YORK distributor of a revolutionary solar panel is turning up the heat on major housebuilders.

Trials in Yorkshire have already proved that light-sensitive vacuum tubes can convert 93 per cent of the sun's energy into heat

Now talks with major housebuilders have been initiated by Positive Planet Ltd which launched last year in the IT Centre at York Science Park as a subsidiary of Inprotech Ltd.

The company is in discussions with Barratts, David Wilson Homes and York-based Persimmon to offer hot water for their housing projects using edge-of-science solar energy techniques.

Alan Leadbetter, Positive Planet's director, wants them to pre-empt the effects of inevitable Government legislation to bring UK housing energy policy into line with European Union regulations.

Mr Leadbetter, who has lived in Zimbabwe for most of his life, said he was shocked to discover how little solar energy was used in the UK.

"There is a wrong impression that because of Britain's bad weather such systems can't work, but panels convert the sun's rays which penetrate all cloud cover.

"On top of this is new technology perfected by Magpie Technology Ltd of East Sussex, which uses vacuum tubes to quicken and maximise the process to a conversion rate of 93 per cent."

He has been able to back this up by installing thermal vacuum tube panels at two Yorkshire Housing renovation projects at West Knapton and at The Shriers, in Leeds.

Monitors on the tubes allow him to download into a computer exact statistics of energy saving - and these will be used to encourage wider use of the technology.

The timing of these projects is good, given that the Department of Trade and Industry is providing incentives for companies which can claim up to 50 per cent of the value of installation off company tax, or £100,000 whichever is greater. Individuals can claim £400 back on their installation from the DTI's Clear Skies project as well as having to pay only five per cent VAT.

Mr Leadbetter said: "Under the Kyoto agreement, the UK has agreed to reduce fossil fuel energy requirements by ten per cent through renewable energy so we have an international agreement on our side!"

He said he believed that the sooner housing companies committed themselves to solar renewable energy the better it would be for them.

"Beyond Kyoto, the fact is that paying lower power bills is a terrific incentive to people to buy their houses, particularly at a time when fuel energy costs are increasing dramatically."

Updated: 10:58 Thursday, May 05, 2005