If you're interested in having solar installed on your home, our De Montfort University (DMU) colleagues have partnered with several local installation companies to verify their excellent installations, customer care and post-installation handover. For more information, visit our Trusted Installer Companies page.
Solar panels are one of the most common home energy upgrades in Leicestershire. Simply put, solar panels use the power of the sun to generate electricity. Although different kinds of solar panel exist, most work in a similar way.
Solar PV cells are the most common domestic solar panels, and the type you're most likely to see on your neighbour's roof. They work by collecting the sun's energy via photovoltaic cells, and then using an inverter power your home. This process is possible because of how these photovoltaic cells are made. Each cell is a sandwich of different conductive layers, silicon being the most common. When the sun's rays hit these layers, their varying electronic properties energise due to the protons in the light. This process creates an electric field. It's called the photoelectric effect and that's what generates electricity.
There are various factors that can affect whether your home is right for solar. If your roof is free from shade, is south-facing or is quite large, then solar PV is an excellent home energy upgrade. However, if this isn't the case, then the efficiency and effectiveness of a solar system can be lessened.
If your house is suitable for solar installation, the next thing you'll need to consider is the cost. You'll hear a lot about the prohibitive prices of installing solar, but you need to factor in the benefits the panels can bring you. The truth is, if done right, it's often possible that even borrowing the money to install solar power can cost less than your current energy bills.
The actual cost can vary depending on the size of the system, your location, luck, and the current demand. That said, you should set aside somewhere in the region of £5000 for a full installation. Five grand should be enough to cover an average, 3.5kWp (kilowatt-peak, the peak power output) system.
If you are based in Leicestershire, visit the Solar Together page for support with costs.
For more information on solar PV, and solar thermal systems for water heating, our colleagues at the Renewable Energy Hub have a comprehensive guide
