Find a Solar Panel Installer you can trust in Macclesfield.

Are you thinking of installing solar thermal systems in your home or property and wondering exactly how it works to generate electricity? Regardless of your motive, in this article you’ll learn in simple details how solar thermal is how solar thermal doesn't provide electricity for your home.

If you are looking to generate electricity for your home then Solar PV are able to generate electricity simply by absorbing and focusing sunlight in such a way to create a temperature level that’s high enough to generate the much needed electricity. There are two main components that comes with the solar energy collectors of each. These two components include, the reflectors ( mirrors), which works to absorb and concentrate the sunlight onto a receiver. In several types of the solar thermal power systems, a heat transfer fluid is then heated and distributed in the receiver so as to generate steam. Once the steam as been produced, it’s then transported to the turbine where it’s turned into a mechanical energy, which in turn powers the generator to produce electricity.

Solar thermal power or electric systems are usually embedded with a tracking system which keeps the sunlight concentrated on the receiver all day long as the sun changes position in the sky. They also come with a wide array of collectors which works of distribute the heat absorbed to a turbine as well as the generator. A lot of solar thermal power facilities will gave two or more plants with different arrays and generators.

Solar thermal power systems can also have a thermal energy storage system component whose work is to permit the solar collector system to heat an energy storage system during the day while energy storage system’s generated heat is incorporated in the production of electricity at night or during a cloudy weather when there’s not much sunlight.

Most people want to connect solar panels to a battery when they’re not at home all day to use the electricity they generate, or generate more than they consume over a day. Solar batteries are a great way to maximise the savings on your energy bills since you can use every unit of electricity you generate.

If you want to connect your solar panels to a battery, the best – and safest – way is to ask an MCS-registered company to do it for you. They’ve had lots of training and hold qualifications in handling electricity and installing solar batteries, so they will be able to recommend the best battery for your solar panels and for the among of electricity you use. Some of the brands they might recommend include Tesla, SolarEdge and SolaX, but there are many more to choose from. If you want to send electricity to the grid from your battery to receive Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments, it’s also worth leaving installation up to a registered installer. This is because you might not be eligible for payments if your battery wasn’t installed by an MCS-registered company.

However, if you do want to have a go at connecting your solar panels to a battery, it’s worth finding out whether your system is ‘storage ready’. Most relatively new systems will be, since batteries are becoming more commonplace. If your solar panels are storage ready, they will have an inverter that can easily have a battery added to it. If this is the case, then you should be able to buy the solar battery you want and follow the manufacturer's instructions to install it.

But it’s worth remembering that electricity is extremely dangerous when handled improperly. If you don’t get the solar battery connected properly and something goes wrong, it could cause a fire or you could electrocute yourself. If a fire breaks out due to your battery, it’s unlikely that your home insurance company would pay out since you connected the battery yourself. That’s why it’s always worth speaking to a registered installer to install a solar battery storage system for you.

Like every other systems in your home, solar hot water systems will require periodic inspections as well as a regular maintenance in order to keep it running as efficiently as it should. Not only that, the various components will also require either repair or replacement from time to time. It’ll also be proactive to take the necessary precautions so as to prevent worrying issues like corrosion, scaling or freezing.

Is it a task you can handle on your own? Well, there are some inspections and maintenance activities you should be able to handle on your own, however, you’ll also require a qualified technician to carry out the more technical or complicated tasks. You should also take note that it may actually be more cost effective to have some systems replaced, shut off or removed completely than having it repaired. Here are some of the essential inspections that should be carried out on solar system components. They include:

✓ Collector soiling. Periodic cleaning of your collectors is important especially in dry and dusty climates.

✓ Plumbing, ductwork and wire connections. Check the pipe connections for fluid leaks. Examine duct connections and seals. Also make sure that all wire connections are tight.

✓ Roof penetrations. Flashing and sealant around the roof penetration should be checked to see that it’s in a good shape.

✓ Collector shading. Check for shading of the collectors on annual basis as this may greatly affect their performance.

✓ Support structures. Examine all bolts and nuts which connects the support structures to the collectors for tightness.

✓ Heat transfer fluids. Anti freeze solutions in liquid solar heating collectors will have to be replaced periodically. And this right here is a task that’s best handled by a licensed technician.

How Long Do Solar Panels Last?

As an alternative form of energy, solar panels are becoming increasingly popular all thanks to a wide range of benefits it provides. It does not produce any emission which makes it greener and more environmentally friendly, it requires little maintenance and are less likely to break down, they also come with warranty that are always quite long mainly because of the life expectancy of the average solar panel amongst many other advantages. Therefore, if you’re considering to purchase and install new solar panels within your home, you’d also probably want to know the time period in which they’re expected to last. In this article, we aim to help you answer this question so you can make an informed decision going ahead.

