Did you know that solar panel installation is currently growing by a third year on year with nearly 200,000 residential grade solar panels installed annually across the UK as a whole. With solar energy’s popularity only set to rise, is it time you considered if solar panels would be a good choice for your Edinburgh home?
Your first question may be how do domestic solar panels actually work? Quite simply, having solar panels installed at your Edinburgh property will give you the capability to turn the sun’s energy into a usable electricity source. Electrons make up part of solar panels composition. Once sunlight hits the solar panel then the electrons begin to move which in turn creates an electrical current. This electrical current is a usable energy source which you can use to power your Edinburgh home or even your electrical vehicle. If your solar panels generate more electricity than you use then you can send this back to the grid where you can be paid for the power you have generated.
A great first step in your solar power journey is first ascertaining whether your Edinburgh property has enough room for you to comfortably have solar panels installed. It is worth noting that solar panels most typically will cover a roof surface area of approximately 10 to 20 metres squared. Working with an expert Edinburgh electrician firm such as our team here at DC Electrical is the best way to work out the best solar panel system for your home in terms of both specification and size.
We all know the benefits of a south facing garden but can the same be said for a south facing roof in terms of solar panel suitability? Ideally a south facing roof with minimum shade will deliver optimum results in terms of domestic solar panel performance however it is worth noting that east or west facing roofs can also deliver results as well. We would estimate that a solar panel system installed on a west or indeed east facing roof would generate approximately 15 to 20% less usable energy than if the solar panels were installed on a south facing roof. You may have the correct roof direction for a successful solar panel installation project but what about any shading of your roof? If your roof does have some shaded areas from trees or neighbouring buildings then this may have an impact on the sun exposure and overall performance of your solar panels. One of our expert Edinburgh electrician team can advise you but you can explore the option of having an optimiser fitted to your solar panel system. Solar panel optimisers will help optimise your systems performance therefore allowing you to maximise both your system and your investment.
As Edinburgh’s number one electrician team we specialise in all aspects of both commercial and domestic electrical work – from home rewires, to SMART home upgrades, solar panel installation to electrical testing, we are Edinburgh’s number one choice. For more details on how we can be part of your next project simply get in touch today for a free, no obligation quote.
