There are two main types of solar technology:
Solar thermal for making hot water:
Solar thermal tiles use the energy from the sun to heat water for washing and bathing. A transfer fluid moves the heat to your hot water tank ready for use in the home. Solar thermal panels or tiles are a simple technology that reduce the need to burn gas, or other fossil fuels, saving you money on your bills and reducing carbon emissions.
Solar photovoltaics for making electricity:
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and roof tiles generate electricity using the energy from the sun. PV panels produce energy from daylight, not direct sunlight, so they still produce energy on cloudy or overcast days. The electrical energy produced is either used directly in the home, or sold back to your electricity supplier. In the night electricity from the grid is supplied in the normal way.
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Top four reasons to go solar
Generating your own electricity has numerous benefits, particularly in today’s climate of credit crunch, fuel crisis, carbon footprints and a struggling property market.
1. Rising electricity bills
For the first time ever, the average family energy bill is now over £1,000 and is predicted to go up by 40% this winter. Fitting a solar PV system to your roof will help you have more control over your energy bills and be less susceptible to further price hikes as you can produce 100% of the electricity you actually use. The annual savings on electricity bills are now at least as good if not better than putting spare cash in a high interest savings account, based on the yield on the capital.
2. Become your energy supplier
Instead of having a one way relationship with your energy supplier, a solar PV system can help earn you money back. The unused energy you produce whilst at work or on holiday can be sold back to your energy supplier with typical rates between 15p and 20p per unit – earning you an average of £350 per year – what’s more, you can actually watch your energy meter spin backwards. A house with a solar PV system can also make additional money by selling the ROCs (Renewable Obligation Certificates) received from the Government to your energy supplier. The great news is the Chancellor has just announced that not only will this amount double from April 2009, but will continue until 2037.
3. Improve don’t move/invest in the nest
House prices are due to fall by 30% by the end of 2008 and experts advise the best thing to do in a tough property market is sit tight and increase your home's appeal for when the market picks up. A solar PV system has been shown to increase house value by as much as 8.6% - so for a £250,000 house that will add over £20,000 to the price Solar tiles (C21e) are now designed to blend unnoticeably with a range of roof tiles, making it an attractive choice as well as an intelligent one. Unlike boilers that need servicing and replacing annually, there are no ongoing maintenance costs with solar PV – it’s fit and forget technology.
4. Be a pioneer in your neighbourhood: Climate change and the UK household.
The average energy efficient British household consumes just over 4,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity and puts 6 tonnes (2 from electric) of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. If every household and business in the UK installed a basic PV system, we could achieve the UK’s target of reducing carbon emissions by 12% within one year. Furthermore, evidence shows that families and household with solar become more energy aware as they produce their own energy, cutting consumption and electricity bills even further.
For more information please take a look at our video on solar tile, read the FAQ and case studies.