Solar Panel Installation

Opting to power your house and provide your heating through renewable technologies is a great idea. We should all become more aware of the impact we are having on the environment by using solid fuels that are quickly starting to run out. Fuels such as gas and electricity are not inexhaustible, and the fact that they are running out is reflected in our ever rising fuel bills. There are many different renewable technologies that you can use to reduce your carbon emissions by using energy that is inexhaustible. Renewable energy includes wind, water, heat from the ground, heat from the air and, of course, solar rays. Solar panels, be it solar thermal to heat your home or solar photovoltaic to provide you with electricity, are the most popular forms of renewable energy.

Where to Go for Solar Panel Installation

There are many companies all across the United Kingdom that offer solar panel installation. Some of the more famous ones are those provided by the big six energy companies, being:

British Gas
NPower
Scottish Power
Scottish & Southern
EON
EDF Energy

There are also many private organisations offering solar panel installation.

The Costs of Solar Panel Installation

The costs of solar panel installation will depend on the company you ask to install your solar panels as well as the type of solar panels you require. For solar thermal, the average cost of installing a system will be around £6,000. For solar photovoltaic, the cost is generally around £12,000, although this price is decreasing as the number of companies offering solar panel installation increases.

The payback time for both solar thermal and solar photovoltaic is around 12 years. This is, in a large part, due to the reduction in your energy bills, saving you up to £700 per year. Furthermore, the government is currently offering the Renewable Heat Premium Payment, meaning you will get around 10% of your installation costs back.

With regards to solar photovoltaic solar panel installation, you will also be paid through what is known as the Feed in Tariff, which means that you will be paid for the energy you produce and feed back to the grid, generally around 43.3pence per kilowatt that you feed back. The Feed in Tariff is guaranteed for the next 25 years, which is the expected life expectancy of solar panels.

Can I Have Solar Panel Installation for Free?

The short answer to this question is “yes”. However, it is important not to be lured by the temptation of something being free, because there are, of course, consequences to this. If a company offers you free solar panel installation, this will generally mean that they will receive the Feed in Tariff for the next 25 years, meaning they essentially rent your roof space. This could have serious consequences if you were ever thinking of selling your home of course.

Opting for solar panel installation is a great way to step into the 21st century and become actively involved in a greener society and reducing your carbon footprint. And although the initial cost of solar panel installation is a large investment, the payback period is reasonable and you even stand to make a profit.