Solar panels

How do solar panels work?

Solar panels are made of layers of semi-conducting material. This material is treated to create an electric field and electricity is generated when sunlight hits it. 

By installing solar panels, you can generate your own renewable electricity. You can also use them alongside other renewable technologies, like heat pumps. Install an energy storage system, and you can capture excess energy generated to use at a time that suits you.

Benefits of solar panels in Scotland

There are many benefits to installing solar panels in Scotland. 

• Cut your electricity bills. Sunlight is free; your electricity costs will reduce once you've paid for solar panel installation.
• Reduce your carbon footprint. Solar electricity is low-carbon, renewable energy. A typical home solar PV system could save up to a tonne of carbon per year, depending on where you live in Scotland.
• Less reliance on the grid and changing electricity prices. 

Solar panel costs and savings

The size of the solar panel array your home requires influences the amount you'll pay for a solar PV system. The average size of a solar array installed in Scotland is around 4 kilowatt peak (kWp) and will cost around £6,500 to install. If there are access difficulties to your roof then this may add to costs. 

The larger the solar array, the more electricity it will produce, which means your bills will be lower. But this doesn't mean you should put as many panels on your roof as possible. The more panels you add, the more it costs, so you want to find that optimal costs to savings ratio.

Other price variables include whether you choose panels or tiles and whether you opt for building-integrated panels or panels that sit on top of your roof. Panels on top of the roof are the cheapest option, while tiles are the most expensive for the equivalent system.

Typically, solar panels will pay for themselves in around 8-12 years depending on how well they are maintained. Solar panels should last for 30 years or more. 

Solar PV diverters 

You can also make savings by installing a solar PV diverter switch. Instead of sending surplus electricity to the grid, a PV diverter switch can power your hot water tank's immersion heater, storing hot water for later use. Excess solar energy is unlikely to meet all your hot water needs, but it can help reduce your bills.