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Here are Some Frequently Asked Questions About Our Green Energy Solutions
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Solar PV
How do solar photovoltaic (PV) panels work?
Solar panels absorb the sun’s energy throughout the day and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. Most homes and businesses run on alternating current (AC) electricity, so the DC electricity is then passed through an inverter to convert it to usable AC electricity. At that point, you either use the electricity in your house or send it back to the electric grid.
Do my solar panels produce power when the sun isn’t shining?
The amount of power your solar energy system can generate is dependent on sunlight. As a result, your solar panels will produce slightly less energy when the weather is cloudy, and no energy at night. However, because of high electricity costs and financial incentives, solar is a smart decision even if you live in a cloudy city.
Can I go off grid with solar panels?
When you install solar panels on your property, you will still be connected to the grid. This allows you to draw from the grid when your system is not producing all of the power that you need, and send power back to the grid when you produce more than you use. It is possible to go off the grid with a solar energy system that includes battery storage, but it will cost significantly more and is unnecessary for the majority of homeowners.
What are the financial benefits of solar energy?
When you install a solar energy system on your property, you save money on your electricity bills and protect yourself against rising electricity rates in the future. How much you can save depends on the utility rates and solar policies in your area, but going solar is a smart investment regardless of where you live.
What are the environmental benefits of solar energy?
Solar power, like other renewable energy resources, has many environmental and health benefits. Going solar reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change, and also results in fewer air pollutants like sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, which can cause health problems.
How does solar impact my property values?
Studies have shown that homes with solar energy systems sell for more than homes without them. However, your property value will only increase if you own, rather than lease, your solar panel system. In most parts of the country, going solar will actually increase your property value more than a kitchen renovation.
Will I still receive an electric bill if I have solar panels?
Unless your solar energy system includes battery storage and you are fully off the grid, you will still receive a bill from your utility. However, you can dramatically reduce your bill, or even cut the amount you owe to $0, with a solar panel system that matches your energy use.
Is my roof suitable for solar panels?
Southerly-facing roofs with little to no shade and enough space to fit a solar panel system are ideal for installing solar. However, in many cases there are workarounds if your home doesn’t have the ideal solar roof.
Battery Storage
How does a home battery work?
The simple answer is that the home battery system stores electricity for use in your home at another time. The demand for energy within the home isn’t at one level all day, especially if there are periods when some or all of the family are out of the house. This means that for some periods of the day, the electricity being generated by their solar panels isn’t being fully utilised. Of course, when the sun goes down or the weather is particularly bad, the solar PV can’t generate electricity, and you need to draw from the grid to power your home. A home battery means that you have solar energy stored to use before you need to take from the grid.
How long will the solar backup batteries last?
The life of a solar battery depends on the battery technology. Typically, the solar battery’s useful lifespan ranges between 5 to 15 years. If you install a solar battery today, there is a good chance you will need to replace it at least once if you want to match the 25-year lifespan of your solar panel system. However, just as the lifespan of solar panels has increased significantly in the past decade, solar battery technology is starting to see dramatic technological advancements that are improving its life, performance, and value.
What is the most significant factor that impacts battery life?
Temperature. That is why the primary factor that will impact how long your batteries will last is proper storage in a reasonably cool location. The battery’s temperature profoundly affects the lifespan of a solar battery backup, so it is crucial to ensure that the enclosure is maintained correctly, there is proper cooling to reduce heat, and protection from freezing temperatures. If a solar battery’s temperature drops below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, it will require more voltage to reach maximum charge; when that same battery rises above the 90 degrees Farenheight threshold, it will overheat and require a reduction in charge. To help with this problem, many leading battery manufacturers, like Tesla, LG, and Q Cells provide temperature moderation as a feature. Choosing a quality battery manufacturer and maintenance efforts to ensure proper temperature controls will significantly extend the life of your batteries.
Can a home battery power my whole home at night?
If your household has very high energy requirements in the evenings, especially during longer winter nights, smaller battery storage systems may not be able to hold enough power for all of your needs all night. For example, if you wanted to run several ‘thirsty’ appliances at once in the evening, such as kettles, microwaves, washing machines, along with TVs, lights, fridges etc, your battery would discharge at a much quicker rate than that of a less busy household with lower energy demands. Home battery systems are also limited to the amount of electricity output they can give at any one time. It’s important to choose a battery storage system for your home which is best matched to your household’s needs.
What size home battery do I need?
The size of home battery system that you need will depend on the size and energy requirements of your home. The average household uses between 8-10 kWh of electricity per day. Home storage batteries start at around 2.5-5 kWh in capacity for small systems, up to the larger systems which offer around 13-15 kWh of energy storage.
We would typically size a system by following a two step approach:
Economically, the ideal size for a battery is one that would cover your evening and night-time usage (with a little to spare, just in case). Your electricity demand will empty the battery by next morning, meaning it has the maximum possible space to capture the next day’s sunshine.
We then sense check this against the size of your solar PV system. Obviously, there’s no point having a large battery if your generation is small – as you’d never be able to fill it.
So in practice, some home battery systems are sized to the demand of the home, but in some cases they are sized to what the solar PV system can produce. Getting this right is complex, which is why our expert engineers are on hand to help you find the right system for your home.
You will need to bear in mind that home storage batteries might well not receive enough energy to charge every day (depending on the weather and how much solar electricity your home generates and uses). Find out more about how this can work around the year here.
With a correctly-sized battery system for your home in the UK, you should ideally have enough energy waiting to meet your evening and overnight needs for the majority of the year, but are likely to need to draw electricity from the grid in the winter months.