With the seemingly never-ending rise in energy bills across Todmorden thanks to the current energy crisis we are all facing, more and more people are looking for renewable energy solutions to help control their bills and bring down their overall cost of living. Of course, this comes with additional benefits such as helping the environment, reducing carbon emissions, and relying on green energy instead - but there's no denying that cost is a HUGE factor.
And whilst we here at Panelit Solar in Todmorden would always advocate a photovoltaic solar panel installation, there's no denying that the initial cost of a solar PV system can be eye-watering themselves. Even as a solar panel installation company who pride ourselves on our happy customers, we can't control the high costs associated with solar PV systems. As competition and interest in the market grows, prices may reduce, but for now, it's best to see a solar PV installation as a long term investment with a high initial cost that will eventually save you £1000s in the not-too-distant future.
Don't worry, having solar panels installed isn't all doom and gloom, and of course they're worth the initial cost. In fact, it's a smart investment that could help you save money, become less reliant on the National Grid for your energy use, and help you become greener as you embark on your solar journey.
So, if you're interested in learning more about solar PV systems (and yes, there's a difference between a solar PV system and other solar panels), what's involved in their installation process, the associated costs, and your home's suitability - keep on reading.
As a team of reliable solar PV panel installers in Todmorden who specialise in solar installations, we can talk you through our solar PV installation services so you can decide if we're the solar panel installer you've been looking for.
Ready to learn more? Then join Panelit Solar below, your friendly team of local solar panel installers, as we teach you everything you need to know to decide if a solar panel installation is right for you!
If you've made it as far as our installation service page, then the chances are you already know a thing or two about solar PV. But just in case you need a refresher, PV is a type of solar panel installation that's quickly become the most popular - overtaking the more traditional solar thermal system and the more expensive hybrid solar systems.
Related post: Solar PV vs Solar Thermal vs Hybrid Solar
Solar PV panels are a great way to generate electricity for your Todmorden home. PV stands for photovoltaic and it gives some clue as to how the solar panels actually work...
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We'll try not to bore you with the science-y jargon that you usually see when solar panels are discussed, but it is important that you know how solar PV panels work because it will help you understand the cost later.
Here's a brief breakdown of how it all works to remind you:
Domestic and commercial solar panel installations work in exactly the same way, the main difference being that when installing solar panels on commercial premises, the solar panel array is usually much larger.
Now you know more about how this solar installation works, lets focus a little more on our installation process at Panelit Solar so you can understand more about the costs involved later on.
Although we like to think we're the best solar panel installer around, here at Panelit Solar, most other companies in Todmorden will follow a similar method to the one described below for installation:
The very first thing we do when working with a new customer is carry out an initial consultation. We need to know a few things:
There will also be additional information we may need to collect, but remember: this is just an initial chat. We won't need to iron out the finer details at this stage - not until we've carried out a roof inspection to see what we're working with.
During the inspection we'll be focussing on whether your roof is suitable. We've mentioned how size, pitch, orientation and material may affect the suitability, but so too will its condition.
Older roofs (between 20 and 30 years old) may not be able to withstand the considerable weight of solar panels. Even newer roofs less than 15 years old may have what appears to be superficial damage that could affect its suitability for solar panels.
As a responsible solar panel installer, we ALWAYS make sure your roof is suitable before continuing with the installation. The cost may increase for you if roof repairs are needed before solar panels can be installed.
Once we have confirmed your roof is suitable, we can then finalise the details: number of solar panels, location, etc.
This will mean we can get everything ready for installation, order all the parts, and set a date.
Some roofs are easily accessible for our team of solar panel installers, but some are not. In these cases, we may need to send out a team to set up scaffolding a day or two before we actually install the system.
We'll let you know in advance if this is true for you so you can be prepared.
On the day we'll arrive with everything we need, and carry out the project. Solar panels are relatively quick to install so long as you have the perfect roof. Sometimes alterations may need to be made which can make installation time stretch a little, but on the whole, a good solar panel installer should be able to get everything finished quickly.
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Now that you know what working with Panelit Solar could look like, we really need to address the nitty gritty: the cost.
A PV system isn't cheap. It will come at a significant initial cost to you as the home or business owner. But that cost can vary based on a number of things, so if you want to save money when installing solar panels, these are the biggest costs associated with them, and you might be able to make some changes to make the cost more reasonable for you.
The size of your installation will affect the final cost massively. A 3kW PV system, for example, will involve around 12 solar panels on average. A 6kW PV system could involve up to 24 panels on average, significantly increasing the cost.
Related post: How many solar panels do I need?
Deciding on your solar panel installation size will also be affected by the typical energy consumption of your household, too. A 6kW system is more suited to larger family homes, and a 3kW system is usually great for a standard two-bedroom UK property. We can talk more about this with you when you reach out.
In sum, the more solar panels in your installation, the more expensive the project. Solar panels aren't cheap, but will hopefully become cheaper as competition in the market increases and more people opt for solar panels as an electricity solution.
Although battery storage is great if you want to be able to rely on the electricity produced by your solar panels more, they aren't strictly necessary.
