Solar panel inquiries are going through the roof
The huge rise in energy costs has led to a big increase in people buying solar panels.
“More householders are turning to this green solution than ever before to save hundreds of pounds on electricity bills,” said Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox. “More than 3,000 solar installations are now being carried out every week, up from 1,000 a week in July 2020.”
He added: “Ironically, they are now a better investment than ever for householders as ten years ago a typical solar panel system cost around £20,000 to install and it would take around a decade to cover those set-up costs.
“But since then, prices have fallen by more than 60 per cent since then to around £8,000, so now it takes only between four and five years for this green investment to pay for itself.
“Plus, owners can also make extra cash by selling any surplus electricity back to the Grid thanks to a Government-backed incentive scheme.”
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels work by absorbing free energy from the sun, through photovoltaic cells which convert it into electricity that can be used in the home, or put into a battery, so reducing significantly the amount of electricity needed from the energy companies.
“The advantages,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park, “are that solar panels are an environmentally friendly choice to provide your home with electricity, central heating and hot water, saving hundreds of pounds a year on energy bills, plus they are easy to install and have low maintenance.”
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors suggests a standard solar panel system costs between £9,000 to £11,700, and as low as £3,925 for a three-bedroom house.
But Ron pointed out that they are not the answer for everyone as householders need the right type of property, have the roof in a good state of repair and be able to pay the upfront investment of thousands of pounds.
He said the best properties for solar panels were those with a south, east or west-facing roof, and preferably not in any shade. The number of panels would depend on how much space there is on the roof with a typical 20 square metre roof being able to take 12 panels.
Also, owners would need a small amount of room in the loft for the inverter, which is roughly the size of a microwave.
Those who live in a flat or a block of flats would need to discuss the idea with other residents and the freeholder. But where there is some land, the solar panels could be placed there instead.
“Now is the ideal time to start thinking about solar panels before the winter bad weather and the big increase in energy bills this autumn,” concluded Ron.
For more information about installing solar panels, call Ron on 01782 756995.
Caption: Outlook is sunny for solar panels as installations have trebled in a year.
