Homeowner Solutions
Solar Electricity Solar electricity systems capture the sun’s energy using photovoltaic (PV) cells.
This is then converted into electricity to run your home’s domestic appliances and lighting.
Turning daylight into electricity for your home
Solar electricity generating PV cells are effective all year round; they don’t necessarily
need direct sunlight, though they are more productive if they have it. PV cells are attached
to your roof or walls, with each cell being made up of two layers of semiconductor material,
usually silicon, which uses sunlight to create an electric field across the layers.
PV cells have an aesthetic appeal because they come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
These range from those that look like roof tiles to others that are transparent and can
be used on conservatories.
Benefits of turning daylight ‘green’
The key benefit of PV cell solar electricity is that daylight is free; so once you’ve
paid for the installation you’re ready to cut your electricity bills by about 50% a year.
As a further financial incentive, if your system produces more electricity than
your home uses, you can sell the surplus energy back to the grid and make
a little money. Using daylight as an energy source is green, renewable and
doesn’t release any harmful CO2 or other pollutants into the atmosphere.
Another benefit of solar electricity is that it can be stored - in batteries - for days when
your system doesn’t produce enough energy, or if you aren’t connected to the National Grid.
Last but far from least, solar electricity systems have no moving parts, do not circulate
fluids and have no ongoing maintenance.
How much will I save?
On average, a solar electricity system could reduce your home’s electricity bill by about half,
but the more electricity your system can generate, the more you can save. There are other
ways of trimming your budget too. For example, PV cells built into a roof cost more to install
than those that sit on the existing tiles. And if your roof needs repairing anyway, replacing
some tiles with PV tiles can offset your costs. Don’t forget that if you generate excess energy,
it could be sold to the grid.
As with solar water heating, maintenance costs are very low, requiring no more than
a regular clean and making sure they are not overshadowed by trees. A more thorough
check by a professional should be undertaken every 3 to 5 years.
How long will it last?
With a life expectancy of around 50 years, and most systems having a 25 year warranty,
solar electricity systems come with peace of mind as standard.
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