The Lowdown on Photovoltaic Solar Panels

Confused about photovoltaic solar panels? Here are a few facts and tips about solar pv panels that can help dispel the confusion.

What Are Solar PV Panels?

Photovoltaic solar panels use the sun’s light and heat to generate electricity, which can then be transformed into household current to power your household appliances and lights. Solar pv panels generate clean energy from a renewable source, effectively reducing the emission of greenhouse gases while simultaneously cutting your electricity bill.

Where Can You Use Solar PV Systems?

Generally, people install solar systems on a roof or wall that faces within 90 degrees of south – that is, south, southeast or southwest. A southward-facing surface receives the direct sunlight needed to generate electricity. A roof that receives sunlight throughout the day will generate the most electricity, but even roofs and walls that are shadowed part of the day will generate some electricity.

The Costs of Solar Electricity

A PV solar system is somewhat more expensive than a solar heating system, but the savings from using solar electricity are also significantly more than the savings realized by installing a solar heating system. Depending on the size and type of solar pv panels you’re having installed on your property, it will cost between £8,000 and £14,000, though that amount can be offset by various grants. The typical 2kWp home solar system can save you up to £200 per year, according to the Energy Saving Trust, and supply up to 40% of the electricity you use in your home.

Government Incentives for Solar PV Panels

Because the government is committed to reducing the UK’s reliance on coal and carbon forms of energy, it has developed a feed-in tariff system to provide an incentive for property owners to install solar panels for electricity. Your solar PV system will qualify for payments for every kilowatt hour of electricity generated by your system, even the electricity you use in your own home. The amount of the payment is set at the time your solar panel installation is certified, and is guaranteed to remain at or above that rate for 25 years. Between the energy savings you’ll realize and the payments from the feed-in tariff scheme, most energy experts estimate that homeowners can recoup the cost of installing solar panels within the first 8 to 12 years.

Installing Solar Panels is an Investment In Your Future

Installing solar panels is good for the environment, of that there’s no doubt, but for most people, altruistic motives are not enough incentive to make such a big – and relatively expensive – change. There are, however, other excellent reasons for choosing to install solar PV panels on your property. In fact, installing solar panels in the UK is an investment that can pay off for you in lower electricity bills and guaranteed, tax-free income.

How Solar Panels Help Secure an Energy Future

Unlike some countries, the UK doesn’t have large swaths of land on which to install solar panels and solar plants. That doesn’t mean, however, that solar energy production doesn’t work for the UK. In fact, the Department of Energy and Climate Change estimates that up to 80 percent of UK homes have the potential to generate electricity from solar panels – a scheme that offers a number of advantages for both the country and individual homeowners

Solar panels installed on individual homes are more secure than large solar installations. It’s a simple fact of life – and one that’s well worth noting in today’s world. A large solar plant generating electricity for thousands of homes is a tempting target for terrorists. Homes that rely solely on energy generated by a central power plant are at risk of losing electricity from any type of disaster – man-made or otherwise – that knocks a power generator offline. The solution to that is called “distributed energy production,” which translates into lots of renewable energy installations – solar panels and wind turbines, generally – scattered around the country. When the entire country is not reliant on centralized power generation for its electricity, everyone is more secure and less prone to power outages.

In addition, every installation of solar panels reduces the country’s reliance on outside sources of energy. While the startup costs – the cost of the solar PV panels and solar installation costs – can be high, those who install solar PV systems for their homes will realize significant savings each and every month. DECC estimates that the average household can save up to 40 percent on their electricity bill over the course of a year.

To sweeten the deal, the government has devised the Feed-in Tariff Scheme, which pays homeowners for every unit of electricity generated by their solar panels, even the energy they use themselves. When you install a solar PV system, you’ll not only benefit from free electricity from the sun, you’ll get paid to generate that electricity. In addition, if you produce more electricity than you use, you can feed the excess back into the grid and be paid an additional amount for that electricity.

The Feed-in tariff is set at the time you install your solar panels and is guaranteed for 25 years – and as long as you live in your home rather than let it as a landlord, the income is tax-free.

