This is a question we get asked many times by homeowners and businesses alike. Everybody has seen solar panels on buildings but what actually are the benefits of having them and are they right for you?
Take Control and Slash your Bills
Installing a solar array and producing your own electricity means you’ll reduce your reliance on the grid for your electricity, you won’t need to import as much, and so, quite simply, you’ll cut your electricity bills at the flick of a switch. When you consider that energy prices have gone up year on year by approximately 6%, using your own electricity will mean a solar system is a great investment and provide you with long term security against fuel price rise pain.
Having a solar system on a typical domestic property will supply around 25% of your energy requirement. The remaining energy will be exported to the grid and so not only will you cut your bills, but you’ll also be paid for the energy you don’t use. What’s more, because you can choose which company you export to, you’ll be able to cherry pick the best rates for your exported energy while some suppliers will even pay you to use electricity!
In recent years solar technology has developed rapidly and so consequently set-up costs have fallen dramatically meaning there’ll also be a much quicker return on your investment.
Round-the-Clock Power with Battery Storage
Add a battery storage system and you’ll be able to access free electricity even at night increasing your self-consumption to around 70-80%, cutting your bills even more and further reducing your grid reliance. You’ll also be less vulnerable to power cuts.
Clean and Green
Solar power is a clean, renewable energy source relying solely on the sun to create free useable power for our homes and workplaces (in fact they don’t even need to the sun – they’ll produce electricity even on a cloudy day). It doesn’t demand the mining of precious resources and the destruction of habitats and, once installed, generation is pollution free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted. By installing solar panels on your home or business you can do your bit for the environment and help to reduce global warming. A domestic installation could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2,000kgs per year, while a commercial solar array could easily reduce greenhouse gases by 25,000kgs per year.
Imagine if we all did that.
Low Maintenance and Made to Last
After the initial set-up cost, there is very little maintenance on a solar system, and so very little on-going cost. An occasional clean will keep them working at their most efficient, while no moving parts means no wear and tear, allowing companies to offer warranties of 20 years.
Sympathetic Design Solutions Blend-in
Solar panels now come in a wide range of styles to suit most roofs. Standard retrofit panels, which sit above a tiled roof, now come in stylish all-black including the frames. For new build properties or renovations, panels can be set into the roof. The roof integrated panels sit on the roof battens and are tiled around making them extremely low profile. Solar slates, meanwhile, as the name suggests, look just like a Welsh slate and are particularly useful in conservation areas. Solar laminates adhere to metal standing seam roofs making them almost invisible.
Are you interested in feeling the benefits of solar?
If you’re interested in taking advantage of the benefits of solar, fill out our contact form, and one of our experienced team will be in touch to discuss your requirements.
NGRE specialise in the supply of the latest renewable solutions for architects, builders and homeowners in Oxfordshire and surrounding areas and have more than 10 years’ experience. We are MSC accredited installers of Solar PV systems which all come with a 20-year guarantee.