Finding alternative methods of producing energy, to the continuing and increasingly baffling burning of fossil fuels and the resulting pollution caused, is one key area when it comes to making yourself green where you can lead by example. Finding an alternative form of energy for your home is something we could all do, finding the most accessible one for you is the only obstacle you face. The following article examines the benefits and potential issues you could face when thinking of moving over to solar power.

“How do I use solar energy?”

Solar Energy and Solar Electricity, in a nutshell, is natural Energy created by the Sun, which converts the suns energy into actual electricity that can be used to power everyday appliances around your home.
Solar Energy Systems, known as Photovoltaic Systems (PV), uses PV Cells, which converts the suns energy, i.e. the sunlight, to create electricity, which in fact, releases absolutely no Greenhouse Gasses into our atmosphere, as sunlight is a completely Renewable Source of Energy! This is achieved by covering the PV Cells with a few layers of a high-conducting material, most effectively being Silicon. PV is so successful because it doesn’t actually need direct sunlight, only daylight; this means that even on a dark and cloudy day, the Solar Energy created by the minimal amount of sun, can still produce and generate electricity! This works when the sunlight hits the PV Cells, which then in turn produces an electrical current through the layers of Silicon, or other conducting materials, allowing electricity to be produced and flow safely and successfully through the Cells. Obviously the more energy and light produced from the sun, the higher the electrical current will be.

As we mentioned previously, PV systems emit no hazardous gasses and can therefore reduce the amount of Carbon Dioxide Emissions greatly!! PV Cells are measured in what we call Kilowatt Peak (kWp), which is basically the amount of energy each Cell generates by sunlight. And did you know that every single kWp on average will reduce your Carbon emission every year by around 455kg; and therefore over the PV Systems life expectancy, will reduce the overall carbon emission by a whopping 11 Tonnes!! Definitely worthwhile if you want to do your part.

“But isn’t solar power very expensive to set up?”

The prices for these ingenious Systems depend on a few basic things; the first being obviously the size of the building that you want to install the PV System onto, and the purpose of the building itself, i.e. a house will be less expensive to fit than an office block for example. Also the price depends on how big the PV System is and what type of PV Cells you use, i.e. higher quality Cells will cost more to install that lower quality ones. For an average house and a standard Domestic PV System, you’re looking at needing anything between 1.5 kWp and 3 kWp in order to run your household smoothly and efficiently. And for that you’re looking at around anything from £4,000-£10,000 per kWp. Now, that does seem like quite a bit of money to some people, however if you add up the amount of money you would usually spend on electricity over the years, the savings from natural everyday sunlight are incredible! And remember, it’s not just about investing money to save money; it’s about saving our planet from greenhouse gasses and carbon dioxide that we pollute our world with every single day.

You can also purchase and install PV Panels or PV Tiles, which can be placed on the roof of a building and act just like roof-panels/tiles, but have the same effect as the PV Cells above i.e. for naturally producing electricity. You can also install clear PV panels/tiles to fit nicely on conservatories and glass roofs, greenhouses etc, which give shading and yet still generate a great deal of natural Solar Electricity in the exact same way as the PV Cells! However, this can only be installed and fitted if the roof itself has been viewed by a Maintenance Specialist, and is strong enough to take the weight of the Panels and Tiles themselves.

“Are There Any Problems I Should Know About?”

If you’re thinking of looking into this brilliant investment, you must first take into account a few important factors. The PV System and PV Panels/Tiles are only successful if, where you want the System or Panels to be, there are no tall buildings or trees blocking the sunlight or overshadowing the area. This is vital, as the key to all this is obviously Solar Energy, and any large objects blocking the suns natural light will cause the product to be ineffective!