Why install solar panels in your London home?

Solar PV panels will save you money and help the environment, find out more about installing them in your London property here.

Solar panels can save you
money on your fuel bills

Do you want to reduce your fuel bills? Are you worried about the environment? Well installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in your home in London may be just the ticket. Solar power is a clean, free energy source, so once you have paid for the actual panels and installation, your fuel bills should plummet. As for you eco-warriors out there, you can reduce your carbon footprint significantly by installing solar panels.

So how exactly does it work? Well, the solar panels capture sunlight using photovoltaic cells, these clever little things then turn the sun’s energy into usable electricity which can then effectively run your house. And don’t worry, whilst London isn’t the sunniest place, solar panels work on stored up energy, so you don’t need direct sunlight to power your electrical appliances.

What are the benefits of solar electricity?

• Good for the environment
  Solar electricity is a renewable energy source and it does not release any carbon dioxide or other dangerous pollutant. On average you could save one tonne of carbon dioxide a year by installing solar PV panels in your London home.

• Good for your bank balance
  On average, installing solar PV panels will provide your home in London with around 40% of its electricity needs, for free! Additionally, if you end up generating excess electricity you can sell it back to the grid and even pocket a bit of cash.

• Good for a rainy day
  If your home in London is not connected to the national grid, you can store excess electricity to use for a rainy day.

Will solar panels be suitable for my house in London?

So it sounds great and you’re ready to sign up, but first of all you will need to make sure that your home will be able to handle solar panels:

• Firstly, the roof or wall where you intend to install solar panels needs to face within 90 degrees of south. This is to ensure that the panels will collect enough sunlight to make it worth your while. Also make sure the panels won’t be overshadowed by anything such as a large tree or building, otherwise your solar panels will be less efficient.
• Is your roof or wall strong enough? Solar panels are heavy and you must make sure that they won’t damage the building.
• Do you live in a listed building or a conservation area in London? If so you will need to check with your local authority in London to ensure that you can install them as regulations may apply.

How do solar panels work?

So, you’re house in London is suitable, now you are probably wondering how it all works. The solar panels can be attached to either your roof or walls, depending on where would get the most sunlight (usually the roof). These solar panels are made of PV cells and each cell is comprised of layers of silicon, when the light hits the cell it produces an electric field through the layers. In short, the stronger the sunlight the more electricity your panels will produce.

Will the solar panels ruin the aesthetics of my home in London?

Solar panels come in pretty much any shape or colour these days, so you can easily have them blend into your roof. Grey is popular for those with tiles, or you can get transparent cells which are ideal for those wanting to place their solar panels on their conservatory in London.

How much will solar panels cost to install at my home in London?

In short, the more effective the solar panels the more it will cost initially, but the more it will save your household bills over time. An average system of 2.2kW will cost £12,000, however solar PV systems can vary in price per kW from £4,000 to £8,000.

What else should I consider about the cost of solar panels?

• Solar tiles cost more than solar panels, but offer better aesthetics
• It is cheaper to place solar panels on top of the roof than have them built into it, again the only real benefit is aesthetics
• Remember, your solar PV panels could produce 40% of your household’s electricity needs, which could save you around £900 annually.
• The government Feed-in Tariff scheme provides cash back for every kilowatt of renewable energy you produce at home – so you could make a real profit from installing solar PV.
• Some corporations will install free solar panels at your home in London providing you give them the income generated through your excess electricity.