Episode 15
Are solar panels worth it?
We're talking about how you can harness that sunshine to help power your home, telling you everything you need to know before installing.
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Transcript
hello and welcome.
Speaker:I'm Rob Lily.
Speaker:And this is the witch short podcast.
Speaker:How are you enjoying the summer so far?
Speaker:Perhaps you're listening to this on the beach, maybe by the pool or.
Speaker:Yeah, it's fine too.
Speaker:Well, if it's sunny where you are today, we'll be talking about how you can harness
Speaker:that sunshine to help power your home on which shorts we hand pick the very best
Speaker:articles from across which, and make them available for you to listen to.
Speaker:If you're enjoying them, we'd really appreciate it.
Speaker:If you were to leave us a review and a rating to this week, we're talking all
Speaker:about solar panels, telling you everything you need to know before installing.
Speaker:Treatise this article originally written by Karen Lawrence.
Speaker:I'll hand you over to Angus Farka.
Speaker:Installing solar panels could cut energy bills by more than 300
Speaker:pounds a year for a typical home.
Speaker:According to a report from the trade association, solar
Speaker:energy, UK, the financial.
Speaker:Carried out by the university of Cambridge found that households could
Speaker:be more than 900 pounds a year, better off in the best case scenario, a home
Speaker:with electric heating, how much you could potentially benefit, depends on
Speaker:multiple factors, including where you live, what direction the roof faces,
Speaker:whether there's any shading and how much time you spend at home during the day.
Speaker:But with energy bills expected to rise when the price cap is reviewed
Speaker:by regulator off gem in October, it's a good time to find out whether
Speaker:solar PV panels will save you money.
Speaker:And our in-depth research will help you work this out where you live affects
Speaker:how much energy solar, voltaic, or PV panels can generate due to differences
Speaker:in solar irradiance or insulation, the energy received from the.
Speaker:And local weather conditions for maximum power output.
Speaker:The ideal solar PV installation would be on a large south facing
Speaker:34 degree, pitched roof free from shading in the south of England.
Speaker:If that describes your home, you've hit the jackpot.
Speaker:If not solar panels will still work effectively in less than
Speaker:ideal conditions, but some factors affect output more than others.
Speaker:So it pays to do your home.
Speaker:We use the energy saving trusts, solar energy calculator to estimate
Speaker:the energy generation bill savings and carbon dioxide emissions
Speaker:reduction for selected UK locations.
Speaker:For comparison purposes, we assumed all other key variables remained the
Speaker:same, a four kilowatt peak system on a south facing 30 degree pitched roof
Speaker:with very little or no shading, and that the occupants were at home or.
Speaker:The latter is important as this is how you can make the most of the energy.
Speaker:Your panels are producing.
Speaker:Keep listening to find out why we found the place with the highest
Speaker:solar generation potential is brightened at 3,855 kilowatt hours
Speaker:closely followed by Plymouth.
Speaker:Uh, Norridge at the other end of the scale is Inverness at 3,150 kilowatt hours per.
Speaker:Although this is some 18% less than Brighton it's worth bearing in mind.
Speaker:That location is not the most significant factor.
Speaker:When considering solar panels, shading can severely limit the
Speaker:power, your panels generate.
Speaker:We recalculated the figures for Brighton increasing the shading to
Speaker:significant and sort of 35% reduction in potential annual energy production.
Speaker:When we increase the shading to.
Speaker:The energy generation fell by 50%.
Speaker:So if your rooftop is shaded for much of the day by buildings, trees, or
Speaker:other objects that cannot be removed easily, then solar panels may not
Speaker:generate enough energy to repay them.
Speaker:Orientation is also significant solar panels can work well on east
Speaker:or west facing roofs, although they will produce around 15%, less energy.
Speaker:But when we recalculated using a north facing aspect, the
Speaker:energy generation fell by 30.
Speaker:While each individual factor may have a minor effect on the
Speaker:performance of solar panels.
