Solar PV
Photovoltaics (PV) has taken off and is experiencing a phenomenal growth. The Feed in Tariff (FIT) has driven this growth since it is possible to be paid for the electricity you generate as well as make savings on your electricity bills. The rate of return on your investment stands at approximately 10%, which is higher than many bank and building society base rates. Your house is expected to have an increased value of up to 9% with a solar PV system installed.
PV systems can be attached to sloping or flat roofs. They can also be ground-mounted. The ideal orientation for a PV system is south, though south-east and south-west are almost as good. West and east orientations can be used but the overall efficiency of a given PV array is reduced. The ideal pitch at latitudes in the south of the UK is 30 degrees, though in practice only slight reductions in efficiency are experienced at pitches from 20 to 60 degrees.
We install a variety of PV modules from leading manufacturers including Sanyo, Schuco, Day4 Energy, Mitsubishi, Romag, TG Solar, Schott, Sharp and Upsolar. Our inverters are manufactured by SMA, Mastervolt, Diehl, Enecsys, Fronius and Power one.
You will make modest savings on your electricity bills since, during the day, you will be using some of the electricity you are producing. The amount you save will vary depending on the size and performance of your PV system and the amount of electricity you use.
Solar PV Case Studies
Schuco PV modules alongside a Thermomax solar thermal collector
SCHUCO 10 kWp
This block of flats in Brighton has a large, flat, strengthened roof and a 3-phase electricity supply.
SANYO HIT 2.82 kWp
This detached house in Horsham has 2 x south-facing roofs; one is an apex and the other a parallelogram.
SHARP 1.48 kWp
This is a typical PV system being installed on a detached house in Hove.
HHV – 1.77 kWp
In order to maximise the available roof area on this semi-detached property in West Sussex a PV system was specified consisting of 6 x 295W mono crystalline HHV modules to give a total of 1.77 kWp.
HHV – 3.54 kWp
This large country house in East Sussex was able to accommodate 12 x 295W mono crystalline HHV PV modules on its south-facing roof to give a total yield of 3.54 kWp.
Feed in Tariff scheme
The FIT is a scheme in which owners of PV systems are rewarded for every unit of electricity they generate, irrespective of whether they are used on site or not.
This is known as the Generation Tariff and is currently 43.3p/kWh. Payments are also made for 50% of every unit generated by the PV system. This is known as the Export Tariff and is currently 3.1p/kWh. These payment rates are fixed for 25 years, linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) and are tax-free. PV systems installed from 1 April 2012 will be subject to an approximate 7% decrease in the above FIT rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions about PV systems?
Read our dedicated Photovoltaic FAQ section that answers the most common queries.