Quality is high, prices are low, output per panel is increased.

solar panels are nothing new.

About 1 million homes in the UK have Solar Panels on their roofs.

What does this tell you? For one thing, it tells you that the technology is very well tried and tested. They power the International Space Station, after all.

Until recently the UK Government paid a very generous subsidy regime to householders who had Solar Panels installed on their roofs. This finally ceased on 01 April 2019.

So have I missed the boat?

No. Not at all.

Firstly, the UK Government reduced VAT to 0% on Solar Panels (and Home Storage Batteries when installed at the same time) from the period 01 Apr 2022 to 31 Mar 2027. This is a significant price reduction for every domestic installation.

Secondly, modern panels provide a power output of 385 watts for the less expensive panels and up to 430 watts for the more expensive panels (higher powered panels are available, but not widely used in domestic installations yet). Your neighbours likely have panels delivering a 250 watt output.

Thirdly, with the same number of panels as your neighbours, (frequently 16 were installed, giving a 4kWp output), you can have an installation delivering 50% more power.

Forth, you will now qualify for the Smart Export Guarantee. This is a payment from your Energy Supplier for any electricity that you export to the grid. Whilst not tremendously profitable (usually about 5p/kWh) it helps make the sums add up.

Fifth, if you have an Electric Vehicle, you can literally drive for free. Excess power from your solar panels can be fed into your car. What this means is that (with the correct equipment) if your panels were generating 3kWh of electricity at a given moment, and your house was using 1kWh at that same moment, the excess power of 2 kWh would be fed into the car.

In summary, your Solar PV array will be cheaper and more powerful than those owned by your neighbours.

Plus, if you choose to install a home storage battery, a compatible EV charger or a solar divert hot water heating device, you’ll be able to maximise the potential of your solar array. This is your self consumption rate. The most cost effective way of using solar power is to use as much of the power as you can, rather than exporting it. Exporting at £0.05 and importing at £0.40 isn’t good economics

Let Brimstone Energy be your partner to guide you in this changing world of energy.