If you're willing to opt for a system that relies on both energy provided by energy companies and the energy your solar panels produce themselves, then a battery isn't needed at all.
However, if you want to sell excess energy back to the companies to make money, you will need a battery as part of your solar system.
Opting out of a battery storage option could save on the upfront cost, but it also means you can't make as much money from your solar panels in the long run. This one will require some serious consideration on your part.
Related service: Solar PV storage battery installation
Related post: How much do storage batteries cost?
There are many parts that make up a solar panel system:
And although we've already talked about the battery, the cost of the other components can affect the final bill. Some solar panels are more efficient than others, for example, and the best solar panels, in terms of efficiency, are almost always the most expensive ones.
The larger the system you have in place, the larger the solar PV inverter will need to be in order to invert all that electricity from DC to AC for use in a UK home.
Related post: What size solar inverter do I need?
Why are we bringing this up? Because we're always open and honest about the cost when you work with Panelit Solar, so you need to be aware of how the options you pick can increase/decrease the final cost accordingly.
Labour costs vary too. If you have ever tried to find solar panel installers to carry out solar panel work in the past, you'll know that prices vary considerably.
Costs also vary from job to job, not just business to business. Some jobs are simply more complicated to carry out than others, which will result in more people on site for longer. The cost will therefore increase.
In addition to the standard costs, additional costs may be incurred. The main one being scaffolding - if it's necessary at your property to carry out the installation, then this will need to be included in the final bill, again, raising the cost.
As stated above, there are never any hidden costs when working with Panelit Solar, though, so our estimates will always be as accurate as possible before starting any job, and any additional work that's necessary will be discussed with you prior to carrying it out.
Since you now know the main things that can affect the cost of a solar PV panel installation, it might just be easier for you to know what the UK average cost is. Although the average will vary based on location (things are usually more expensive in the South West of the UK compared to the North East, for example), this will give you a rough idea of how much it may cost you.
We'll only be able to give you a more accurate estimate when we know more about your property though, so if you're looking for specifics, call us today.
Here are the average costs:
Please note: Prices will vary.
Installation time will vary based on factors like the number of panels, roofing type, and pitch of the roof, but on average a typical installation in the UK should only take a day or two (with an additional day or two for scaffolding to be put up and taken down if necessary).
The numbers above might frighten you slightly, but the cost of having solar panels installed will be offset by savings in the long run.
That's a lifetime saving (of 25 years, though some PV panels can last up to 40) of £21,000 for a 3kW system and over £40,000 for a 6kW system. That more than covers the cost of installation.
A great way to make some extra money is by joining the government's smart export guarantee scheme. This scheme ensures energy companies will pay you for the excess electricity you produce, effectively allowing you to sell your energy back to energy companies for a profit.
The larger your battery and inverter, the more money you make, too.
There are a number of factors that affect a roof's suitability for solar panels:
According to the Energy Saving Trust, roof pitch can make a HUGE difference when it comes to your solar panel efficiency. A pitch of between 30 and 40 degrees is ideal on UK roofs.
Flat roofs can still work, although further work will need to be carried out to create a structure with an appropriate pitch for them to be installed on. Simply placing panels on a flat roof won't work.
Please note: Solar panel installations on flat roofs may require planning permission as the structure may be too tall to fall within permitted development. Check with your local authorities first.
North facing roofs will be less efficient than a south facing roof. In the UK, a south facing roof will receive more sunlight throughout the day, leading to more efficiency.
Most roof types and materials are fine, but a wooden roof or thatched roof simply wouldn't be appropriate. When we carry out our roof inspection we'll be able to tell if your roof type is suitable or not.
If it is, some are more difficult to work with than others, too, increasing the cost. Asphalt shingles are easier because they can just be drilled through, for example, but a concrete roof will need to have tiles removed etc to carry out the work.
Planning permission won't be necessary in the majority of cases as a solar panel installation now falls under permitted development thanks to a change in the rules.
With that said, there are exceptions and planning permission may be necessary if:
Absolutely! If you have the capital right now and want to invest in renewable energy that will save you money in the long run, then contact our Panelit Solar installation team in Todmorden today. As a business we adhere to the renewable energy consumer code, meaning we are duty-bound to offer the highest level of service and professionalism when carrying out our work.
Solar PV panels look likely to be the future of energy in the UK, much like the electric vehicle is set to be the future of the automotive industry.
As a team of local solar PV panel installers, we can help you meet the future today, so contact our Todmorden team for an initial consultation and quote. We can't wait to work with you in the near future!
Savings from solar PV panels are determined by factors such as system size, location, and energy consumption. A UK homeowner can save between £200 and £465 per year on their electricity expenditures.
Solar PV panels can last 25-30 years with minimum care, which includes cleaning and making sure no debris or shading is blocking sunlight. The majority of panels come with long-term performance guarantees.
Most residential solar panel installations in the United Kingdom do not require planning clearance since they are considered permitted development. Certain limits apply, however, to listed buildings or conservation zones.
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) in the United Kingdom allows homes to export excess solar-generated electricity back to the grid. Energy companies with more than 150,000 customers are required to offer qualifying customers a SEG tariff.
