Thinking about installing solar panels? Read on for the things you should be considering!
We would say so! But so would many others. In fact, over 1.7m homes in the UK have solar panels, proving they are a hugely popular choice for those seeking to reduce their energy bills, reduce their emissions, and generate additional income from the Grid using clean, renewable electricity. Read our article “Are solar panels worth it?” [link] for more details.
You need a southerly facing and largely unshaded roof space, although having panels on both east and west roofs work well too. You’ll need to understand whether the additional weight of the panels can be supported by your roof, and your Thermly installer can check this for you and the survey stage. If you’re lucky enough to live in a conservation area or in a listed building, then you’ll definitely need formal consent. If you live in the south of the country your PV panels will generated a bit more than if you live in the north. Other than that, the efficiency of the panels will vary depending on orientation and pitch – but solar panels work well throughout the UK and on most roof spaces.
We cover this in more detail in our article on the costs of PV, which you can find here [link]. You’re looking at a range of between about £3,000 and £10,000 depending on the size of the roof available, what you want to invest and what you are looking to achieve by making the investment.
Certainly.
They do work in winter, they just generate less energy than in the summer.
They do work throughout the UK, but there will be a variation in their output depending primarily on how far north you go. You don’t need to be climbing ladders every week to clean them – they have a coating that enhances the ability of rain to remove any dust, muck and bird poo.
They do provide an attractive return on investment, especially compared with other renewable technologies – you can make your money back in 8-12 years and the panels last 25. Think of it like this, where else would you get an equivalent investment return of between 8% and 14% for the next quarter of a century?
People do want them – increasingly evidence points to a value premium for those homes with solar and other technologies.
They do not use more carbon in manufacture than they save in operation. The carbon impact is offset within a few years of operating (the exact extent will depend on where they’re manufactured / imported from, where they’re installed (how much they generate) and so forth. Beyond that initial couple of years or so, they’re having a hugely positive in reducing emissions from your household’s energy use.
If you own the unshaded southerly oriented roof space with sufficient structural integrity to cope with the additional weight of the panels – the likelihood is you could benefit from the installation of solar panels. The technology is well proven and there is so much data and evidence that shows how much you will save over the course of a year, you can have confidence this will be a good investment. Find out more by visiting our Green Tech Home Assessment [link], where you will be able to assess the impact specifically for your home yourself, all in a couple of minutes.
Our short Heat Pump Readiness Assessment is free, and only takes a few minutes. Sometimes a bit longer with a cup of tea...
