About Solar Panels

Producing heat and electricity using solar panels and other eco-products in your home – microgeneration is not only good for the environment, you may even earn some money.

If you have already introduced energy-efficient measures such as loft insulation and double glazing, you may be thinking about other ways in which you can reduce your bills and carbon footprint.  If so, have you considered microgeneration technologies to produce your own renewable power? The Government is offering grants towards the cost of these low-carbon products, which fall into two groups: ones that generate heat and others that generate electricity.

Another incentive for thinking about solar panels as a form of microgeneration is Feed-in tariffs. These are designed to encourage us householders to fit clean microgeneration energy systems in and around our property to create our own green energy supply.  In return, the scheme pays you tax-free cash for every cash kilowatt of energy the system generate (at a rate of 41.3p and an extra 3p on top of the surplus kilowatt*).  The cash is paid whether you use the electricity or feed it into the national grid (Smart Grid).

At current prices the cost to install solar panels is estimate at more than £10,000. An incentive is the tariffs on solar PV (photovoltaic) systems are guaranteed for 25 years, so there is the chance that you will recoup some of your investment.

On completion you will notify the Energy Saving Trust so that your property can be listed on the feed-in tariff database. The energy saving trust saving trust has estimated that have average feed-in home household can generate about 40 percent of the electricity used, which amount to about £120 saving on the annual bill.  Payments on the energy generated by a typical solar panel system can earn about £800.

You will need to get the installation done by a qualified installer for more information as what to expect and a free booklet is available from the Consumer Focus website.

You might be thinking to yourself, I would love to do it, but I have not got that type of money lying around. There is a scheme setup by some business where they will fit the solar panels for you free of charge, and they will take the feed-in tariff payments and you save on your utility bill (you should speak to consumer focus or the energy saving trust if you plan to go down this route).

Summery on the possible energy microgeneration systems that the Goernment offers grants towards:

Heating Generation

• Heat pumps extract low-level heat from the ground, surrounding air and water to run radiators and under-floor heating in the home.
• Solar hot water systems are the most commonly installed renewable technology in the UK and work by absorbing heat radiation from the sun.
• Wood-fuelled heating systems burn wood pellets, chips or logs to power central heating and hot water boilers.

Electricity Generation

• Solar electricity panels, or solar photovoltaics (PVs) as they are known, converts sunlight into electricity, which is either use in the home or export to the national grid.
• A wind turbine converts energy from the wind into electricity, which can then be used inside the home.
• Hydro power systems use running water to turn a small turbine which generates electricity.