What do we want? Free energy! When do we want it? Now!
Solar PV Systems
Taking advantage of natural energy sources
The cost of living crisis, largely driven by increased energy prices, has left many homes and businesses in financial hardship. Families not being able to run their central heating and businesses being criticised for reducing services in an attempt to save on power costs are common themes.
That’s why many of us are looking for new ways to generate power so we can be protected from future energy costs.
And as one of the UK’s leading renewable energy specialists, we highly recommend a solar PV system with a battery, so that you can harness the energy of the sun to power your home or business.
In this article, we look at how solar PV systems work and answer some of your questions about solar power.
How does a solar PV system work?
A solar PV system begins with solar panels, which are made up of lots of cells. These cells convert the light from the sun into electricity.
An inverter then transforms the energy from direct current (DC) to a more useful alternating current (AC) which can be used to power lights, electrical appliances or even your immersion heater.
Your solar PV system will generate energy even on cloudy days (although you’ll get more electricity on a sunny day). Any unused energy can be stored in a solar battery for future use or sent back to the grid as part of a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariff.
What is Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
Smart Export Guarantee is a special tariff that is available to homes and businesses in England, Scotland, or Wales. It provides export payments back to the owner of a renewable energy system that generates excess energy which is fed into the grid.
How much energy does a solar PV system generate
The amount of energy generated will depend on the number and size of panels in your system. But in general, each panel will generate around 355W of energy on a sunny day. This energy can be used to power the home or business, with any excess energy stored in a solar battery for later use.
Because solar energy is generated from sunlight, it’s best to run your electrical appliances during the day and try to conserve energy at night. But don’t worry, you won’t be left in the dark. A solar battery helps provide a continuous supply of electricity so that the energy is there whenever you need it.
What is a solar PV immersion switch?
An additional feature of some solar PV systems is a solar immersion switch. This diverts excess energy to your immersion heater, which reduces the burden on your boiler, further lowering your energy costs. While you probably won’t be able to generate enough energy for all your electricity and hot water costs, you will find that your water heating bills are significantly reduced, especially with the current high energy prices. And of course, your electricity bill will be much, much lower, if not in credit!
Isn’t a solar PV system expensive?
Installing a solar PV system is a big investment, but one which can produce significant savings over its lifetime. Imagine if you had installed a solar PV system before the energy price rises… There are many solar PV owners who are feeling pretty smug right about now!
But it’s never too late to grab some free energy. We offer a free consultation so you can find out all about the right system for you. Get in touch to find out more about how we can help you.
Energie Solutions is one of the UK’s leading renewable energy specialists, offering a range of effective and efficient systems to suit your home or business.
We also offer maintenance and servicing to ensure that your system continues to deliver the heat and energy you need. Get in touch now for a free quote, or to find out more about our maintenance and service plan here.