What is Solar PV?

 

• You can use Solar Panels to generate green electricity from sunlight. Solar Photovoltaic (Solar PV) modules absorb and convert sunlight into electricity. They don’t need direct sunlight to work – they can still generate some electricity on a cloudy day.

• Solar PV modules are supplied as a sealed unit with a specific voltage and wattage rating. In order to provide electricity for a building Solar PV modules have to be combined in a system with other components (including an inverter, wiring and roof mounting kit).

• Solar PV modules come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most PV systems are made up of panels that fit on top of an existing roof, but you can also fit solar tiles.

• Over 900,000 homes across the country already benefit from clean, affordable solar power.

• You generally don’t need planning permission to install solar unless you live in a listed building. However, in Conservation Areas, National Parks or World Heritage sites, the equipment would typically be installed on the roof, not on a wall that would be visible from a highway.

• Increasingly, consumers are choosing to complement their Solar installation with battery storage as it can improve the performance by capturing surplus electricity and saving it, so it can be used later.

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What are the benefits of installing Solar PV?

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• Reduce your electricity bills

• Earn money on the electricity that you produce by selling excess energy back to the grid using the Smart Export Guarantee.

• Store excess electricity

• Cut your carbon footprint

• Reduce your reliance on the National Grid

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How do I maintain a Solar PV system?

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• Solar PV systems don’t require much maintenance – you’ll just need to keep the panels relatively clean and make sure trees don’t begin to overshadow them.

• Once fitted, your MCS Certified Installer will leave written details of any maintenance checks that you should carry out from time to time to ensure everything is working properly. This should include details of the main inverter fault signals and key trouble-shooting guidance.

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