SOLAR PV SERVICES

Solar panels take full advantage of one of nature’s most powerful, and free resources – energy produced by the sun.

 

Key benefits of having a solar PV installation within your home or business include:

Electricity all year round

Solar panels have the ability to generate clean, emission free electricity to power your home all year round. Their long life span of 25 + years makes them a great long term investment.

Cut your energy bills

With the dramatic rise in energy prices, solar panels can lessen your dependance on the national grid for electricity.

Increase the market value of your house

Selling surplus electricity generated by your solar panels is another huge advantage to these installations. You will not only earn money from SEG, but also increase the market value of your home.

Reduce your carbon footprint

Solar panels have the ability to generate clean, emission free electricity to power your home all year round. Their long life span of 25 + years makes them a great long term investment.

HOW DO SOLAR PANELS WORK?

A solar PV panel consists of many cells made from layers of semi conducting material, most commonly, silicon. When light shines on this material, a flow of electricity is created.

The cells don’t need direct sunlight to work and can even work on cloudy days. Solar PV systems are made up of several panels, with each panel generating around 355W of energy in strong sunlight. 

Typical systems have around 10 panels and generate direct current (DC) electricity.  The electricity used for household appliances is alternating current (AC), because of this, an inverter is installed along with the system to convert DC electricity to AC. This electricity can then be used throughout your home or exported to the grid.

 

During daylight hours, you’ll be generating electricity, even on cloudy days, but if you’re using more power around your home than your panels are generating, you’ll be supplementing this by importing electricity from the grid.

Reducing your electricity use can help lower your bills and reduce your carbon footprint. If you’re claiming a Smart Export Guarantee tariff, you’ll receive a payment for every unit of electricity you export. 

 

Remember to turn devices off and avoid standby modes.

SOLAR PANEL EXTRAS

PV diverters are a low cost and low maintenance option for increasing your own consumption of solar electricity (i.e.using the electricity generated by your own solar PV panels).
Instead of sending surplus electricity to the grid, a PV diverter switch can power the immersion heater in your hot water tank, storing hot water for you to use later. On its own, excess solar energy is unlikely to meet all your hot water needs, but it can help reduce your bills.

Bring the convenience of installing your own charger in your home.
As electric vehicles become the future of transport, EV chargers boast low maintenance, cheaper running costs, and zero emissions making it easier than ever to charge your EV at home.

Solar batteries store electricity generated by solar power and let you use it when needed. You can make use of solar batteries whether you are connected to the grid or not.
As the UK transitions away from fossil fuels, power outages are likely to become more frequent. Installing solar panels with battery storage, you are far more likely to be unaffected.

BENEFITS OF SOLAR BATTERY STORAGE

  • Control of energy costs.
  • Reduce your reliance on the National Grid and take control of your energy costs.
  • Increased capacity.
  • The system’s storage capacity can be increased to meet your future needs.
  • Unaffected export tariff – your FIT and export tariff remain unaffected.
  • Stored surplus energy.
  • Solar PV generates electricity during daylight hours and any surplus is then normally exported back to the grid. 
  • By adding a solar battery storage system, the surplus electricity is stored for later use.
  • Comprehensive Warranty – We only sell recognised brands with comprehensive warranties

SOLAR FAQS

How Do I get a quote?

Please fill out our contact form and our solar panel installation experts will conduct an inspection to ascertain that your home is suitable for installation.

Is my house suitable?

A south facing, south-east or south-west facing roof with a pitch of between 30′ and 45′ is most suitable for solar, but east and west systems can also work, with research suggesting only 14% drop in generation over the year

Is it worth buying cheap solar panels?

Solar panels can be expensive, and some will want to find the cheapest solution. Cheap panels can make the setup costs more affordable, but they are not worth it in the long run. After all, investing in solar energy is a decision with long term implications. Cheap solar panels are likely to have a shorter lifespan and lower efficiency.

Are solar panels efficient in the UK?

Solar panels are very efficient in the UK. Although the efficiency of solar panels is higher on sunny days they do not need direct sunlight to generate electricity. Solar panels can also produce a considerable amount of electricity on cloudy days and during the winter season.
In fact, solar panels are more suited to cooler temperatures. Solar panels can overheat in countries with very warm weather.

What is the process for installing a solar panel?

Getting solar panels installed on your home with Celestial Solar is a quick and easy process. Our experts will work with you to plan the perfect solar panel installation for your unique home or business.

A quick inspection will help allow us to see where we can install the solar battery and inverter. We will schedule a time and date to install and can arrange for any required scaffolding.

What is battery storage?

The battery will allow you to store all the electricity you don’t use so that instead of exporting the energy back to the grid, you can use it later when the sun isn’t shining. The cost of the battery is high, but if you buy the whole package from Celestial Solar, you will save in the long run.

Should I get battery storage installed too?

It depends on how much electricity you produce and when you use it the most. For example, if you tend to use a lot of energy in the evenings, we will probably recommend a battery.

Will I reduce my energy bill?

Generating your own electricity means that you will be using less from your utility supplier. This will immediately translate to savings on your energy bill. You can also make money by selling the unused electricity that you have generated, back to the grid.

 

Does my Roof have enough space?

Space is a key consideration. The average system size is around 3.5kWp and this will typically take up around 20m 2 roof area.
An unshaded, South facing roof is ideal for maximum electrical output. East or West facing roofs could still be considered, but north facing roofs are not recommended. A system facing East or West will yield around 15 – 20% less energy than one facing directly South.
Finding an unshaded spot is best, however sometimes shading is unavoidable. Some solar PV systems can minimise the impact of shading using optimisers.
If you don’t have shading, the use of optimisers is not necessary or beneficial, other than the increased monitoring opportunities they offer they won’t generate more energy.

Do I need permission to install a solar PV system?

Solar PV panels are considered ‘permitted developments’ and often don’t require planning permission. However, exceptions apply and it is best to check with your local planning office for guidance. If you live in a listed building, conservation area or national park then additional restrictions may apply.
If you’re planning to install a solar PV system in your home, you must register it with your Distribution Network Operator (DNO). The DNO is the company responsible for bringing electricity to your home. Usually, your installer will register the device for you.