So you’ve decided to bit the bullet and invest in renewable energy to generate your own power throughout the year. And the chances are you’ll be considering solar panels as a viable way to create electricity to be used in the home.
How about some cheap solar panels? An investment can be expensive so surely it’d be a good idea to cut costs and find a company offering cheaper installations? Wrong. Because as the NY Times has discovered, things have been going catastrophically for those with budget solar panels.
According to a report found in the NY Times online, one solar system in Los Angeles was just two years into a 25-year expected lifetime when it began to fail. The protective coating had disintegrated and fires meant the cheap solar panels had to be deactivated for two years. This cost thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
Of course, solar panels are designed to make you money, not help you lose it. With the national energy companies increasing their gas and electricity prices again this winter, it has become more important than ever to consider solar panels, but with the NT Times’ startling report the importance of quality systems is evident.
But this incident could have been a one off? Not according to the NY Times, which claims there have been solar problems worldwide. Cheap solar panels are starting to have a negative impact on the industry as a whole, with concerns that the industry is facing a crisis.
Chief Executive of solar developer Dissigno, Dave Williams, has seen a number of cheap solar panel failures.
He said: “I don’t want to be alarmist, but I think quality poses a long-term threat. The quality across the board is harder to put your finger on now as materials in modules are changing every day and manufacturers are reluctant to share that information.”
So how can you ensure to invest in quality solar panels that will perform for the full 25-year life expectancy and even longer?
The answer is perhaps easier than you thought, because in the UK a scheme works to ensure the reputability of solar panel companies and the products they use. It is known as the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). The MCS scheme is also important if you wish to receive the lucrative feed-in tariff payments and you must use a registered installer.
On top of this, there are lengthy guarantees on offer for the installation of solar panels, stretching to 10 years in many cases.
What’s important to remember, is some companies will offer a cheaper price for solar panels than others, so it’s not a case of ruling out the cheapest supplier. In fact you can pick up very good deals.
Do you want to start generating your own electricity? Then compare prices today from up to four MCS companies in your area and have the hard work and worry taken out of your hands.