Solar PV

If you despair every time an electricity bill drops onto your welcome mat, then PV solar panels might just put a smile back on your face.

'PV' solar panels are photovoltaic panels ? which allow you to effectively generate free electricity and put an end to sky high bills.

In harnessing the sun's free energy to create electricity, you also lessen the environmental strain on fossil fuels. 75% of the world's electricity is currently generated via the use of fossil fuels like coal and oil, which will at some stage run out.

Of course, these sources of energy also release carbon emissions which are harmful to the earth's atmosphere ? solar power doesn't.

That's why governments around the world are promoting the use of PV solar panels; and the UK government is no exception.

They have introduced a 'Feed in Tariff' which effectively pays homeowners for the electricity they generate via PV panels.

To get a quote on a PV solar panel installation from a qualified local installer, simply complete our request a quote form.

How do PV Solar Panels Work?

Photovoltaic solar panels are a somewhat more complex construction than solar thermal collectors used for solar heating.

Made from thinly-cut cells of silicon crystal, PV solar panels have positive and negative layers. That means one side of each cell has an abundance of electrons, while the other has a shortage of them.

This imbalance creates an electrical field in the cell, allowing the passing of electrons from the negative to the positive layer.

The sun's energy, which travels in photons, provides the catalyst for this movement. Absorbed by the PV solar panel, it passes its energy to atoms within the cell and kick starts the electron transfer.

In short, it is this movement of electrons which generates electricity for your home.

The most efficient (and most expensive) PV solar panels are cut from a single silicon crystal, while the more common polycrystalline PV panels are constructed from a number of crystals.

The latest type of PV solar panel is the 'amorphous' panel, cut so thin as to retain flexibility for easier siting. Currently, the efficiency of solar panels averages around 20% - but this is markedly higher than at the turn of the century, so it can be expected to increase again as technology improves.

Benefits Of PV Solar Panels

In creating electricity for free, you'll save significantly on your electricity bills. What's more, the Government's Feed in Tariffs will see you paid for the electricity you generate.

In fact, you can be paid TWICE for the electricity your PV solar panels create. That's because suppliers are obliged not only to pay a generation tariff, but also an export tariff ? a fee for the electricity you generate but don't use in your home.

Find out more about Feed in Tariffs.

The Next Step

To qualify for Feed in Tariffs, you must use a certified Solar PV installer ? and we can help you find one. Simply fill in our quote request form and we'll put you in touch with a certified installer in your area.