Solar panels are designed to generate free energy for commercial and domestic purposes. They’re often installed onto roofs facing south and southwest in order to make the most of the sun’s rays. By generating your own energy you’ll be less reliant on the National Grid and as prices for gas and electricity are rising, you’ll make a huge saving.

As you’re using less gas and electricity, you’ll decrease your home’s carbon footprint. Carbon is responsible for global warming, which makes renewable energy technologies such as solar panels environmentally friendly.

In the UK, solar panels have become very popular through government incentives such as the Feed-in tariff. This scheme pays homeowners and businesses for every unit of electricity generated through photovoltaics. On April 1 the current feed-in tariff rate will be reduced to 21p/kWh, but the benefits of free electricity and reduced carbon remain the same.

Aside from the FiT scheme, there’s something known as the export tariff. If your solar panels are generating more electricity than you need, you can sell the excess energy to the National Grid for a set rate. This means others can use the renewable energy and nothing is wasted.

Instead of selling the energy, you could store electricity onto batteries and use it when the sun isn’t providing as much heat energy. This would be perfect at night and during the winter, although solar panels work well all year round.

When it comes to choosing solar panels for your home, you’ll find two types – Solar PV and solar thermal panels. PV systems convert the sun’s heat into electricity, while thermal systems produce heat for the central heating and hot water.

To make the most out of solar panel benefits, you should look into solar PV, as the Feed-in tariff provides you with an extra source of income. In fact, a three or four bedroomed home could see savings of £800 each year. And of course, this is all tax free.

If you’re interested in solar panels for your home, whether it’s PV or thermal, complete our quick form. We’ll then provide you with up to five FREE quotes from vetted, reputable companies.