Solar Power
Make Money from your roof by generating your own electricity with the new feed in tariff.
OFGEM have recently announced that it predicts electricity to rise by as much as 60% in the next 7 years. Prices rose by 8% in December 2010 alone.
Solar Electric (PV) panels will allow you to make your own electricity and reduce your reliance on the energy companies. To help householders to make the jump to generating their own energy, the uk now has its own 25 year incentive tariff, offered only by accredited companies such as ourselves.
The tariff will pay you for generating electricity up to 43.3p per unit generated, Even if this is used by the property! In addition the system will reduce your electricity bill. Also an additional payment will be paid for any electricity not used and sent back to the national grid. Payments will be guaranteed by the government for 25 years and will rise with inflation and are tax free.
Different sizes of system are available depending of the size of your roof, for example a 4kw installation could generate a annual feed back of £1500 tax free, in addition an annual saving on your electricity bill of up to £400
This new technology will give you a guaranteed, long term return on you investment, which also adds value to your home and will reduce you carbon footprint.
Please contact us and we can give a full cost analysis of a system to suit your needs.
Solar Power Frequently Asked Questions:
q. how much power do we use in the home?
a. everyone consumes energy, but sometimes it is hard to know just how much power is really being used in the home. Domestic usage is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh) and the best way to understand what this means is to look at what a kWh does in everyday life.
A kWh of electricity can provide:
- 1200 electric shaves
- drying your hair 15 times
- listening to 15 cd’s
- using a small fridge for 24 hours
- 4 evenings of light from a 60w lamp
q. What is a Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system?
a. A solar Photovoltaic System is a renewable technology which utilises free energy from the sun to generate electricity.
q. How does Solar PV work?
a. Solar PV relies on daylight to generate power through the use of photovoltaic cells within roof mounted panels (modules). These modules are generally fixed to a roof and connected by cables into an inverter. This converts the DC electricity produced to AC which is either consumed within the property or sold back to the power supplier.
q. What is the life expectancy of a Solar PV module
a. PV modules has a life span of 25 years but will last much longer since there are no moving parts. The modules are guaranteed for 25 years.
q. Can i sell the electricity i generate back to the power supplier
a. Most suppliers will pay for power fed back into the grid from PV systems. The easiest way to do this is by signing up to feed in tariff scheme with your power supplier.
q. What are Feed in Tariffs (FiT)
a. On the 1st February 2010, the government announced new standard generation Feed in Tariffs rates due to start on 1st April 2010 which are guaranteed for 25 years. This scheme, results in a shorter payback time for PV systems, making them an attractive green option.
Any system less than 4kw on a retrofit = 41.3p per kW pay back.
This means that if you normally pay 12p per kWh for your electricity, you would effectively get both the power consumed for free and the FiT. So on a retrofit system below 4kW this would mean 12p+41.3p= 53.5p per kWh saving!
To qualify for this tariff, the system must be installed by an MCS accredited installer.
q. What happens when there is little or no sunlight, eg during winter months?
a. Solar modules do produce more electricity on brighter days, however sunlight is not a necessity. Even in winter when the sun is lower or the skies are overcast, modules can still produce some electricity, the output will just be lower.
q. How long does a Solar Pv system take to install?
a. This depends on the size of system but normally only a few days to complete.
q. Do modules have to be installed at an angle? Can they be laid flat on a roof?
a. Solar PV modules should be ideally be installed at an angle between 30 deg and 45 deg to ensure they receive the maximum amount of light available throughout the year, Any module installed outside these figures will deliver a smaller output.
q. Can Solar PV modules be fitted on a roof facing in any direction?
a. Ideally modules should face south to achieve maximum output but other directions will give a lower output.
q. Will planning permission be required?
a. In some cases planning permission will be needed. This may be if you live in a building or conservation area. You should always check with your local authority before proceeding.
q. What maintenance is required?
a. Very little is required, an annual visual inspection should be carried out to ensure no panels are in shade and are in clean condition. However as with all electrical installations a inspection should be carried out every 10 years in accordance with current electrical regulations.
