If you are thinking about getting solar panels installed on the roof …
Solar PV
Welcome to PV.co.uk the online home of solar photovoltaics. If you're considering a switch to solar then you've come to the right place – you'll find everything you need to know right here.
Photovoltaic (PV), more commonly known as solar PV, is a system that uses energy from the sun to generate electricity for your home via solar panels.
In using renewable free energy, it's an extremely 'green' source of power – reducing the reliance on fossil fuels like oil and coal. It also means no harmful carbon dioxide emissions released back into the atmosphere.
But the environmental benefits are more than matched by the financial benefits to you, the homeowner.
Once you’ve paid for your solar pv system, you can wave goodbye to high electricity bills – all the electricity generated by your panels is entirely free for you to use. Even better, thanks to a funding scheme introduced by the Government at the very advent of solar energy, you’ll receive a ‘feed in tariff payment’ for every unit of electricity you generate. As if that wasn’t enough, you’ll receive additional payments for any surplus electricity you are able to send back to the grid. The various financial incentives available against Solar PV systems mean panels have often paid for themselves after a number of years.
Photovoltaic Solar Panels
They may just look like a sheet of blue glass at a distance, but beneath the exterior of a photovoltaic solar panel lies an ingenious electrical circuit that creates useable electricity almost literally out of thin air. Learn more about the unique construction of a PV solar panel and find out exactly how they work.
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Solar Panels Cost
Solar panels cost somewhere in the region of £3,000 per kW, with a small family home requiring a system of around 3-4kW output. That means an initial outlay of around £10,000, but thanks to the feed in tariff payments and significantly reduced utility bills, you’ll quickly start recouping your investment.
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Solar Panel Installers
To ensure your eligibility for the feed in tariff payments, you’ll need to make sure your solar panel installer is MCS accredited. Find a suitable solar panel installer in your area using our regional guide – but remember to always get quotes from several installers for comparison before you commit.
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PV Solar Panels
The fundamental element of any photovoltaic system is the PV solar panel. PV Solar Panels are sited on the roof and must be facing south to maximise performance (in the southern hemisphere, conversely, they must point north).
Once in place, they act to absorb the sun's energy and transform it into useable electricity for the home. Even on the dullest of days, PV solar panels are still capable of generating power – so even during winter your panels will be working to create electricity.
Indeed it is often suggested that solar panels can't work in Britain's somewhat sun-less climate, but gladly this is a myth with no real substance. Solar panels don't absorb heat energy, they work on light rays - so however cold and chilly it may be outside, your panels will be doing their job until the sun goes down.
It's all thanks to the unique construction of the solar panels, which are usually cut from silicon. The cells within the silicon contain positive and negative layers with a deliberate imbalance of electrons – and all that's needed to kick start the transfer of electrons between layers is the energy from the sun. Find out more about how solar PV works here
Solar PV panels are great news for the environment and arguably even better news for the homeowner – especially in an age where utility bills seem to be on a continued upward spiral. So where's the catch?
Well, historically the 'catch' was the cost of installation – but thanks to advances in manufacturing, the competitive nature of the solar industry and of course the Governments Feed in Tariff incentives, that's no longer the case.
PV solar panels are now more affordable than ever – so if you have a south facing roof and wouldn't miss your sky-high electricity bills too much, it might be time to join the solar revolution…