Is it worth installing solar panels on my house?
Here at Thermly, we’re often asked ‘are Solar PV panels worth it’? In short, yes, we would say that solar panels are a good investment for your home. Over 1.7m homes in the UK have solar panels so they have become a hugely popular choice for those seeking to reduce their energy bills, reduce their emissions, and generate additional income from the Grid using clean, renewable electricity.
Why are they becoming ever more popular? This is in part because it’s increasingly easy for homeowners to understand solar panel benefits, using online tools such as Thermly’s own calculator. It’s also due to the cost of panels reducing considerably over the last decade and an established supply chain making it quicker and easier to have them installed.
10 reasons why it’s likely that solar panels for your home are worth it
Let’s take a quick look at the ten reasons solar panels are a good investment:
- Lower energy bills – solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate clean, green and free electricity. They will reduce your energy bills by offsetting the need to pay for energy from the Grid
- Earn money – get the right tariff, and you can earn money (in terms of further reductions off your bill) by selling the excess energy you generate back to the Grid. There are plenty of tariffs available that add value to your PV system
- Reduced emissions – every kWh of electricity you buy from the Grid comes with a carbon impact. By generating energy renewably, you’re effectively eliminating these emissions from your carbon footprint
- Protect yourself from price rises – the electricity you generate is free so as Grid prices rise, you’re insulating yourself from those changes
- Increase the value of your home – solar PV improves your EPC rating and demonstrates that your home will have lower running costs. This can translate into a higher property value, further improving your return on investment
- Works with other technologies – PV is a great pairing with other technologies such as heat pumps and batteries. Combining technologies adds value, with one reducing the running costs of another. It’s a win-win
- Protect yourself from power cuts – if you’re pairing PV with a battery and include home islanding kit, then in the event of a power cut you’ll be the envy of your neighbours by still having all the electricity you need!
- Really low maintenance – of all renewable energy generation technologies, PV has the lowest maintenance costs. With no moving parts, there is very little to go wrong
- Simple to install – the installation process typically takes no more than a day or two. It’s likely to need scaffolding, so bear that in mind, and you’ll have workmen in and out of your home for a few hours, but that’s a small price to pay for 25 years of solar panel benefits
- Benefit your local community – every time you install green tech using Thermly, we add £50 to our Community Impact Fund. This is then distributed as grants to charities and organisations in the local community, so you’re helping everyone else too
What exactly are the solar panel benefits – how much could I save?
The amount you save will obviously depend on the size of the system. To give you an idea, six solar panels, each generating 400W, will provide 2.4kW at full capacity. Over the course of a year, this would generate around 2,160kWh on average, depending on where you are in the UK. If you’re paying 25p per kWh from your energy supplier and you use all the energy at home, then the calculated savings would be £540 per year.
Is there anything else I need to know about solar panels?
Some people just don’t like the look of solar panels, but they’re increasingly fewer and further between as more people have them installed and they become accepted more widely. There are some occasions, of course, where solar PV is just not going to be an option for homeowners: most apartment buildings, conservation areas and listed buildings, weak roofs etc. The fact is that, for many, they are a fantastic, proven technology and every household with enough available and structurally sound roof space could benefit from having solar installed.
To sum up simply, solar panels are a good investment.
They save you money, and they’ll continue to save you money for the next 25 years. They need minimal maintenance and they reduce your environmental impact. They’re straightforward to install and your Thermly installer will be able to provide all the detail you need during the survey. Hopefully you’re now convinced they’re the right way forward.
So how can we help you take the next step?
