Yearly Archives: 2022

One advantage to switching to renewable energy solutions such as solar panels has been the possibility of receiving financial support from Government Solar Panel Schemes. Incentives have regularly offered grants, vouchers and discounts off the costs of turning away from fossil fuels and towards renewable heat and electricity. Although the scheme names and details change occasionally, there is usually something to help with initial installation costs for things like solar panels, heat pumps and solar battery systems.

Keeping up with the latest solar panel grants

Take the time to look out for updates to energy saving and energy efficiency support schemes that are out there. Some offer discounts for solar panel installation, while others pay you for excess electricity exported back to the National Grid. One Government deal sees a five per cent VAT reduction on the cost of either solar panels or their installation for people over sixty years old or in receipt of income or disability benefits.

Whatever type of green deal or ‘rent your roof’ arrangement you can find, you will likely find ways to reduce energy bills and enjoy better energy efficiency at the same time. Other deals and incentive schemes are also out there to help people meet the costs of switching to renewable energy. Here are some more details about three key green deals currently available for homes in the UK.

1. Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

Many people who have already installed solar panel systems will be familiar with the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme that began in 2010. The project encouraged people to switch to solar power by incentivising them to return any excess electricity that they generated back to the National Grid in return for a payment. The FIT scheme closed to new applicants in April 2019. It has since been replaced by a reasonably similar Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme in January 2020.

This new process also allows people to sell surplus electricity back to the National Grid. However, it places the onus on electricity suppliers to offer their customers suitable tariffs to ensure that the scheme compensates them adequately. Energy suppliers with more than 150,000 customers are obliged to take part.

There are two types of SEG tariffs available to people who have installed solar panels under the arrangements. A fixed rate keeps the price the same throughout the duration of the contract. On the other hand, a variable rate enables the energy supplier to change the amount they pay you for the electricity you generate after an initial period of notice. Exact amounts will depend on where you live and how much electricity you use yourself.

To qualify for the scheme, you must have an approved renewable energy technology installed (including solar PV panels) with the required capacity and industry approvals. You cannot be a part of any other FIT schemes and must have an SEG-compatible smart meter installed to record the energy you export accurately.

2. Green Homes Grant Scheme

While solar PV panels are currently not part of the Green Homes Grant Scheme, you can apply for a grant to put towards a solar thermal panel system in England. This uses the solar energy from the sun to generate hot water for a property. As of September 2020, qualifying applicants have been able to get up to two-thirds of thermal solar panel installation costs on their property. Some grants are worth up to £5,000, while others aimed at low-income families could yield as much as £10,000 to cover installation costs. These grants are available until 31 March 2022.

Both homeowners and landlords can apply for a Green Homes Grant voucher. It can be granted alongside other funding from Energy Company Obligation (ECO) schemes so long as both funding sets are used for different energy efficiency measures. For example, solar thermal panels plus loft insulation or cavity wall insulation. A Green Homes Grant can also be applied alongside the domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme.

3. Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)

Again, this deal is currently only available for people installing solar thermal panels – not photovoltaic solar power systems. It offers qualifying people seven years of quarterly cash payments in return for their switching to renewable heating methods. The deal is due to end on 31 March 2022. So, anyone interested in registering who has not already done so now will need to act swiftly to take advantage. The RHI scheme was initially meant for commercial premises to heat their water using solar power. It was extended to domestic properties in 2014.

As well as solar thermal panels, RHI funding extends to other green heating methods for water, such as biomass boilers and pellet stoves. The seven-year support scheme offers payments tied to the type of technology used and the latest related tariffs. For more details of green deals and financial help with installing renewable energy systems such as solar panels, contact an expert at UPS Solar for tailored help, support and advice.

Rising energy costs have been a top news agenda item for several weeks now. Families and businesses across the UK are bracing themselves for increases in their fuel bills. People are tightening their belts around other expenditures in anticipation. For many, reduced spending power for holidays and foreign trips results in greater interest in taking trips away in leisure vehicles and marine craft instead. This is where flexible solar panels can become something of a game-changer. Not only do they allow travellers to generate their own power on the move, but they can also reduce a household’s reliance on the National Grid and help mitigate against the large fuel bills that are predicted to arrive in the Spring.

