Generate cheap, green electricity from sunlight.
Solar electricity systems capture the sun's energy using photovoltaic (PV) cells. The cells convert the sunlight into electricity, which can be used to run household appliances and lighting.
PV cells don't need direct sunlight to work - you can still generate some electricity on a cloudy day.
How do photovoltaic (PV) cells work?
PV cells are panels you can attach to your roof or walls. Each cell is made from one or two layers of semiconducting material, usually silicon. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers. The stronger the sunshine, the more electricity is produced.
PV cells come in a variety of shapes and colours, from grey "solar tiles" that look like roof tiles to panels and transparent cells that you can use on conservatories and glass.
The strength of a PV cell is measured in kilowatt peak (kWp). That's the amount of energy the cell generates in full sunlight.
- Cut your carbon footprint: solar electricity is green, renewables energy and doesn't release any harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) or other pollutants. A typical home PV system could save around 1tonne of CO2 per year - that's around 25 tonnes over its lifetime.
- Cut your electricity bills: sunlight is free, so once you've paid for the initial installation your electricity costs will be greatly reduced. A typical home PV system can produce around 40% of the electricity a household uses in a year.
- Sell electricity back to the Grid: if your system is producing more electricity than you need, or when you can't use it, someone else can use it - and you could make a bit of money.
- Store electricity for a cloudy day: if your home isn't connected to the national grid you can store excess electricity in batteries to use when you need it.
To tell if solar electricity is right for you, there are a few key questions to consider:
- Do you have a sunny place to put it? You'll need a roof or wall that faces within 90 degrees of south, and isn't overshadowed by trees or buildings. If the surface is in shadow for parts of the day, your system will generate less energy.
- Is your roof strong enough? Solar panels are not light and the roof must be strong enough to take their weight, especially if the panel is placed on top of existing tiles. If in doubt, ask a construction expert or an installer.
- Do you need planning permission? In England, Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland, you don't need planning permission for most home solar electricity systems, as long as they're below a certain size - but you should check with your local planning officer, especially if your home is a listed building, or is in a conservation area or World Heritage Site.
Cost, savings and maintenance
In general:
- the more electricity the system can generate, the more it costs but the more it could save
- solar tiles cost more than conventional panels
- panels built into a roof are more expensive than those that sit on top but,
- if you need major roof repairs, PV tiles can offset the cost of roof tiles
Savings can be considerable - around 1 tonne of CO2 a year. A 2.2 kWp system can generate around 40% of a household's yearly electricity needs. If the system is eligible to receive the Feed In Tariff it could generate savings and income of around £900 per year.
Maintenance is generally small - you'll need to keep the panels relatively clean and make sure trees don't begin to overshadow them.
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