© Courtesy of The Telegraph Four reasons solar panels won't work in your homeFor the next 30 years the Government envisions a future where the UK produces net zero carbon emissions. The key to this strategy is increasing the use of renewable energy, and for homes, installing solar panels is one of the easiest paths to success.
The reason often given is that green technology will somehow lower your bills. But if you can install them and they work as expected, it's not as easy as Pure Zero Champions will assure you.
Here, Telegraph Money breaks down some common reasons why solar panels may not be right for your home.
Solar panels may not be suitable for your roof
The UK housing stock is diverse and full of character and while most roofing materials can easily withstand solar energy, some can be quite complex. Shingles are one of the most common types of roofing in the UK and are ideal for cladding, as are metal, tar and gravel roofs.
Tiled roofs are compatible with solar panels, but the installation process can be expensive and complicated. This is because clay shingles tend to be more brittle and cannot be punctured. This means that installers must remove the shingles and attach the roof brackets before replacing the shingles.
There's also the problem that your roof may not be big enough to house enough solar panels to make it worthwhile. A 4 kW system, typically for a family of 2-3 people, requires an area of 25.6 square meters. Considering the average roof size in the UK is 65-75 square metres, that doesn't seem like a big deal, but can be difficult when you have features like skylights to work with.
Your utility bills may not be much cheaper
The biggest benefit of solar panels is that they can provide most of your home's electricity needs off the grid. According to the Energy Savings Trust charity, the average household can save up to 62% on their annual energy bills just by using solar panels.
However, the savings depend on when you use electricity at home and for how long. EST calculations showed that a typical home would save £610 a year by using solar panels if its occupants were home all day and working from home, for example. This drops to £360 per year if the family is gone before 6pm all day.
Households can also sell the electricity they generate to the grid to reduce their electricity bills. The problem is that you don't pay the price for electricity that you pay yourself.
Under the Smart Export Guarantee, electricity can be exported to the grid for 3.5p/kWh, much less than the 33.2p you pay for electricity under the Energy Price Guarantee.
This can be mitigated with solar power, meaning you can store excess energy and use it to power your home at other times. However, domestic batteries can cost anywhere from £1,200 to £6,000.
Solar panels don't always work
Of course, if your roof doesn't face the sun, solar panels aren't a good idea. South-facing roofs are ideal for maximizing solar gain, but are not recommended for north-facing roofs.
According to comparison website Green Match, east- and west-facing panels perform better, although they still produce 20% less electricity than south-facing systems.
If your house is in the shade, for example if it is surrounded by tall buildings or trees, the efficiency of the solar modules also decreases.
This is because solar panel systems are connected in a series of parallel 'strings', meaning performance is based on the weakest panel in the set. According to the comparison site Deege Solar, regardless of the number of cells in a row, just one in the shade can cause the system's output to drop to zero.
You need a suitable location for the investor.
Energy specialist Evergreen Energy recommends leaving some space in your attic for an inverter, the device you need to convert the electricity produced by your panels into electricity used by the grid.
Inverters are usually quite small and can be mounted on the wall like a gas meter. You need a place protected from direct sunlight with adequate ventilation, e.g. B. an attic, a garage or a laundry room.
Also, it should be easily accessible for routine checks and maintenance, and ideally be 3 feet above the water level.
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