Speaker:The cumulative effect of two or more factors can make
Speaker:a considerable difference.
Speaker:For example, a rooftop system in Inverness facing east and with significant
Speaker:shading is expected to generate less than half the energy of the ideal
Speaker:installation in Brighton on thousand 687 kilowatt hours versus 3,855 kilowatt.
Speaker:How much time you spend at home and how much electricity you used during
Speaker:daylight hours have a big impact on your potential energy bill reduction, every
Speaker:unit of solar energy you use in your home.
Speaker:Save the equivalent retail price of electricity currently capped
Speaker:at an average of 28 pounds per kilowatt hour, which is what you
Speaker:would pay to your energy supplier.
Speaker:This varies slightly by region payment method and meet.
Speaker:If you're unable to use it all, you can sell the surplus to an energy firm
Speaker:under the smart export guarantee scheme.
Speaker:But the rate you get is much lower than the retail price government backed SEG
Speaker:stipulates only that this rate must be above zero and current terrorists
Speaker:ranged from a poultry 1.5 Pence to 7.5 Pence per kilowatt hour, or up to 10.
Speaker:To 12 Pence per kilowatt hour from octopus energy.
Speaker:If you have solar panels and a Tesla power wall.
Speaker:If you live in Northern Ireland, SEG doesn't apply.
Speaker:Instead, you can sell excess electricity directly to the
Speaker:supplier or via an agent power.
Speaker:And I currently offers 7.85 Pence per kilowatt hour.
Speaker:No matter where you live in the UK, the difference between the retail price
Speaker:you pay and the payments you receive means that using the energy yourself
Speaker:is much more cost-effective than.
Speaker:If you're at home using electricity during the day, the savings stack up much
Speaker:more rapidly than if your home is empty.
Speaker:For example, we found the average annual cost of running a washing machine tumble
Speaker:dryer and dishwasher is around 215 pounds.
Speaker:So if you're at home or can schedule these to run during the day, then you
Speaker:could save up to 215 pounds a year by powering them from the solar panel.
Speaker:Selling the equivalent amount of energy at 4.1 Pence per kilowatt
Speaker:hour would earn you just 31 pounds.
Speaker:Solar PV prices have fallen by more than 60%, since 2010, when a typical
Speaker:system costs around 20,000 pounds.
Speaker:The recently announced VAT rate cuts on solar panels from 5%
Speaker:to 0% should cut costs further.
Speaker:However, it's not easy without getting bespoke quotes to work
Speaker:out how much you'll need to do.
Speaker:The EST calculations we used are based on an installation cost of
Speaker:5,419 pounds for a four kilowatt peak system data from the Royal institution
Speaker:of chartered surveyors suggests a similar system costs between 9,000 to
Speaker:11,700 while a solar energy UK report.
Speaker:This is the cost of a typical 3.1 kilowatt peak system as 3,925.
Speaker:So what's the.
Speaker:It depends on the size of the system type of panel.
Speaker:You choose the quality of components, the accessibility and state of repair of
Speaker:the roof and the individual installer.
Speaker:Many installers work with just one or two solar panel brands.
Speaker:So you might not be offered a choice of manufacturer, but it's worth understanding
Speaker:what type of panel you'll be.
Speaker:Of the three main types available monocrystalline panels are the most
Speaker:efficient around 20 to 22% having the longest lifespan of 30 to 50 years.
Speaker:And some people consider them to be more aesthetically pleasing, but they're also
Speaker:the most expensive polycrystalline panels.
Speaker:13 to 16% efficient are cheaper to buy, but might be less
Speaker:cost-effective in the longterm.
Speaker:And don't last quite as long at 30 to 40.
Speaker:Thin film panels, 7% to 13% efficient are the cheapest, but least efficient,
Speaker:and also have a shorter lifespan than both other types at 10 to 20 years.
Speaker:But they're flexible.
