Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Installation
Harnessing Solar Energy
Here at South East Solar and Electrical in Kent, we’ll help you to utilise the power of the sun, reducing your reliance on the National Grid. With professional solar panel installations, you can enjoy an eco-friendlier lifestyle and reduce your impact on the environment. Our expert solar panel installers in Kent serve homes and businesses across the South East, offering bespoke services to suit your domestic or commercial needs.
How do Solar Panels Work?
Solar panels - or photovoltaic (PV) panels as they are known - use the sun’s energy to generate electricity with no waste and no emissions. Cells containing a semiconductor material capture the sun’s energy and convert solar radiation into electricity that’s perfectly capable of powering your property. Considering the sun produces 8,000 times more energy than we consume globally, it makes sense to utilise its power and make the most of this free energy supply.
Solar panel installation offers an efficient and cost-effective way to heat your home. Installing solar panels in Kent is also a great idea as this beautiful part of the world tends to offer a sunny microclimate which you can use to your advantage. Get in touch with our team today.
What are the Benefits of Solar Panel Installation?
Installing Solar Panels
Solar panel installation boasts many benefits. For example, they can:
- Improve Your Carbon Footprint
One of the main reasons our customers opt for solar power is that it promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle. Solar panels generate green, renewable energy and therefore no harmful pollutants are released into the atmosphere, reducing your carbon footprint.
- Reduce Your Energy Bills
Sunlight is free. So once you’ve paid for the initial solar panel installation, you can then enjoy affordable energy supplied directly to your home. You may also be able to sell any electricity you don’t use back to the grid.
- Protect You From Future Price Hikes
Increasing demand on the National Grid is likely to lead to a price hike. Solar panels can protect you against such price hikes and help you budget effectively.
Domestic and Commercial Solar Panels
Here at South East Solar and Electrical, we offer domestic solar panel services to bring down your energy bills and reduce your reliance on fossil fuels. Modern buyers often look for properties with eco-friendly additions such as PV panels too, making solar panels a great investment if you’re hoping to sell up in the future.
We also offer commercial solar panels for businesses big and small. This will confirm your commitment towards a zero-carbon future and will help to reduce company bills in the long run. Speak to us today about your commercial solar panel requirements - we’re always happy to help and will carry out a full assessment to ensure the right number of panels are installed.
Solar Panel Installation in Rochester and Surrounding Areas
We professionally and safely install solar panels according to the style of your property. Our work, products and materials are certified to the MCS standard, meaning we supply you with the highest quality products and services during your solar panel installation. Our experienced and qualified solar PV installers will also give you peace of mind.
Contact our team in Rochester, Kent today for more information about solar panel installation and maintenance.
Why Choose SESE?
With over 15 years of experience, we are MCS certified and fully accredited by NAPIT and NICEIC trade association. We’re proud members of Checkatrade and have a CHAS accreditation which demonstrates our continuous commitment to remaining compliant with health and safety regulations. See what other customers thought of our service by reading online reviews.
Looking for solar panel installation in Kent? Then contact us today for a quote.
Solar PV systems use photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert sunlight into electricity. The PV cell consists of one or two layers of a semiconducting material - often silicone. When the light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers, causing electricity to flow. The greater the intensity of the light, the greater the flow of electricity.
Solar panel battery storage allows you to capture electricity so you can use it at another time. For example, you can store the electricity your solar panels generate during the day and use it at night. That said, some people who have solar panels installed go without battery power and choose not to add energy storage to a solar panel system. This is because they’re happy to rely on the National Grid when their panels aren’t generating electricity themselves. It’s usually people who are determined to live completely ‘off-grid’ who decide to use solar batteries.
In April 2008, solar panels were designated ‘Permitted Development’, meaning that planning permission is no longer necessary. The only exceptions to this are:
- Your house is a listed building
- Your house is situated within a conservation area
It is possible to receive planning permission in these cases, but this is at the discretion of your Local Planning Authority.
Solar panel installations must pass standard building regulations for the property. The key areas are the structural safety of a building and the electrical safety of a building. Your roof must be able to support the additional weight of solar rooftop panels, and the electrical elements of the system must be safe. You do not need to inform building control yourself, however, if you use an installer which is a member of an improved Competent Persons Scheme (CPS). Your installer will get the green light on your behalf.
In the vast majority of solar installations, the existing roof can adequately handle the additional weight of the roof-mounted solar system. But, of course, no risks should be taken and an untrained eye will not be able to make this decision safely. Instead, one of our fully qualified surveyors will inspect the roof to ensure it can hold the weight of your chosen panels. A certified letter stating their approval will then be issued and the solar panel installation can go ahead.
Having solar panels installed has many benefits. These include:
- Reduced energy bills as you’re not paying for generated electricity
- Protection against rising power costs
- Return on investment by selling the solar panels’ excess power
- Reduced carbon footprint with positive environmental consequences
- Energy independence that doesn’t rely entirely on the National Grid
This all depends on how big your property is, the size of your roof and your energy requirements. As a rule, the average one-bedroom house needs six solar panels, a typical three-bedroom house requires ten panels and a five-bedroom house will usually need 14 panels. Solar PV experts will be able to guide you appropriately and will ensure your roof can hold the weight of the number of panels required.
Even though maximum efficiency is reached when the sun is shining, electricity is still produced on cloudy days and during winter. Solar panels typically need around four hours of sunlight a day to function effectively; the majority of residents in the UK will find this requirement can be easily met, even when the weather is poor.
Solar panels work most effectively when exposed to direct sunlight. According to some experts, homeowners could lose as much as 40% of their potential solar power generation due to shade. This is because, as a shadow is cast over a panel, the amount of sunlight reaching the surface is reduced, thereby affecting the power output of your PV modules. There are many ways to avoid the effects of shading on your solar panels however, so speak to our professional solar panel installation team today.
Generally speaking, a 3kw or 4kw solar panel array will be able to produce enough energy to power a home containing a family of four or five people. A 2kw or 3kw array, on the other hand, will be able to supply enough energy to power a smaller home. A 4kw system will, on average, generate around 3,400kwh of electricity per year.