Solar PV Energy
Would you like to harness the power of the sun with solar photovoltaic energy to cut down your electricity bills and carbon emissions?
Would you like to ‘do your bit’ for the planet we live on, so that its not completely ruined for our children?
Well, don’t worry, because we’ll take you by the hand and show you all there is to know without getting bogged down in all that ‘geekspeak’. The facts speak for themselves.
So what is solar pv?
Well, the history of solar energy is a varied and colourful one.
Solar photovoltaic energy – or solar PV for short – is a solar power technology that uses solar panels to convert light from the sun directly into electricity.
Grid-connected solar pv energy has had a massive growth since 1990’s in the more developed countries of the world. In fact you can get PV solar cells for sale just about anywhere these days.
Solar PV energy is still a more expensive technology than most other forms of renewable energy, but it has many advantages over other systems.
Doesn’t PV technology need bright sunshine to work properly?
Solar panels will output a certain amount of electricity, which is determined by how intense the sunlight is. In the case of PV solar cells, they generally generate an increased amount of electricity when it is a sunny day than when it’s cloudy.
However, photovoltaics do not need to be in direct sunlight to work, so even on overcast days PV solar cells will be generating some electricity.
Is PV suitable for use in cooler climates, for example, the UK?
In the UK, we get 60% of the sunlight received at the equator – so there is still a lot of potential solar pv energy available! PV has been used in the UK over the last 20 years or more for many applications, particularly in remote areas where grid connection is impractical, such as weather monitoring stations, marine navigation aids, etc.
A reasonably sized residential grid connect system will offer a decent percentage of a homeowners electricity requirements for over half a year, and installing solar panels on business sites are suitable for the average consumption an office will use. Over 1.5 MW of building integrated PV is already installed in the UK.
Another inexpensive solar option would be to install solar powered fountains, or solar power outdoor lighting in your garden.
Or you could DIY a system for next-to-nothing if you have the skills.
And did you know that you can connect your solar energy panels to the grid?
Yes, with electricity prices at an all time high and rising all the time, solar energy will make you never be beholden to the power companies.
You will need to use a solar power inverter. If you wish to get paid for the electricity you produce, you will need to ensure a G83-certified inverter is used.
Something worth noting is we see a lot of people utilising non-G83 certified inverters while not having an export account. In the majority of instances, the consumption of electricity will exceed what’s being put back into the grid, therefore, the net effect is likely to be zero export.
For more information go to our FAQ section for solar PV energy.
And you can also claim solar energy grants to help with the cost.
Click here for technical information on how solar power works.