certificate is required to apply for the RHI.
The starting point for the RHI is that you have a property capable of getting a domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The EPC is the proof needed that your property is assessed as a domestic ‘dwelling’. Without one you can’t apply and won’t be able to join the scheme. We can provide an EPC for your home.

Northern Ireland Domestic RHI and Energy Efficiency
Because the RHI works best in a well insulated home, the Northern 
Ireland Domestic RHI encourages people to make their homes more energy efficient first. Pound for pound, energy efficiency is one of the best investments you can make.
Before applying to the Domestic RHI, you must first install loft and cavity wall insulation to current recommended standards.
If your loft insulation is less than 150mm then you will be required your loft insulation to 270mm.
If you have cavity walls and your house was built before 1986 then you be required to install cavity wall insulation or provide proof that your walls have insulation or that it cannot be installed.
Installing cavity wall or loft insulation have shorter paybacks (2 to 5 years) than installing a heating system under the RHI scheme (7 years).
We can also examine the cavity if required to check for insulation.

Your renewable heating system is already installed.
You may still be eligible for the RHI if your system was installed after 1 September 2010. However you have to make an application in the first year of the scheme. The closing date for applications for already installed systems is therefore expected to be around 30 November 2015.