Photovoltaic
Introduction
Solar photovoltaic is the generation of electricity using the suns energy. Modern solar panels produce electricity from daylight and do not require direct sunlight, although more electricity is produced on sunny days.
Use the power you generate in your own home
When you turn on a light or pop the bread down in your toaster, the device will draw current from the nearest available source. If the sun is out, the electricity will come from the panels on your roof, if not, it will come from the grid as it has always done.
Export your power to the National Grid
If you are out and the panels are generating more power than your house is consuming, it will travel back down the mains cable and be used by others on the grid. You’ll be paid 4.5p extra for every kilowatt that you export in this way. For domestic properties your electricity supplier assumes that you will export 50% of your electricity and will pay you accordingly. Effectively, you’ll become a small scale generator in your own right – you’ll be paid for every kilowatt you generate, allowed to use it and paid to export it.
HOW IT WORKS
Turning sun into electricity
Energy from the sun is converted into DC voltage by the panels on roof. The inverter converts DC into AC voltage. A generation meter records production, and the electricity generated is used in household appliances. Unused electricity is fed back to the grid.
The benefits to you
There are some good benefits for PV solar. Every MCS approved solar panel has a 20 year minimum power output. Low maintenance and need cleaning regularly. Lower electricity bills, protection from price rises and cut down your carbon footprint.
As well as generation tariff you can also sell any extra units you don’t use back to your electricity supplier. You will receive around 5.24p per unit (kwh) of electricity. This is called export tariff.
Design
MCS Approved Engineer
Our MCS approved engineer will discuss what you would like to achieve from a PV solar installation. Thy will also check size, orientation and pitch of your roof and that its suitable for your roof. Your roof will also be assessed for stability.
The Whole Picture
The engineer will also inspect your electrical board or consumer unit to get the whole picture and the best solution for you.
PRODUCT & INVERTERS
A panel interview
PV panels are interconnected assemblies of photovoltaic cells most commonly bonded to glass and in an aluminium frame. There are three main types of panels available: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and ‘thin film’. Monocrystalline cells are cut from a single cylindrical crystal of silicone and the panels are more efficient but are slightly more expensive. Polycrystalline cells are cut from an ingot of melted and recrystallised silicone and the panels are less efficient and are slightly cheaper. Thin film cells are assembled into modules by laminating them to a flexible film. Ideal where there is plenty of roof space, they are even less efficient but cheap to produce and install.
A choice of brands, but all from the MCS menu
In order to qualify for the Feed In Tariff, the panels must come from the list of accredited products on the Microgeneration Certificate Scheme website. We have installed a lot of Sunrise, Panasonic and BenQ panels but also fit Canadian Solar, Perlight, Hyundai and ET Solar. Like you, we always look for the best performance combined with long term reliability.
PV takes the direct approach
The Direct Current (DC) in any grid-connect system must be changed to AC and it’s the inverter which handles the job. This clever bit of kit introduces a sine wave into the DC which matches the 50Hz AC found in your home and on the grid. A special requirement of the inverter is that it must automatically shut down the array in the event of a power cut in order to protect any engineers working ‘downstream’ on the grid, trying to solve the problem. This unsung hero of the PV system, frequently hidden away in the loft, gets little attention and simply gets on with its job, day after day after day.
Proof that they’re up to the job
Not featured individually on the MCS list, inverters nevertheless must carry an internationally recognised protocol known as G83/2. That certificate ensures the quality of the machine and qualifies your system for grants and FITs. The machines are reliable, easy to maintain and have generous warranties.
BRANDS
What size project are you interested in?
From householders to housing associations
Whether you want to fill your childrens’ bath with hot water or generate electricity to power a small estate, we can help develop a system that is right for you. Give us a roof size, a power output or a budget and we’ll work the rest out.
It’s got to look good
Most people are rightly concerned about how their house will look with panels on the roof and if you’re interested in our quote, we’re more than happy to produce an artists impression that shows how that many panels will look. It allows you to see what see what you’re getting and to perhaps adjust the size of the array, up or down.
Tried and tested methods
We’ve an enormous experience of dealing with people’s most precious asset – their home. We take care to keep you informed about what we’re doing and when we’re doing it, we tidy up around ourselves and we never forget that you will expect that everything to be as it was before we arrived (with the obvious exception of some extra hot water or electricity provided by the sun). If you’d like to talk to some previous customers, just ask, we’d be delighted to arrange it.
Energy Performance Certificates
The Feed in Tariff depends upon your house achieving at least a level ‘D’ rating (55 points or more). If there is any doubt whether the house will achieve the necessary points, we would consider doing the EPC on your behalf before we get to contract stage – so you can be sure of where
you stand
- From £3,000
Environmental responsibility
From industrial giants to local businesses, companies are increasingly environmentally responsible. The 10kWp system we installed on the Herts Young Mariners Base in Hertford provides them with income and savings of over £4,000 a year plus sets a fantastic example to all the young people who come to the centre.
A sound financial decision
The value of the Feed in Tariff for PV installations drops as the size of the array increases however the economies of scale mean that the ‘installed kW price for large scale installations is much lower than small ones. This produces a sizeable income stream from your investment, indeed, our target is that the cost of the installation should be recovered in 10 years.
Energy Performance Certificates
Commercial premises that are offered for sale or for let must have an Energy Performance Certificate to show to prospective tenants or purchasers. Government Buildings, Retail Units, Offices, Shops, Industrial Units and New Build Homes all have to comply. Solar systems help to improve these ratings and make buildings more attractive to new occupiers.
New buildings – the Code for Sustainable Homes
The Code aims to achieve a step-change in environmental performance of new UK homes. It sets out a clear timetable to reduce carbon emissions from new build housing to Zero by 2016. We can advise you on how to maximise the potential of a solar energy system on a prospective or existing development and help to achieve the current mandatory targets for reduction of carbon emissions. For more technical information on CSH, please go to www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
- From £15,000
Local Authorities, schools and churches
Community buildings offer a unique chance to showcase your environmental concerns and offer the chance to develop a small scale generating system that pays handsome dividends. Large roofs allow multi panel arrays impossible in domestic terms which benefit from decreasing installation costs as system sizes increase. After all, you only need one set of scaffolding whether your putting up 20 panels or 200.
Show them you care
The roofs we covered in PV panels for Watford Boy’s Grammar School are not only a very public demonstration of their committment, they also provide them with income and savings of around £18,000 a year. Unlike houses, most of the power will be used during the day, which is precisely when it is being generated. And the savings from reducing the energy you import are greater than the income you gain by exporting.
Find out how we can help you
If you’re investigating economy or environmental programs for your local community building, give us a call today. We’re already in discussions with Parish Councils, Churches and sports clubs and would be delighted to explain how solar thermal and photovoltaic systems could work for you. We can give you the costs, expected power outputs, savings and income for a variety of systems and equip you with the information you need to convince your colleagues
- From £10,000