Comparing Solar Panel Installation

Many people are joining the green revolution and opting to use renewable energy to power their homes, rather than contributing to the exhaustion of solid fuels such as gas and oil. Renewable energy is, in essence, inexhaustible in as such that it uses energy that is available all around us, such as wind, water, heat from the ground or the air and the rays of the sun. Some of the best known renewable technologies include wind turbines, biomass boilers, heat pumps (air source and ground source) and, of course, solar panels – probably the most well known and popular of all renewable technologies.

Where to Go For Comparing Solar Panel Installation

Comparing solar panel installation companies is probably best done online, where many comparison websites are already starting to appear specialising in renewable technologies. It is also possible to find companies that operate in your area and ask them for quotes and as such comparing solar panel installation. As solar panels become increasingly popular, the prices are also dropping.

Comparing Solar Panel Installation – Free Panels versus Paid for Panels

There are two ways to have solar panel installation and comparing solar panel installation of these two types is very important. The first type of solar panel installation is the one where you make the investment and purchase the solar panels yourself. The advantages and disadvantages are:

The cost of installation can be very high: around £6,000 for solar thermal (running your heating and hot water) and £12,000 for solar photovoltaic (running your electricity).
You may be able to receive the government’s Renewable Heat Premium Payment, amounting to around 10% of the cost of installation.
You will be able to receive the Feed in Tariff, which is guaranteed for 25 years and at present is around 43.3p per kilowatt produced that you feed back to the grid.
Your energy bills will be dramatically reduced.
The payback period for your investment is around 12 years for solar photovoltaic and 9 years for solar thermal.

When comparing solar panel installation, you will find that the second type is free installation. This is generally only available for solar photovoltaic. The advantages and disadvantages of this are:

Your solar panels and the installation is free.
You will enter a contract with the installer allowing them to receive the Feed in Tariff for the next 25 years.
You may have issues selling your home due to the contract as described above.
Your energy bills will be dramatically reduced.

Comparing solar panel installation is mainly about deciding what your main motivation is – do you want to simply reduce your energy bills and make a positive contribution to the environment (in which case free installation may be your best option) or do you also want to earn an extra income (in which case you will have to pay for the installation yourself). Another thing to remember when you are comparing solar panel installation is that you should only work with companies that are MCS – Microgeneration Certification Scheme – registered in order to be certain they are qualified to install the solar panels and apply for the Feed in Tariff.