Solar PV Electricity:

Solar PV is a renewable energy system which uses photovoltaic modules on the roof of a building to convert light into electricity. Voltaic cells are made up of thin layers of semi-conducting material (usually crystalline silicon) which generate an electrical charge when exposed to direct light. PowerNaturally are MCS accredited and have chosen to use supply customers with either Grant's monocrystalline panels or Mitsubishi's Polycrystalline panels, due to research into which products and companies we feel will last the test of time.

Ideal Installation Conditions:

Although solar thermal and solar photovoltaic technologies produce very different types of energy their recommended installation conditions have similarities. The ideal installation is: ·Best practice is to install the panels at a pitched angle of 30 degrees. Any angle above 10 degrees will be sufficient for the panels to self clean but performance will drop. ·Installed on a south facing roof. East/west roofs can be used but will be reduced by up to 15%. ·It is very important that no part of the array is shaded, this will affect the whole system not just the shaded part. ·Photovoltaic panels can be installed in either landscape or portrait, please discuss your requirements with our team.

How Does Solar PV Work:

Solar Photovoltaic modules are made up of either monocrystalline or polycrystalline cells which are made up of layers of semi-conducting chemically treated silicon materials. The chemicals react when light hits the cell, creating an electric field across the layers, producing a direct current. For use in your property the current needs to be converted to AC so the DC produced is fed through an inverter before being directed to all your power sources in your home. Please see the diagram below which along with video at the bottom of this page should help explain how it works.

Many people ask whether the panels are more effective in the summer when it is hot. The simple answer to this is NO as the PV panels work on light not heat so long as the day isn’t too dark and overcast you should not have a problem producing electricity. The lifespan expected for a solar photovoltaic is between 20-25 years because they have no moving parts to become defective.

The Difference Between Solar Thermal and Solar PV:

As previously mentioned, Solar Panel PV systems use energy from the sun to generate electricity with roof mounted modules. Solar Thermal employs roof mounted collectors to absorb energy from the sun. These collectors are usually connected to the lower coil of a twin-coil cylinder via a sealed circuit containing a special glycol/water solution. The pump in the system circulates the heated fluid from the collector to the cylinder, where the stored water is heated for use in the home.

What Can I do With Any Extra Energy I Produce:

Most solar electricity suppliers will pay for solar power fed into the Grid (feed-in) from domestic Solar PV systems. The easiest way to do this is by signing up to the 'Feed-in Tariff' scheme with your power supplier. There are two main types of tariff available: Generation: You are paid for all of the electricity that your solar PV system generates even if you consume it in your home. Export: You are paid for just the electricity that is exported back to the Grid and not for any electricity you have consumed. Please see the 'Government Incentives' page to see the current figures and more information.

Video to show how Solar PV works: