We get asked a lot of questions about solar, how it works, what panels are and how much money you can save with them. So we’ve rolled these all into one handy blog piece for you.
What is solar power?
Solar power is energy that is generated by solar panels if it is generated from the sun. The output is expressed in watts (W). The more sun there is (though not needed), the more energy, and in turn, watts are created.
The higher the wattage of a solar panel, the more electricity it can create and produce. The output and generation can also be affected by other factors, like where you live, the pitch/angle of your roof, and which direction your home faces.
Typically, a 350W panel can produce 260-270 kilowatt hours (kWh) a year. For context, the average three-bedroom house uses around 2,700 kWh of electricity per year and would need 10 of these panels to generate their yearly electricity use.
I’m not the typical household – our energy bill is big. Can Solar still help me?
Who is? The average home is a rough guide to work out how much energy use a household needs. This can go up if you use multiple residents and devices, have an electric car, or work from home.
Your usage is individual to your home and your situation, and to find this, you can look at your energy bill or smart meter. On there, there should be a reading for your average daily use. Simply multiply this by 365, and you have your annual use.
How much are solar panels?
The age-old question. While you can probably get a rough estimate online of how much solar panels cost – the answer isn’t quite that simple. Each system, based on size, power, number of panels, equipment, location, whether or not it includes a battery and brand can dictate how much a system costs. There is no ‘one size fits all’ with a solar system, unfortunately. A solar system with 8 panels and no battery is going to be less than an 18 panel with 2 batteries. These prices are, however, still not simple to gauge.
If you want to know how much a solar panel system will cost on your property, you can get a FREE quote by clicking here. We’ll match you up with a supplier, they’ll give you a call and do some quick scientific measuring along with a few questions about your needs to get you an accurate quote before discussing things a little further – all with no obligation of course!
How much power will my system generate?
This is a very subjective topic. How much power a solar system will generate depends on the average number of daylight hours it gets, which varies by location. Someone in Devon will get more hours of sunlight than someone in Northern Scotland, for example.
The wattage of each solar panel multiplied by the number of daylight hours and then multiplied by the number of solar panels is the amount of power your solar system will produce. It sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is.
For instance, 350 watts x number of panels x hours of sunlight = the total kWh produced daily with 350W solar panels. While these are typical examples, it’s different for every home and system.
Why do we have different-sized systems – can’t I just have the biggest one (or smallest)?
There are a lot of factors that go into the size of your system. Roof space, energy usage, energy needs, and affordability are the main factors.
We’d love to say that every home can have the biggest, most powerful solar panel system available, but realistically, they just can’t fit or aren’t needed, and the installers we work with won’t sell you a system that isn’t suitable for your home, your energy needs, and your financial situation. The same goes for the smallest system, some systems won’t generate enough energy to be worth the cost in the long run! Think of it like a shoe size, if your feet are size 8, you wouldn’t go out and buy size 10s or 4s as they aren’t suitable.
What happens to the excess energy that I’ve created and don’t use?
Your solar system (typically) uses the energy it produces in real-time. However, there are options to include a battery in your system to store the energy that you create that you don’t use. We recommend that every system gets a battery installed to make use of that surplus energy created. You wouldn’t want to come home from a sunny day to a lower amount of energy produced in the evening. You would want to save all the energy, or even sell it back to the grid if possible.
You can get paid for the excess energy you export back to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) and use the money to deflect the cost of the electricity you need to buy when you’ve used all the energy you have created. We think of it like a ‘side hustle’ if you want to use cool kids/millennial language!
Are solar panels still worth the money?
Yes. We can’t see a time when it won’t be worth it. While they can take a few years to pay for themselves (nothing is free in this world), you typically then have 10–15 years of increased savings as the panels have been paid for. There are a lot of myths out there suggesting panels aren’t worth it, but there are just as many scientifically proven, money-calculated examples of them doing too. Even moneysavingexpert.com says that they are worth their weight in gold!
How do I monitor my electricity generation?
You get a solar panel version of a smart meter with your solar panels located near your system—think of it like checking your boiler temperature but for solar! This records how much energy you are creating. With some systems, you may even get an app or tablet to monitor this on the move.
Can I ONLY use Solar in my home?
This IS possible, but not very realistic. You’d need a lot of panels and a few extra batteries to store energy for when the nights get darker, quicker. We wouldn’t recommend trying this as the cost would outweigh the benefit of an extended payback period.
I’ve heard birds can nest in my system and damage them, is this true?
This has and can happen. Luckily, the large majority of installers install a ‘bird barrier’ that stops this from happening. It’s exactly what you’d expect, a barrier that is installed in and around your system to stop birds from nesting and causing havoc. This can come at a small cost but is worth its weight in gold while some installers offer it for free for peace of mind!
Solar panels need a lot of maintenance and can be expensive.
Solar panels are very low maintenance. They are designed to face the elements and require very little upkeep.
At most, we’d suggest a wipe from a professional once a year when the UK gets ‘dust rain’ or if you notice leaves or debris on your panels.
How do I get a free quote for solar?
At Honest Quotes, we give free solar quotes from a wide range of verified, reputable companies up and down the UK, all of which we recommend. To get a free quote, simply click here and we’ll match you with a supplier who is local to you, gets the thumbs up and is within your criteria of needs.
