There’s no doubt that renewable energy sources will become an increasing portion of the national energy mix. Over the next several years, the UK has committed to increasing the share of energy production derived from renewables to 15 percent by 2020. Rooftop solar panels are expected to take a major role in reaching that goal. In order to reach the goal, the government needs a big buy-in from the general public. That’s the major reason for the Feed-in Tariff Scheme for microgeneration, which includes solar panels and solar PV systems. It’s all well and good to ask folks to man up and pitch in, but there are some exceptional advantages to choosing roof-mounted solar panels for your renewable energy needs.
Save Money on Your Electricity Bills Every Month
The sun’s energy is free. Once your solar panels are installed and working, every kilowatt of electricity generated by your solar PV system reduces the amount of electricity you have to buy from your electricity supplier. The Department of Energy and Climate Change estimates that the typical home can replace 50 percent of its electricity use with free solar energy.
You Retain Access to the Grid When You Need It
The electricity generated by your solar PV system doesn’t have to travel over the grid. Your solar panels are generating electricity for your use on site. While grid-tied solar systems only generate electricity during daylight hours, you’ll still be able to draw electricity from the grid when your solar panels can’t meet your needs, such as after dark.
Avoid Disruptions to Your Electrical Service
It happens every summer and during other times of peak electrical usage. The electricity companies reduce service and you make do with less power than you need, or deal with no electricity at all for hours at a time. Most electricity suppliers schedule these power downs during the day when they’ll affect fewer residential customers. If you’re generating your own electricity, you won’t be affected at all by the disruptions during the daylight hours.
Distributed Solar Electricity is More Secure than Power Plants
One often overlooked advantage of having a widely distributed system of rooftop solar panels is energy security. A natural or man-made disaster or attack on a power plant can take out the power in large blocks of a region. When more people have solar panels and are generating their own electricity, the power system is more secure.
Earn Income from Your Solar Panels
The FiTS pays owners of solar panels for the electricity generated by their solar PV systems, even if they use all of the electricity in their own homes. If the panels generate more power than is used in the home, the owners of the system earn even more. Currently, the tariff is 21p per kilowatt hour of electricity generated and an additional 3p for every kilowatt hour that’s exported to the grid. The payments are guaranteed for 25 years, are tax-free and can amount to as much as £1,000 per year.
Renewable energy systems are the wave of the future but they’re here today. Learn more about the benefits of installing solar panels on your roof from a local solar PV supplier or installer.
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