This is a central page for Solar, on the menu you can find the individual topics and what we offer or go to the shop.
Solar is a renewable energy, its “green” and it can save you money on bills.
How much can solar save you?
Before you consider solar, it is a meets some needs rather than a replacement unless you have the space and funds for a more robust system. Small solar can off set, and there is the middle ground which is what most solar installations are about.
With this in mind, solar isn’t solar as you would think. There is no direct solar PV (panels) connection to your homes power. Solar is a inverter that works with the grid (sometimes not always the case). but it converts PV DC power to ac using an inverter, you could have batteries that can do this too, you may also have hydro and wind.
As a summary in math, your array size ( how many panels and there power) multiplied by 4 , is your average. 8 is summer and 2 is winter.
Example 8, 435w panels. (3.48kw)
x2 6.95kW
x4 13.92kW
x8 27.84kW
Savings for grid tied systems, vary. You can only save what you use.
A grid tied inverter (GTi) passes all its power to the grid, you home being a mid point to use any power along the way.
Example, if you home uses 1000w and the PV made 2000w you would only save 1000w.
A hybrid, could store this excess for you to use later.
Hybrid:
hybrid is a term used loosely and widely so we define then in our website and communications.
A hybrid inverter has a battery and is grid tied in one unity.
The Hybrid has a DC charger where solar excess can go into the battery to charge the battery.
The PV will power the load (home) as a priority, and it has a CT (current clamp) which detects the power before it goes out to the grid, it can export the power, store the power or reduce its power output.
Some of the big advantages with a hybrid are:
It works from the battery after the sun has gone down.
The battery is supplement to the load when there is a cloud passing.
you store your power to use, meaning you maximise use all of the solar.
Like grid tied Hybrid inverters will NOT work in a power cut.
Micro inverters:
There are micro inverters which go under the panel and make AC power from each panel or a group of panels. This is good for shading, and you can add to them as the main cable is mains power rather than DC to an inverter then out to AC. Adding to them can be costly if you need to put them on the roof.
There are a lot more illegal micro inverters available, and most are trash, the legal ones can be a costly option but they are GTi systems. These do not have a battery option, they would require an AC coupled inverter/battery, and your likely to require a G99. they can be very costly.
Grid Attached:
This is a term we have circulated. this is a “off grid system” that has the ability to charge from the grid or other source. Therefore the system is isolated (island) all the power you make and store is your savings. but with a grid connection a standing charge is made for what you may only use for 90 days a year.
Off Grid:
Saving here stack up depending on why your off grid, a £20,000 service connection, annual standing charges and Kwh costs are a saving.
AC Coupled. (no solar)
AC coupled is a battery inverter, the system allows you to charge a battery at cheap rate to use all the rest of the time. You saving is the difference between peak and off peak rates.
Example Cheap rate, 0.09kWh vs 0.30kWh (£0.21 kWh)
If you have a 20Kwh battery, you could store and save £4.20 a day (£1,533 per year)
IS solar any good?
There is no answer to this as its yes and no. UK solar is feast and famine. In the summer we are good, in winter not so good, frankly fairly poor to bad. We work on the basis of 275 days good 90 days bad.
If you expect it to take you off grid year round, then you need space for your panels to go. but for most solar will work for 8 months of the year. There is also the difference between the types of installations.
Lets look at a home for an example;
Daily power 17kWh.
during the day 4kWh
peak 7kWh
Evening 4kWh
Overnight 2kWh
below you can see a GTi at work and the missing power from storage.
The Evening would need to be powered by a battery. that’s peak, evening and overnight. Over night in winter tends to be a charge cycle for many users.
Grid and off grid.
Grid systems are expensive as the government has made it this way. There are many hoops to go though for the hardware making the hardware over 3 times the cost. (and lesser).