Despite the uncertainty surrounding the subsidies for solar panels, replacing some of your electricity with free electricity generated by your own solar PV system can save you a few hundred pounds a year, and provide you with a steady stream of tax-free income for the next 25 years. The exact amount of savings you’ll realize is dependent on how much electricity your solar panels will generate, and the amount of electricity your solar panels will generate is dependent, in part, on your rooftop. Here are the basics about the perfect roof for a solar PV system. Does yours fit the bill?
Location
In general, if your rooftop is located within the UK, there’s enough daylight and sunlight available to provide up to 50 percent of the electricity you need each year, and perhaps even more. The UK’s geographic location and climate is similar to that of Germany, which has a very successful solar PV system.
Orientation
The best roofs for solar panels installation face within 30 degrees of south. If you have a roof surface that faces south, southeast or southwest – or any orientation within that angle – your roof is probably suitable. Solar panels installed on your rooftop will probably receive enough sunlight to generate about 50 percent of the energy you need to run your home.
Pitch
The pitch of your roof is another important factor in deciding its suitability for solar panels. The ideal roof has a 30 degree pitch, but any pitch between 15 and 45 degrees will receive enough sunlight to generate enough electricity to make your investment worthwhile. If your roof has a lesser pitch than that but is otherwise ideally situated, many solar PV installers will install solar panels on your roof mounted on A-frames to place them at the optimal angle.
Size
The surface of your roof – or the suitable portion of it, at least – must be large enough to hold a solar panels array large enough to generate enough electricity. The required size varies, depending on the generating capacity and type of solar panels installed. A solar PV installer can talk to you about the various options available that may fit your roof.
Obstructions
The final factor in deciding whether your roof is suitable for solar panels is the amount of sunlight it receives over the course of the day. Objects that shadow your roof can reduce the efficiency of your solar PV system. In general, solar installers look for roofs with no obstructions to cast shades on the solar panels.
The best way to find out if your roof is a good candidate for solar panels is to contact a local installer of PV systems and request an evaluation and a solar panels quote.
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