GHA has installed solar panels to the first of 500 homes – to help tenants save money on their fuel bills.

The solar panels generate free electricity during daylight hours for householders.

Tenants whose homes are fitted with solar panels can expect to save around £100 every year on their fuel bills.

The solar panels also cut the carbon footprint of each home which helps the environment.

Glasgow City Council Leader Gordon Matheson joined GHA Chair Gordon Sloan at one of the first GHA homes fitted with solar panels.

Susan Lafferty, 43, from Baillieston has lived in her home for the past 11 years with husband Daniel, 50, and 17-year-old son Daryl.

She said: "I looked at all the benefits of the scheme and realised I had nothing to lose, so I signed up.

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"We spend nearly £50 every two weeks on our key cards - and the prices keep going up. I was keen to try anything that would help us cut our fuel bills.

"It is also good that it helps the environment. We already do our bit in the house by using all of the different coloured recycling bins.

"We were one of the first GHA houses to get the panels fitted, but more and more are popping up on our street."

Each GHA house fitted with solar panels could cut 24 tonnes of CO2 emissions over a 25-year period – equivalent to filing five Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Tenants who signed up for solar panels also received a visit from one of GHA’s Fuel Advisors. The Fuel Advisors showed tenants how to make the most of the free electricity generated during daylight hours.

The UK Government launched a renewable energy scheme in 2009 to increase the uptake of green technology. As part of this, feed-in tariffs were introduced which reward customers for generating electricity.

Any surplus income generated by the feed-in tariffs in the GHA properties will be reinvested in GHA homes. A decision by the UK Government to cut feed-in tariff rates is currently being challenged in the High Court.

The solar panels are fitted by building firm Apollo.

(GK)