Photovoltaic solar panels

Photovoltaic solar panels convert light energy from the sun into electrical energy. Photovoltaic solar panels give homeowners and business owners the opportunity to effectively own their own mini power station.

Once installed, photovoltaic or PV solar panels will generate carbon free electricity and until someone works out how to charge for sunshine, they will do it for free. Many people find this idea attractive as it offers independence from energy suppliers, the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint and to save money on electricity bills. As they have no moving parts, solar panels are silent in operation, maintenance free and should last for many, many years- most come with 25 year guarantees, but some estimates suggest the panels might continue working for up to 100 years.

In the majority of cases solar panels are now permitted development, so most home owners will not have to apply for planning permission if they are mounting the solar panels on their roof. Larger photovoltaic arrays are sometimes mounted on A-frames on the ground; this does not currently qualify as permitted development.

The government offers some financial support for photovoltaics in terms of grants to help fund the installation of solar panels and a Renewable Obligation Certificates, which mean that generators are paid for every unit of clean electricity their solar panels produce, whether they use it themselves or export it to the national grid.