RARELY a week goes by without another story warning us of energy price rises, and the environmental damage and drain on resources that our need for more gas, electricity and fuel generates.

It's little wonder, then, that solar energy is finding increased popularity.

"There has been a surge of enquiries since the latest round of gas price announcements," admits Benji Goehl, who is a partner in Sarum Solar, a workers' co-operative formed 18 months ago.

Benji (39) says he's been a devotee of solar power ever since he dabbled with ways of heating water at Scout camp as a teenager.

The aim of Sarum Solar, based in Salisbury, is to provide affordable high quality solar hot water systems.

Benji, who originally trained as a furniture maker, explains: "The system heats domestic water by capturing the heat of the sun with solar panels and pumping that heat into a cylinder."

The panels are formed from a series of glass tubes, carrying a substance called glycol, which takes the heat from the panels and carries it through to a cylinder where it transfers the heat to the water.

Changes to existing plumbing are minimal, although solar heating requires the installation of a new cylinder that works with both the solar panels and your existing boiler.

"Solar energy gives you a huge amount of hot water in summer and it makes the boiler work less hard in winter," he says.

"It saves money and reduces carbon emissions, which is what is linked to climate change."

Such energy efficiency, he admits, does not come cheaply, but he reckons it pays for itself in ten to 15 years.

"But lots of our customers are motivated by doing their bit for the environment," he says.

Mediterranean conditions are not essential because the panels are activated by daylight rather than sunlight, so that they will work even in cloudy conditions.

And while south-facing roofs provide the best solution for solar panel installation, the company will explore solutions for a variety of roof types including east-west facing, flat roofs and thatched roofs.

"If someone calls us, we ask as much as possible about the house, including the number of people who live there and the amount of water used," Benji explains.

"Once we've built up a picture, we make an appointment to visit.

"We need to see the actual site because we need to build up a sense of whether it's a sensible solution.

"We give them a quotation and time to think about because it is expensive, although there are government schemes to cover a percentage of the cost."

Sarum Solar is an independent company and is not tied into particular suppliers, so the company tries to ensure that it is selecting the appropriate product for each individual customer.

It takes approximately four weeks from order to installation and each system usually take two people plus a plumber around two days to install.

Working at height means taking special care with safety equipment and protective clothing, including hard hats.

On average, a job needs one panel for each person in the household, although more panels can always be added at a later date if the household size increases.

Clearing up and making good after the job is done is important, says Benji, because it is what people will remember.

"I learned as a cabinet maker in Germany that the first thing you push through the door is a broom because it gives the right impression," he says.

* Sarum Solar can be contacted on 01722 417650 or you can visit www.sarumsolar.co.uk.