Benefits of Solar Energy/Solar Panels
The key benefits of installing a solar PV system are:
- You will save money because you will be buying less electricity from your electricity supplier
- You will receive an income for the electricity you produce
- You will earn an extra income for importing any electricity you do not use back into the National Grid
- You will be generating and enjoying green electricity for your home
- You will reduce your carbon footprint
- Solar panels are financially very attractive, you will receive a guaranteed income for 20 years – all of which is index linked and tax free
- Solar panels come with long warranties on the product and the installation, with very little maintenance
- PV panels could increase the value of your home
Money Talk
The cost of your installation will depend on a number of things and how much electricity you would like to produce. You need to take into consideration the size of your roof space and how many panels you can fit, as well as the orientation of your roof. The more panels you have the higher the cost of your installation but this also means the more electricity and money you will make in the long term.
The new Feed In Tariff (FITs) make solar panels extremely appealing. The combined income and savings on an average sized system could mean a return of between 8-12%. FITs are fixed for 20 years at the rate in place when your installation is complete. For information on the current rates see our Feed in Tariff page.
Making the Most of your Solar Panels
So, you have had your solar panels installed and you are receiving the many benefits, but it is equally important to get the most from your panels by following these basis steps:
- Use as much of your generated electricity as you can. The Feed in Tariff pays you an export tariff on top of your generation tariff which is deemed to be 50% of what you have generated. You will be paid this regardless of how much you use so using all of your electricity will not effect this, so it pays to use it all.
- You can only use your electricity as it is being generated, i.e. during daylight hours. Therefor, it is important that you run your appliances during the day, this will contribute towards reducing your electricity bills. We recommend that you set up items such as washing machines or dishwashers to come on during the day. This can be done via the programs on your appliances or by using a plug in timer, these cost as little as £5 from a local electrical wholesalers.
- Use electrical items whenever possible. You may be using a petrol operated lawn mover or gas appliances for cooker for example. These items could be changed to electrical and used in daylight. Another example may be to change to using a slow cooker during the day.
- Other small changes could include charging items like mobile phones or cameras during the daylight hours rather than putting them on when you go to bed.