There is a significant amount of advertising lately within the local press about the viability of using Solar Energy to reduce domestic energy costs (electric) and to earn income from the Feed in Tariff payments offered by having Solar panels installed.

I would urge anyone considering this to act with caution.

There are several systems available which will provide solar energy from Photovoltaic panels.

They are NOT all the same.

Power from the panels is feed to an Inverter which changes the supply to an alternating current at the supply voltage used (220/240v).

Not all inverters are the same.

The panels themselves are relatively maintenance free – they just need to be kept clean like your windows. They generally have an operation life of 25/30 years.

The inverter – the heart of the system, has an operational life that is much shorter typically 7/10 years.

These are factors that need consideration when purchasing a system.

Something else to consider is the suitability of your property for a Solar Panel installation.

This is very dependant on the properties roof orientation (South facing is best), whether there are ‘shading’ issues from other elements (trees, chimney’s, other properties) also if you are in an area where there is significant airborne dust or debris.