In short, between the electricity savings and the amount be paid for the electricity generated by the installed solar panels, DECC estimates that the average homeowner will recover the entire cost of their solar PV installation within 10 to 11 years. The expected life of a solar panel installation is 20 to 25 years, which means that for half of its useful life, the savings and income are pure profit. Now that’s an investment.

Four Things You Should Know About Solar Panels

Solar energy is one of the most common and best known forms of renewable, green energy. Most people recognize solar panels on sight, and have a basic understanding of how they produce energy from the sun. Here are four facts about solar panels that may surprise you.

Solar Panels are Only one Part of a Home Solar System

Of course, they’re the most visible part, since they have to be outdoors where they can collect sunlight from which they produce electricity. In addition to the solar panels, a solar pv system also includes wiring, support structure, a charge controller and an inverter. Some solar systems also include a batter to store energy for later use.

The Typical Home Solar System Only Takes About a Day to Install

That’s it. If you decide to install solar panels on your roof, you’ll usually be using your new solar electricity before the end of the day. Of course, the time it takes to install varies depending on your property and the size of the system, but the typical 1 kilowatt home system, consisting of 10 to 12 panels can be up and running in less than 8 hours.

A 1 Kilowatt System Will Generate Between 750 and 1,600 Kilowatt Hours of Electricity a Year

A larger system will generate more electricity. In a sunny climate – one that gets about 5.5 hours of sunlight daily – you can figure on 1,600 kWh for each kilowatt your system is rated for. In cloudier areas – about 2.5 hours of sunshine daily – you’ll get closer to 750 kilowatt hours per year.

A Solar PV System With a Battery Backup can Provide Electricity 24/7

People often assume that their solar panels will only provide electricity during daylight on sunny days. In fact, while the panels produce the maximum amount of electricity when they get direct sunlight, today’s solar systems will generate electricity even when it’s overcast. Systems with a battery backup can store excess electricity to power things at night. Grid-tied systems – which are sort of hybrids between full solar and the electricity you get from your energy supplier – usually don’t include batteries. Instead, they feed excess energy back into the grid so that others can use it. In return, the current electrical system is in place for the times that your solar panels don’t produce quite enough electricity for your needs.

You can Get Paid to Generate Electricity for Your Own Use

The feed in tariff scheme devised by the Department of Energy and Climate Change pays you for every kilowatt hour of electricity your solar panels generate, even those that you consume. The current base tariff is 43p per kilowatt hour for solar energy that you use yourself. If you produce excess energy, you get the 43p plus an additional 3p per kWh.

And keep in mind that every kWh your solar panels generate is 1 kWh you’re not buying from your power supplier. While the up-front cost of installing solar panels is a hefty investment, most people will recover their investment in energy savings within 6 to 7 years. After that, your energy savings from using solar panels is pure profit.

Installing Solar Panels on Your Roof

You’ve probably heard that going green with solar power can cut your energy costs while being kinder to the planet, but you may be wondering about what – besides the solar panels on your roof – going solar actually involves. Many people have questions and assumptions about solar power and how it would work in their own homes, but don’t want to ask for fear of sounding silly. If you don’t understand how solar panels could power your home in the typical UK climate, you’re not alone. These simple answers may answer the common questions that you have about solar panels and the logistics of solar power.

What Does a Solar Energy System Consist of?

The solar panels are the major and most obvious component of a solar pv system. They’re most often mounted on your roof, though there are other arrangements possible if you don’t have a suitable roof to hold them. In addition to the panels, you’ll need an inverter, which transforms the power fed from the panels to the type of electricity you can use in your home. If you chose a grid-tied system rather than an off-grid solar system, you’ll also have an electricity meter to measure the amount of energy your solar panels generate in addition to the meter that measures the amount of electricity you draw from you power supplier.

What’s the Difference Between a Grid-Tied Solar System and an Off-Grid One?

There are two main types of solar systems for generating electricity. An off-grid system is completely separate from the grid that supplies electricity from your supplier. In most cases, it is the sole supply of electricity for the building it supplies. A grid-tied system is more common, especially among homeowners who want to take advantage of the feed in tariff scheme that pays you for the electricity your solar panels generate.