As a result of the rising energy bills as well as the desire to be greener, solar panels are becoming increasingly popular by the day in the UK. The most recent models of solar panels in the market possesses an expected lifespan of 40 to 50 years as well as warranties that keeps them protected for a minimum of half of that period. These warranties also serves as a guarantee to the solar panel’s level of performance over the first half of their lifespan. Several warranties will guarantee that the performance will not go below 80 percent before the warranty lapses. And even more importantly, some solar panels are crafted in such a way that they wouldn’t drop below 80 percent performance level throughout their lives.

However, in order to derive maximum benefits from your solar panels for a long period, there’s a need to ensure they’re properly maintained at least once a year throughout their lifespan.

There are a wide range of benefits you stand to derive by installing solar panels for your business operations. Not only can it help you save money,  but it can also go a long way to help reduce your business’ environmental footprint. Regardless of whether your company is big or small, it can still benefit immensely by making use of solar panels. If you’re considering the installation of solar panels in your business environment, then you probably want to know just how much it’ll cost to complete the project. In order to help you make the most informed purchase decision, we’ve created this post to give you a good insight into commercial solar panel pricing. Let’s take a look!

Generally, the cost of commercial solar panels is within the range of £16000 to £70000 for small to mid-sized companies. However, there are a number of factors that can influence the cost of commercial solar panels which includes the size of the roof, the amount of energy that’s generated as well as the number incorporated. There is a need to evaluate the cost of solar panels so as to determine whether or not they’re a feasible option for your business. In order to determine the amount of energy your company uses per month, simply take a closer look at your utility bill.  This should indicate just how much energy you use per month as well as how much the utility company charges per kW. In general, most small to medium sized companies will incorporate 30,000 to 50,000 kWh annually and you can expect the cost to differ based on your location and the size of your system. The rule of thumb with larger systems is to calculate using £1000 per kW, plus VAT as the yardstick.

If you want to connect solar panels to a battery, it’s likely that it’s because you want to make sure that you don’t waste any electricity when your solar panels are generating energy but you’re not around to use it. Batteries are particularly useful for homeowners that have solar panels but are out during daylight hours; with a solar battery system, your solar panels will feed the electricity they generate into the battery for you to use when you get home.

If you want to connect your solar panels to a battery, the best thing to do is to get in touch with an MCS-registered company who can talk you through your options. There are different size batteries and the size that’s suitable for you will depend on how much electricity you plan to store and how large your solar panel system is. Some of the top brands of battery storage system include Tesla, SunPower and SolarEdge. If you want to be able to take advantage of selling electricity back to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), it’s worth getting an MCS-registered company to install your battery for you, as you may not be eligible for payments if you connect your solar panels to a battery yourself.

You should also consider whether your solar panel system is a ‘storage ready’ solar system. Today, most systems will be, since battery storage is becoming much more common. This means that your solar panel system will have an inverter that can easily integrate a battery. If this is the case, you should be able to purchase the battery you want and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install it.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that electricity is extremely dangerous when handled incorrectly. If something goes wrong, you could electrocute yourself or cause a fire. If your solar panels and battery cause a fire, it’s unlikely that your home insurance company would pay out if you connect the battery yourself. That's why it’s best to ask a reputable installer with all the correct qualifications to connect your solar panels to a battery for you.

One of the things that has been on the UK government’s agenda for some time now is to promote the use of renewable energy sources. In fact, the Renewable Energy Directive put out by the EU instructs all member countries to achieve a 20 percent renewable target before the year 2020. The UK’s commitment to this objective has been made quite glaring with a number of funding options that has been put in place to help business owners looking to solar panels on their properties. This commitment was also showcased by a reduction in the cost of solar panels, so new investors have little to worry about. Although there aren’t any grants in the conventional sense, but there are opportunities for solar panel funding in the UK. At present, the only scheme open to new applications is the SEG - Smart Export Guarantee which came into effect on 1st January, 2020.

In general, there are four notable incentives in the UK for solar panels which includes the aforementioned Smart Export Guarantee, Reduced VAT on Energy Saving Products, Feed-in Tariff ( no longer open to new applications ), as well as the Renewable Heat Incentive ( RHI - applies only to solar water heating ).

Being the only one still open to new applications, we’ll provide you with some insights on SEG. The Smart Export Guarantee allows small scale low-carbon electricity generators to receive payments for surplus energy they’re able to export back to the grid. Although, this is not a direct government scheme, all licensed suppliers are necessitated to offer an export tariff to their customers. Those suppliers with more than 150,000 customers are obligated to offer a tariff, while the suppliers with fewer customers can partake on a voluntary basis.