Speaker:So can be potentially bent and fitted around obstructions to compare
Speaker:different quotes, divide the total cost of the system by the total power
Speaker:output to find the price per one.
Speaker:Also consider ongoing costs.
Speaker:Solar panels generally need little regular maintenance, but the EST calculator
Speaker:allows for replacing the inverter or components twice during the lifetime
Speaker:of the system in year 10 and year 20 at a cost of around 1,450 pounds.
Speaker:When we surveyed solar panel owners last year, two thirds have not experienced
Speaker:any problems since installing.
Speaker:The most common technical fault involved the inverter at 14%, but
Speaker:most faults should be rectified by the installer or manufacturer.
Speaker:Thanks to the generous warranty.
Speaker:Typically offered string inverters generally have a 10 year warranty
Speaker:with an option to extend while inverters have a longer life and often
Speaker:come with 10 to 25 year warranty.
Speaker:The most common non-technical issues reported when nesting, birds or squirrels
Speaker:at 15% and dirt building up on the panels, 14% dirty panels absorb less
Speaker:light and therefore generate less energy.
Speaker:But unless they're at a very shallow angle, most solar panels
Speaker:are largely self-cleaning courtesy of a hydrophobic coating that
Speaker:helps the rain to wash away most.
Speaker:If your panels are accessible, you can remove leaves and other debris
Speaker:yourself, and rinse with a hose pipe.
Speaker:In some locations, there may be a buildup of bird, droppings, tree SAP, salt
Speaker:spray, or other environmental pollution.
Speaker:So check the cost of regular professional cleaning.
Speaker:Particularly if panels will be hard to.
Speaker:You can get a good idea of the potential savings of installing panels by using
Speaker:some basic data about your home, the EST solar energy calculator calculates
Speaker:energy bills, savings, how much you could earn by selling excess power
Speaker:and carbon dioxide emissions savings you'll need to input your postcode.
Speaker:Plus the following details about your home roof slope.
Speaker:The typical roof slope for the average UK home is about 30 degrees.
Speaker:So use this if you're not sure.
Speaker:Sure.
Speaker:Estimate how much shading you have on your roof from up to 20%, none, or
Speaker:very little to more than 80% heavy.
Speaker:The calculator uses your postcode to display a map of your property,
Speaker:which you can adjust to find the orientation of your roof.
Speaker:Installation size.
Speaker:An average installation is around four kilowatt peak, but you can input a larger
Speaker:or smaller system depending on how much space you have available time spent.
Speaker:Select how much time you typically spend at home during the day to calculate how
Speaker:much solar energy you might use, the results should tell you enough to gauge
Speaker:where the solar PV is likely to pay you back over time, or be a waste of money.
Speaker:Our need for electricity.
Speaker:Doesn't always coincide with the hours of day.
Speaker:Some 46% of solar panel owners.
Speaker:We surveyed last year said they use less than half of the electricity.
Speaker:Their system produces.
Speaker:If your home is empty all day timers and smart controllers can help
Speaker:you schedule appliances to run.
Speaker:When the panels are generating the most energy, you can also install a PV
Speaker:divert, a switch to power, an immersion heater, this diverts energy only
Speaker:when it detects an excess and stores it in the form of hot water to use.
Speaker:PV divert is cost from a few hundred pounds and can be
Speaker:retrofitted to existing systems.
Speaker:If you have a heat pump or are considering installing one, then solar
Speaker:panels can provide electricity to power it directly or to provide hot water.
Speaker:However, the heat pump is most power hungry during the winter months, just when
Speaker:solar panels will be generating the least.
Speaker:If you have an electric or plug-in hybrid car, and you're able to charge your
Speaker:car at home during the daytime, solar panels will help you save on energy.
Speaker:Alternatively battery storage is a good choice.
Speaker:If you're unable to use much energy, when the sun is.