With a grid-tied system, your home remains connected to the electrical grid and draws power from it when your solar panels don’t supply enough to meet your needs. In general, grid-tied systems don’t store energy – they generate it for your immediate use. If the solar panels generate more energy than you can use immediately, the excess is fed back into the grid, and you’ll be paid an additional few pence for every excess kilowatt hour your solar system produces. That’s in addition to the base tariff amount you receive for every kWh of energy your system produces, whether it supplies your power needs or is fed back into the grid.

If you have more questions about whether your home is a good candidate for solar panels, call a local solar installation company and ask. They’re used to questions and will be more than happy to help you make a decision about whether or not solar pv is a good choice for your home.

Solar Panels Save On Your Energy CostsYour

If the thought of helping save the planet isn’t enough to motivate you to install a solar PV system on your property, the lure of lower energy prices may be enough to do the trick. When you choose to supplement your electricity usage with solar panels, you can save a hefty amount on your monthly electricity bill – and there’s even a good possibility that you’ll generate enough electricity to sell some back to the electric company and make a little money on the side.

How You Save with Solar Panels

A solar PV installation can save you money in several different ways, thanks to the feed in tariff scheme started by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The scheme provides subsidies for every kilowatt hour of electricity that your solar panels generate, and an additional payment for each kilowatt hour that your system sends to the electrical grid.

In order to take full advantage of the FITS, your system needs to be a grid-connected solar system – which is, in most cases, the best option for most UK homeowners. With a grid-connected system, your home remains connected to the traditional electric grid. When you use electricity in your home, you’ll draw first from the energy generated by your solar panels. If your electricity use exceeds the amount of power generated by your solar system, you’ll draw it from the traditional grid. If the electricity generated by your solar PV system exceeds the amount of electricity you use in your home, the excess is fed into the grid and distributed to other users.

A meter installed in your home will measure your electricity use and generation. For each kilowatt hour your solar panels generate – whether you use it or feed it to the grid – you’ll receive the feed-in tariff from your electricity supplier. For each kilowatt hour of electricity you send back to the grid, you’ll receive the base tariff plus an additional tariff of a few pence. As of November 2011, the amounts of the tariffs are 43.3p for the base, and an additional 3p for the excess.

The tariff you receive is an addition to the savings you’ll realize by reducing the amount of electricity you have to buy from your electrical supplier. If, for example, you’re currently paying about 15p per kWh for your electricity, for each kWh your solar panels generate and you use, you’ll save the 15p, and receive an additional 43.3p – a total of 58.3p off on your electric bill for the electricity you use in your own home.

Of course, the amount of money you’ll actually save depends upon the amount of electricity you use and the amount of electricity generated by your solar panels. A local solar company can give you a better idea of how much electricity you can expect your solar PV installation to produce.

The Best Locations for Solar Panels

Renewable energy is no longer a glimmer of a future dream. It is a reality, here and today – but some places are better equipped for one type of renewable energy or another. Whether you choose solar panels, wind turbines or another form of renewable energy depends a great deal upon the location and configuration of your property. Solar panels, for example, are best suited for south-facing roofs that get direct sunlight at the right angle, while water generators or wind turbines might be a better fit in other circumstances. If you’re considering a renewable energy system in the UK, your property may be best suited for a solar PV system if it has the following characteristics.

Your home could be an excellent candidate for solar panels if:

You have a roof surface that faces south, southeast or southwest. Homes with roofs that are oriented in a generally southern direction are like to receive enough sunlight to generate electricity through solar PV panels throughout the year.

You live in an unlisted building. If you live in a property that’s listed with the council, you’ll need to get planning permission from the council. In most cases, most councils will allow the installation of solar panels. If you live in an unlisted building, you won’t require planning permission to install a solar PV system on your roof.

Your roof slants at an angle of 20 to 50 degrees. Solar panels must be set at the best angle to catch direct sunlight, and the angle varies depending upon your exact location. If your roof slants at the proper angle, the solar panels can be installed directly on your roof. In many cases, if the roof is flat or doesn’t slant enough, the solar company can install the solar panels on an A-frame that will put them at the proper angle.

Your home isn’t overshadowed by other structures over which you have no control. In order to generate enough electricity to be worth your while, the solar panels on your roof needs to get direct sunlight for a good part of the day. If your roof is overshadowed by nearby buildings or geographical features that block the sunlight, another renewable energy option may be a better choice for you.

