Question 1

What are solar thermal panels?

Accepted Answer

Solar thermal panels are panels that can be used to heat your hot water. The collectors, which are either evacuated tube panels or flat plate collectors, harness heat from the sun and transfer it to a heat transfer liquid that heats up water that is stored in a hot water cylinder. You can use a boiler or immersion heater as a back-up in the winter or to heat the water up further to reach the right temperature.

Evacuated tube panels involve a bank of glass tubes mounted on the roof tiles, and while they’re usually more expensive, they’re more efficient than flat plate collectors. They’re exactly what they sound like – flat panels that can be fixed onto your roof tiles or integrated into the roof.

Having a solar thermal system will reduce your energy bills since heat from the sun is free, so you won’t have to rely on your traditional heating as much. You’ll also be doing your bit for the environment – if you have a natural gas heating system, you could save up to 295kg of CO2 every year.

Another benefit to solar thermal panels is that you might be eligible for payments through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), which is a Government scheme to encourage people to take up renewable heating technologies. As long as you have your system installed by an MCS-registered installer and you meet a few other requirements, you could receive payments of up to £525 per year for seven years. And since the average solar thermal panel system costs £5,500, you could pay off over half of your system just with these payments. That’s not even considering that you could save up to £60 a year on your energy bills if you have a gas system.

Question 2

How much do solar batteries cost?

Accepted Answer

How much solar batteries cost depends on the brand and type of battery and its capacity. At the moment, the cost is quite high because the technology is still new – but they will probably reduce, just like we saw the cost of solar panels reduce as the technology became more popular. It’s a great idea to get a solar battery installed with your solar panel system if you’re out most of the day. If you didn’t have a battery, all that electricity would simply go to the National Grid – but if you have a storage system, then while your solar panels are generating electricity in the day, it would get stored in the battery ready for you to use when you get home. Lithium-ion solar batteries are the most widely-used ones at the moment because they generally have a higher capacity and are more cost-effective. For a 3-4kWh battery, which would store enough electricity for a typical 4kW solar panel system, it will set you back an average of £3,400. If you need a larger battery, it could cost anywhere up to £6,000. Lead acid batteries are cheaper, and it can seem tempting to ask an installer to fit one for you – but they aren’t cheaper in the long run. While a 4kWh lead acid battery may only cost around £2,000, their life cycle is only around 1,800 cycles. A lithium-ion battery that costs around £4,000 would have a life cycle of about 4,000 cycles. That means that while the upfront cost is more, you won’t have to replace it as quickly as a lead acid one.

Question 3

Are there different types of solar thermal panels?

Accepted Answer

There are two different types: flat plate, where lots of thin tubes carry water through a flat absorber panel, and evacuated tube, where vacuum glass tubes capture the sun’s energy directly. There is little difference in performance between the two but evacuated tube panels do more obviously extrude from the roof.

Question 4

Is solar energy renewable?

Accepted Answer

Solar energy is renewable, as the sunlight it uses won’t run out. This means that it’s a great way to generate electricity without damaging the planet. So, installing solar panels to generate solar energy can be a great move for businesses looking to reduce their carbon emissions.

Question 5

How much do solar thermal panels cost?

Accepted Answer

How much solar thermal panels cost in total will depend on whether you’re engaging an MCS-registered installer to fit them for you or whether you’re going to do it yourself. We’d always recommend that you get a reputable company to install them for you, since they have all the relevant skills and training to do the best job. However, there are DIY solar thermal panel kits out there that have everything you need to install them. If you get an MCS-registered company to install your solar thermal panels, you should expect to spend between £4,000 and £5,000. If you buy a solar thermal panel kit online, it will set you back between £1,500 and £2,000 - but you won’t be able to claim Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments. The RHI is a Government scheme that pays you for every unit of heat that you generate from renewable sources, including solar thermal panels. If you’re in a 6-person household and you installed a 6m2 system, you could earn up to £525 per year for seven years. That means that you could pay off over half your system with these payments. Plus, if you’re switching from gas fuel, you can expect to save £60 a year on your bills, but switch from LPG and it could be as much as £100 a year. So while the cost of solar thermal panels will be more upfront if you choose to get them installed by an MCS-registered professional, you could make half the cost back in RHI payments and fuel bill savings, so it’s well worth getting them fitted properly.

Question 6

Can I buy solar panels?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can buy solar panels without having to have them installed by the same company. There are lots of online companies that will sell you single solar panel modules, but there are also lots of businesses that offer DIY solar panel kits with everything that you need to install solar panels yourself. If you’re looking to buy solar panels without installation, you should expect to spend around £4,000-5000 on a 3.5kW system, which is the average system installed in the UK. When you buy solar panels to install yourself, it’s worth bearing in mind that you won’t be eligible for Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments. To receive SEG payments, your solar panels need to be installed by an MCS-registered installer, and if any schemes come about in the future it’s likely that the rules will be the same. It’s also worth doing some sums before you decide to buy solar panels and install them yourself. An average solar panel system installed by an MCS-registered company will cost between £4,500-6,000. While that’s more expensive than a DIY solar panel kit, you can claim SEG payments. According to the Energy Saving Trust, you can make your money back on your solar panels within 16 years with the SEG, but without the SEG it could be up to 20 years – and that’s only if you’re at home all day to use the electricity. So before you go ahead and buy solar panels to install yourself, consider whether it would be better to get in touch with some solar companies to get quotes and see if it’s better to pay more upfront.

Question 7

Can solar thermal panels provide enough hot water for my home?

Accepted Answer

Obviously the performance of a solar thermal system will vary depending on the location of the home, the insulation of the property, and your own hot water requirements. Solar thermal panels are capable of providing all of your hot water requirements from April to September. They will still make a contribution to your hot water needs for the rest of the year, but in general you will need a backup system to further heat the water in the colder months.

Question 8

Should I clean solar PV panels myself

Accepted Answer

If your solar panels are mounted on your roof and you require a ladder to reach them we would always recommend you get a professional to do the work for your own safety.

Solar Panel Installer job	Solar Panel Installer cost in 2025
Solar panel in Bedford	£6,075-£9,815
Solar thermal in Bedford	£3,000-£4,600
Commercal solar pv 11kw - 50kw in Bedford	£11,200-£16,800
small Commercial solar panel system in Bedford	£7,200-£10,800
Commercial solar pv 51kw+ system in Bedford	£44,000-£66,000
Thermodynamic (solar hot water) in Bedford	£4,125-£6,325
Solar battery in Bedford	£3,040-£5,195
Supply-only solar electricity in Bedford	£2,600-£4,875
Solar repair and maintenance in Bedford	£375-£575
Supply-only solar thermal panels in Bedford	£2,280-£4,275
Solar tiles in Bedford	£4,760-£7,140
Solar panel cleaning in Bedford	£100-£200
Solar panels with battery in Bedford	£3,400-£5,100

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