Speaker:Depending on the quality and capacity, solar batteries will add around 1,500
Speaker:to 6,000 pounds to the cost of your system, but you'll be able to use
Speaker:the electricity whenever you need it.
Speaker:This is especially cost-effective.
Speaker:If you use a lot of electricity at night for heating, for example, or charging
Speaker:an electric vehicle, you can save more than just money as generating your own
Speaker:energy will also reduce your carbon for.
Speaker:Just as with financial savings, how much carbon you save?
Speaker:Depends on how much energy your system generates.
Speaker:Live in sunny Brighton.
Speaker:With the ideal roof setup, then you could save 891 kilograms of carbon annually.
Speaker:The equivalent of driving 6,853 kilometers in the average.
Speaker:Over a typical 25 year lifetime that's 20.9 tons of carbon saved or
Speaker:171,325 kilometers of driving in not quite so sunny in Vanessa residents
Speaker:with the ideal setup can still save a healthy 17.1 tons over 25 years or
Speaker:9.2 tons with an east facing roof.
Speaker:The manufacturer of PV systems is not emissions.
Speaker:However, after around three years of use panels will have prevented the release
Speaker:of more emissions than it took to create them for some people, the chance to
Speaker:reduce their carbon footprint will be more important than saving money for others.
Speaker:It's a nice bonus rooftop.
Speaker:Solar panels are generally regarded as permitted development in the
Speaker:UK, which means that you don't need to apply for planning permission.
Speaker:You might need approval.
Speaker:However, if your home is listed or in a conservation, So check with
Speaker:your local planning department.
Speaker:So let's highlight or slate can be a more acceptable and attractive option, but
Speaker:might cost more than twice as much as.
Speaker:If you live in a flat or other lease hold property, you'll need permission of
Speaker:the freeholder to install solar panels.
Speaker:It's also worth checking the state of your roof.
Speaker:It must be strong enough to take the weight of the solar panels and it
Speaker:makes sense to also replace tiles or carry out other repairs if needed
Speaker:while the scaffolding is in place.
Speaker:When requesting quotes look for installers certified by the independent
Speaker:micro-generation certification scheme, solar panels should be installed by an MCs
Speaker:certified installer to qualify for S E G payments as with all home improvements.
Speaker:Get at least three quotes and make sure it's clear.
Speaker:Exactly.
Speaker:What's included feedback from solar panel owners suggest the
Speaker:installation process itself is relatively painless in our survey.
Speaker:The vast majority.
Speaker:94% said getting their solar PV system installed was not
Speaker:very or not at all disruptive.
Speaker:The low carbon and renewable sector is constantly evolving.
Speaker:So it's tempting to delay buying until the next innovation comes along
Speaker:with a cheaper or more efficient.
Speaker:You may have read about tandem solar cells, Silicon panels, with
Speaker:a thin perovskite film layer.
Speaker:These can reach 28% efficiency, but aren't yet in commercial production.
Speaker:There's also the so-called solar panels that work at night that can
Speaker:generate energy from infrared light.
Speaker:But this is only a proof of concept and it might be many years before you can buy
Speaker:them standard crystalline Silicon panels.
Speaker:On the other hand are a proven technology whose efficiency has
Speaker:increased gradually over the.
Speaker:To 20 to 22% today, which is close to their theoretical maximum.
Speaker:If the numbers don't quite stack up for your home, just yet keep
Speaker:an eye on future developments.
Speaker:But if you can afford solar PV panels outright as otherwise, any
Speaker:interest you're paying on a loan might cancel out energy bill savings.
Speaker:They will start saving you money immediately, and it makes
Speaker:sense to install them now.
Speaker:Thank you to Angus and to Karen Lawrence to be original author behind.
Speaker:Remember, you can find more articles.
Speaker:You'll find useful every day on everything from money and technology to
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Speaker:We'll be back next week for another episode of white shorts.
Speaker:Thanks for listening.
Speaker:We're shorts was produced by me probably, or the exact could