Of course, you can find out if your property is a good fit for a solar PV installation by booking a consultation with a local company that installs solar panels. An expert consultation will be able to give you a firm solar quote and tell you exactly how suitable your property is for a solar panel installation.

How Feed In Tariffs for Solar Panels Work

If you choose to install solar panels on your property, you can benefit from the Feed In Tariff scheme created by the government to increase the use of renewable energy sources. In a nutshell, when you put solar PV panels on your home – either on your rooftop or in a standalone installation, you can cut your energy costs and receive payments for the electricity you generate. This simple explanation can help you understand how you can benefit from choosing to use renewable energy from the sun to help power your home.

Three Ways to Benefit from Solar Panels

There are three ways you can benefit when you install solar panels on your property and register for the feed in tariff (FIT) scheme. Essentially, you will be paid for each unit of energy generated by your solar PV panels, as well as save money on your energy bill each month.

Generation Tariff

For every unit of electricity you generate – measured in kilowatt hours, or kWh – your energy supplier will pay you a rate that is set and published by the government. The tariff levels are guaranteed for up to 25 years, and are linked to an index to ensure that they keep pace with inflation. You’ll be paid that rate whether you use the energy generated by your solar panels or export them to the energy grid.

Export Tariff

In addition, you’ll get an additional tariff from your energy supplier for each kWh you export back to the electricity grid. The current export tariff is 3.1p/kWh, over and above the generation tariff. Eventually, solar PV systems will include a smart meters that will measure the amount of energy you export. Until smart meters are available and installed, the export tariff will apply to 50% of the energy you generate.

Savings on Your Energy Bill

Finally, you’ll see a reduction on your energy bill because you’ll be importing less electricity from your energy supplier. Every kWh your solar panels generate is a kWh you don’t have to pay for. The amount of your savings will depend upon the amount of energy you typically use and the amount your solar installation generates.

Typical Energy Savings with Solar PV Systems

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that the typical domestic solar electricity system (2.9kWp) could give you a total savings of £1,190 annually. The breakdown includes £1,060 from the Generation Tariff, £40 annually from the Export Tariff and £90 energy savings.

Your energy savings will vary, depending upon your energy use and the amount of energy your solar panels generate. A local solar panel installation company can give you more information and help you estimate how much you could save if you choose to install solar PV panels on your property.

Should You Install Solar Panels on Your Rooftop?

Have you considered the idea of installing solar panels on your rooftop? With the push by the government to reduce the UK’s reliance on carbon-based energy, chances are that you’ve seen adverts inviting property owners to invest in solar energy and a secure energy future whenever you turn on the telly. If you’ve briefly considered the thought, but not looked further into the benefits and possibilities of solar pv for your home, these points may push you to explore your options further.

Rooftop Solar Panels can Reduce Your Energy Costs

The most common type of solar pv installation in use is a grid-connected installation, where the energy produced by your rooftop solar panels supply electricity to your home when it’s available. When solar energy is not available, you’ll draw energy from the power grid. This scheme reduces your energy costs because the energy produced by your solar panels replaces electricity you’d otherwise have to buy. The more electrical power your solar panels produce, the less you have to buy from the utility company and the more you’re energy costs are reduced.

Feed-in Tariffs can Reduce Your Energy Costs Even Further

With grid-connected solar panels, the electricity produced by your own system is available immediately for your use. If your system produces more energy than you can use, however, it can’t be stored for later. Instead, your solar system feeds excess electricity back into the grid where it can be used by others. This reduces the amount of electricity that must be produced by a coal-fired or carbon-based plant, and, because the electric company will pay you for every kilowatt hour of electricity your system feeds back into the grid, your energy bill will be reduced even further. It’s even possible that the electric company will end up paying you instead of taking your money.

You’ll Never be Without Power, Even on Cloudy Days

Because the solar panels and energy collection system are connected to the power grid, you won’t end up without power even during extended cloudy periods when your solar installation doesn’t produce enough energy for your use. And because your solar panels produce electricity independent of the electrical grid, you don’t have to worry about losing power if the grid goes down temporarily.

If you’re interested in learning more about solar pv installation and the advantages of installing solar panels on your roof, you can book a consultation with a local company that installs residential and commercial solar systems in your locale.