Solar Energy
What is Solar Energy and How Does it Work?
The sun gives off enough solar power in one day to provide the energy needs of the entire world for a year. However, is solar energy a viable option for those of us living in the UK?
What is the difference between solar panels and PV panels?
Solar water heating panels or collectors work in an entirely different way to Photovoltaic (PV) panels. With solar water heating panels, water flows through pipes in the panels and the sun heats the water. This type of system will only produce hot water.
PV solar panels generate electricity which you use in the normal way in your home. They can heat water, but not directly in the same way as solar panels. The electricity generated by the PV panels can be used as a method of water heating.
Solar power has been in use in one form or another for many thousands of years. It involves using the sun as a clean and renewable source of energy.
Solar energy can be used mainly in two ways - to provide heat and hot water to your home or to generate electricity using photovoltaic panels.
Using solar energy in this way is a great method of cutting your carbon dioxide emissions as well as providing your heat, water and electricity needs free of charge!
Solar Hot Water Heating
This is the most common method of using solar power in the UK and uses the energy from the sun to heat water for domestic use. Even in Britain, there is enough sunlight to provide the hot water requirements for the average family during summer and enough to preheat water during the rest of the year.
There are two types of solar hot water collectors.
Flat Plate Collectors
These are installed on the roof of your home and are sheets of black metal that absorb the sun’s energy. Pipes are attached to the sheets and are filled with water, which absorbs the heat from the metal.
Evacuated Tubes
Again, these are fitted on the roof of your home and are made of glass tubes, which surround an absorber plate. These are more efficient than flat plates as heat loss is almost non-existent due to the insulating vacuum inside the glass.
Installing a solar hot water system in your home will cost you around £500 - £1500 if you install it yourself. If you hire a professional to install a commercially built system, costs will rise to £2000 - £5000. These prices can vary depending on the size of the system you install.
Photovoltaic Solar Panels (produces electricity)
These work on the basic principle that the sun can turn specific materials into electricity, a concept discovered by Edmund Becquerel in 1839. Panels are installed on the roof of your home, which will convert sunlight into electricity. The roof panels produce clean, environmentally friendly electricity, which can be used to power any electrical appliance. The amount of electricity generated will vary according to available sunlight so for this reason you will stay connected to the national grid via a traditional supplier to cover any extra electricity you may need. Any unused electricity generated can be sold back to your commercial energy provider to be used as part of their green electricity schemes.
This system is expensive to install, starting at around £5000; however, government grants are available to help with the cost.
