Find a Solar Panel Installer you can trust in Shipley.

In a similar way to other major home improvement projects, some specific requirements must be met to allow for the installation of solar panels. The main reason why these standards and regulations were established is to minimize the risk of the solar system becoming an issue or potential hazard in the unforeseeable future. So if you’re thinking about buying and fitting new solar panels, you’ll probably want to know whether or not you’ll require to submit a planning permission application for approval before you can proceed.

Generally, solar panels are covered under what’s called “Permitted Development” which gives you the freedom to install your solar panels without having to apply for a planning permission. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. These exceptions include if your house is a listed building or if your house is located within a conservation area. In these exceptional cases, it’s possible that you’ll need to apply for a planning permission, but this will largely depend on the discretion of your Local Planning Authority. What’s more? Solar panels are usually subjected to normal building regulations which includes examining the roof to make sure that it can support the additional weight. You can call in a MCS certified installer to carry out this check for you.

In order to install your solar PV on your roof, you must follow these guidelines:

✓ Your solar panels shouldn’t go beyond the highest point of the roof (excluding chimneys).

✓ The solar panels shouldn’t project beyond 200mm off the roof’s edge.

✓ The solar panels should be removed once they’re no longer used to produce electricity

✓ The solar panels should be installed such that the area and building’s appearance change is minimized.

You shouldn’t need to maintain your solar panels much at all as long as there’s nothing piled up on top of the panels that could block out the sun. They are installed at an angle, so when it rains the water runs off them and gives them a clean. However, if this doesn’t quite cut it, you can spray them with a hose a few times a year.

Most people want to connect solar panels to a battery when they’re not at home all day to use the electricity they generate, or generate more than they consume over a day. Solar batteries are a great way to maximise the savings on your energy bills since you can use every unit of electricity you generate.

If you want to connect your solar panels to a battery, the best – and safest – way is to ask an MCS-registered company to do it for you. They’ve had lots of training and hold qualifications in handling electricity and installing solar batteries, so they will be able to recommend the best battery for your solar panels and for the among of electricity you use. Some of the brands they might recommend include Tesla, SolarEdge and SolaX, but there are many more to choose from. If you want to send electricity to the grid from your battery to receive Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments, it’s also worth leaving installation up to a registered installer. This is because you might not be eligible for payments if your battery wasn’t installed by an MCS-registered company.

However, if you do want to have a go at connecting your solar panels to a battery, it’s worth finding out whether your system is ‘storage ready’. Most relatively new systems will be, since batteries are becoming more commonplace. If your solar panels are storage ready, they will have an inverter that can easily have a battery added to it. If this is the case, then you should be able to buy the solar battery you want and follow the manufacturer's instructions to install it.

But it’s worth remembering that electricity is extremely dangerous when handled improperly. If you don’t get the solar battery connected properly and something goes wrong, it could cause a fire or you could electrocute yourself. If a fire breaks out due to your battery, it’s unlikely that your home insurance company would pay out since you connected the battery yourself. That’s why it’s always worth speaking to a registered installer to install a solar battery storage system for you.

If you want to test your solar panel system to see if it’s working properly or just to see what output it’s giving, you can do this using a multimeter to measure current, or amps, and voltage.

Before you start, you’ll need to find the voltage (v) and current (A) ratings of your panel. You should be able to find them on the back of the panel. You should also make sure that it’s a nice clear, sunny day to get the best readings out of your panel. You should also check that it’s safe to be up on your roof!

To measure open circuit voltage, you’ll need to make sure that your solar panel is completely disconnected from your system’s regulator and battery (if you have one). Angle the panel towards the sun, and ensure that your multimeter is set to measure volts. Measure the voltage between the positive and negative terminals by connecting the negative contact on the voltmeter to the negative on the panel and the positive contact on the voltmeter to the positive on the panel.

Then, you can move on to the short circuit current. Follow the same steps as the open circuit voltage, but ensure that your multimeter is set at 10A to start with.

