Solar (PV) Installations [return to menu]

Generate Electricity From Sunlight - Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

1st Class Electrical are pleased to offer full design and installation of Solar Photovoltaic installations. With our comprehensive electrical knowledge we can offer suitable systems for any domestic or commercial location, with any budget or design requirement. Please call us today on 01202 604942 to speak to one of our Photovoltaic specialists for more information or to arrange a no obligation site visit.

What Is Solar Photovoltaic (PV)?

Photovoltaic (PV) is the direct conversion of light from the sun into electricity. Rather than relying on polluting fossil fuels, solar electricity is a powerful way to save money while contributing to an environmentally sustainable way of life. Photovoltaic Panels have been used for over 40 years to convert energy from the sun into electricity. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) is a non-polluting source of energy that is increasingly being recognised as a major renewable technology for the future.

How Do PV Panels Work?

Photovoltaic panels are made up of specially coated Silicon cells. As light falls on these cells electrons move from one side of the silicon to the other and an electrical current is created. The more cells there are the more current is generated. Current generated by a PV panel is DC, and thus an inverter is required within a PV installation to convert the DC into AC electricity which is usable in the home.

The inverter is connected to the property's consumer unit, and from there the electricity can flow to wherever it is needed within the property to power any appliances. At times when there is more electricity being generated than is needed, it will flow out through an export meter into the grid to be used locally by your neighbours. The meter records the exported electricity and the exported units can be sold to a number of electricity supply companies.

The solar electricity is always used in priority over electricity from the grid. When the solar panels can't generate sufficient electricity - at night, for example - electricity is drawn from the grid in the normal way, so you will never be without electricity.

A 2kWp Photovoltaic system can provide 40% of a home's average electric. Electricity can be generated from the sunlight through Photovoltaic panels.

The Benefits of Solar Electricity

Generates free electricity without producing CO2.
Our standard installation package could deliver up to 50% of your electricity requirements.
You can profit substantially from the free electricity that you generate via the government subsidy feed in tariff (FIT).
Can be integrated in, or mounted on, an existing building structure.
Could help save up to 1 tonne of CO2 per year.

There are financial and environmental benefits to solar electricity. As solar electricity is from a renewable energy source the production of electricity produces no CO2, and as the energy is generated through sunlight, the source is infinite. A typical 2kWp home PV system could save around 1200 kg of carbon dioxide per year - that's around 30 tonnes over its lifetime.

The financial benefits of having a PV system include an 8% guaranteed return on initial investment through the government's 'Feed in Tariff' scheme, and savings on electricity bills. The government's 'Feed in Tariffs' (FiTs) scheme introduced in April 2010, makes Photovoltaic systems a very attractive investment as the FiTs scheme pays owners of a Photovoltaic system for every unit of electricity (kWh) produced. The owners of PV systems can get returns of 8% on their initial investment as the 'Feed in Tariff' scheme runs for 25 years, and all payments are guaranteed by law and are tax free.

Furthermore the electricity produced by the PV system is used within the owners property, thus saving on the cost of purchasing electricity. Any units of electricity produced that are not used within the property can be sold to the national grid.

Most commercial systems have a 25 year guarantee as standard, and have an excellent track record for reliability.

Maintenance Of PV Systems

Solar PV systems have very long life spans. They have no moving parts, make no noise and require virtually no maintenance. The panels need to be kept reasonably clean by making sure surrounding trees and foliage do not grow to overshadow the panels as this would reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the panel and in turn reduce the amount of electricity produced.

Is Solar Photovoltaic Suitable for my home?

Here are a few questions to consider when thinking about installing Solar PV on your home;

Do you have a sunny location for the panels? The best location for solar panels is on a roof or wall that faces within 90 degrees of south, with no overshadowing of the location caused by trees or tall buildings.
Is your roof strong enough? Solar panels are not light in weight, and a roof needs to be strong enough to take their weight. If necessary we can undertake a full site survey which will determine if your roof is strong enough.
Is planning permission required? No planning permission is required for domestic solar Photovoltaic installations within England; unless your home is a listed building, within a conservation area or world heritage site. Please feel free to call us if you have any questions on 01202 604942.

How To Make Further Energy Savings

To benefit further from the electricity produced by your Photovoltaic installation other energy saving measures can be installed within the property including voltage optimisation units and low energy lighting; all of which can be installed by 1st Class Electrical.

Other ways of saving is to use the electricity when the Photovoltaic system is at its most efficient; this is when the sun is out! Thus use appliances like washing machines and vacuum cleaners during the day to take advantage of the free electricity.

A remote energy meter can help users monitor their energy use, allowing them to see exactly what they are using at any given time. This data can then be logged to view energy usage patterns and to recommend further energy saving measures.