Only try to test your solar panel if it’s safe to do so. If your roof isn’t accessible without scaffolding or specialist equipment, consider speaking to an MCS-registered solar company about your concerns. They may recommend that they come to service your solar panel system.

If you’re looking to install some new solar panels in your home or property, then you’d probably want to know how it works. This is one of the most frequent questions asked by homeowners when it comes to solar panels and in this article we aim to give you a good insight on the operations of solar panels. Let’s have a look!

Generally, solar panels work by absorbing the energy of the sun and then converting it into electricity. It functions by allowing photons from the rays of the sun release the electrons free from atoms within the photovoltaic or solar cells in order to produce a flow of electricity. There are several solar cells that are connected together ( usually 60 or 72 ) in each panel. Individual cells comprises both a negative layer and a positive one which combines perfectly to create an electrical field in which the energy is generated.

The boron that’s within the bottom layer generates the positive charge, while the phosphorous found in the silicon layer produces the negative charge. In order to convert the sun’s rays into the energy that’s going to be transported from the panels to the inverter, the two field will interact with one another.

In other words, solar panels work by turning photons from the sunlight into direct current which is transmitted to the inverter. Once it gets to the inverter, it’s then translated to alternating current and send this current to to your electric box which powers the entire home. If you do not wish to reduce the high bills that’s associated with renting power from the grid, the solar energy system is an efficient and affordable way to achieve this aim.

Installing solar panels for your business operations can provide you with a number of impressive benefits. It is not only capable of helping you minimize your business’ environmental footprint but it can also go a long way to help you save money. Irrespective of your company’s size, whether big or small, it can still benefit immensely by making use of solar panels. If you’re currently planning to install solar panels in your business environment, then you’d probably want to know just how much it’ll cost to complete the project. In this post, we aim to give you a good insight into commercial solar panel pricing so as to help you make the best informed decisions possible . Let’s take a look!

In truth, there’s no single and accurate answer to this question as there are a number of factors that can influence the cost of commercial solar panels. These factors include the size of the roof, the amount of energy that’s generated as well as the number incorporated. To give you a general idea, the price of solar panels for commercial property is usually within the range of £16000 to £70000 for small to mid-sized companies. For a more accurate estimate, you’ll need to get in touch with a professional with your unique needs.

There is also a need to evaluate the cost of solar panels so as to determine whether or not they’re a feasible option for your business. In order to determine the amount of energy your company uses per month, simply take a closer look at your utility bill.  This should indicate just how much energy you use per month as well as how much the utility company charges per kW. In general, most small to medium sized companies will incorporate 30,000 to 50,000 kWh annually and you can expect the cost to differ based on your location and the size of your system. The rule of thumb with larger systems is to calculate using £1000 per kW, plus VAT as the yardstick.

Yes – solar thermal can be used for central heating. Solar thermal panels work by collecting heat from the sun, either through evacuated tubes or flat plate collectors, and transferring that to a heat transfer liquid that heats your hot water. This can then be used to preheat your central heating.

You’ll need a hot water cylinder to store the water that your solar thermal panels heat up. It’s likely that you’ll need an immersion heater or boiler to heat the water further so you can use it for your central heating, and as a back-up during the longest winter months since the solar panels won’t be able to generate as much heat.

In our opinion, it’s best to use your solar thermal panels for hot water rather than your central heating. That’s because you use hot water all year round, whereas you probably won’t have your central heating on in the spring and summer, when the panels can generate the most heat. For central heating, air- or ground-source heat pumps are a great renewable option, and you can even power them with electricity from solar PV panels if you want to be as eco-friendly as possible.

It’s vital to purchase a solar panel system that suits your property. If you’re investing in a solar panel system, it makes the most financial sense to get the biggest one possible. However, whether you can do this or not depends on budget and space.

Here’s an idea of how much roof or ground space you’ll need to install a few different sizes of commercial solar panel system.

Solar panel system size, No. of solar panels, Approximate area required

11kW, 44, 64m²

20kW, 80, 116m²

30kW, 120, 173m²

40kW, 160, 231m²

50kW, 200, 288m²