The technology behind solar photovoltaic panels has become increasingly sophisticated to the extent that several different types and configurations of solar panels exist, including flexible solar panels designed to generate electricity on the move. These versatile, portable panels are the ideal answer for people looking for ways to live more sustainably while using their boat, motorhome, caravan or campervan.

Why should you opt for flexible solar panels?

Flexible solar panels offer a lightweight, convenient way to generate electricity and move towards a more sustainable way to provide power away from home. Other benefits include the following:

· They are designed to be light with a wafer-thin backing to prevent excess weight compromising a leisure vehicle’s performance.

· The flexible solar panels bend to fit the shape of the roof or flat surface on which they are installed.

· The panels can be unrolled and tied to a yacht or boat’s boom to harness the sun’s energy while out on the water.

· Thanks to the technology used, the panels can work in low light conditions as well as direct, bright sunshine.

· Additionally, flexible solar panels are made from tough, durable materials that can withstand difficult weather conditions and many miles on the open road or water.

· Best of all, they offer excellent efficiency to produce optimum amounts of power.

Customisation options also include folding designs for more accessible transportation and accessorising extension cables, battery chargers, and storage for protection en route. They are straightforward to install. However, there is plenty of advice and support available to ensure that they work in the way that you need them to, wherever you are at the time. For example, they can be rolled for easy transportation by bicycle or kayak. This is made possible by the amorphous technologies used to construct the panels instead of the more rigid, crystalline method that most standard solar panels employ.

On average, a smaller flexible solar panel will provide electricity to keep your leisure vehicle, or marine craft lit and your phones and devices charged. Larger versions offer a greater energy output, enabling the powering of microwaves, kettles, hairdryers and fridges. All essential things make a trip away from home more luxurious and fun.

Meanwhile, the biggest flexible solar panel configurations offer the capacity to live off-grid for longer. This can make more extreme travelling, such as wild camping, more of a possibility for the modern adventure-seeker. As energy prices continue to rise, the option could become more and more attractive to people looking to control what they spend on heat, light and power.

Other uses for flexible solar panels

Of course, flexible solar panels can also be used in the main home or commercial premises. They can be a temporary energy generating solution while permanent panels are ordered and installed. Their flexibility enables them to be installed in places where larger, rigid alternatives are unable to fit, such as non-standard rooftops, sheds and outhouses. While they don’t always last as long as rigid panels, they still offer a reasonable length of useful life and generate good results in producing electricity.

The self-cleaning, easy maintenance makes flexible solar panels convenient for almost any location and situation. They also provide a great introduction to solar power for families interested in switching to renewable energy and a more sustainable lifestyle but want to test the waters with a smaller system first. Yet, despite their smaller size, the panels can still offer high performance with effective solar energy harnessing and converting into usable electricity. Often, the panels are installed simply by peeling off the backing sheet and sticking them in place using the adhesive already included on the reverse side.

One aspect of renewable energy that is standing the test of time and receiving more and more attention these days is the installation of solar panels. The system harnesses the sun’s heat to produce hot water for a home or commercial premises. This type of solar water heating system enables lower energy bills at a time when fossil fuel costs are rising rapidly. This can be a great advantage when households need to look for ways to save money. Solar thermal panels also offer the extra benefit of adding insulation to the home and a more sustainable way of living.

How do solar thermal panels work?

Solar thermal panels absorb energy from the sun through collectors that are either installed on the flat plate panels themselves or contained within evacuated collector tubes. The heat from the sun is transferred to tubes of water which can reach temperatures of 90 degrees C. The heated liquid is then passed down through pipes into the property’s hot water cylinder. Inside the cylinder, the hot water passes through a twin coil, which helps keep it heated as it is used or stored in the water tank later on.

The installation of hot water systems and solar thermal technologies like this is straightforward. In addition, thermal panels require little maintenance as a rule. However, regular thermal solar panel servicing is recommended to keep things ticking over.

What are the different types of solar thermal panels?

There are generally two different types of solar thermal hot water panels in the UK. Both use renewable energy to heat water for domestic or commercial use. The details around installing a solar thermal system will depend on which type of process is used. A flat plate system uses flat collectors around one metre by two metres. Insider is a series of pipes with a metal absorber plate on top. The plate collects energy from the sun. The pipes contain water that receives the heat and carries it to a storage cylinder inside the house to complete the solar thermal water heater process.

The other main solar thermal technology involves evacuated tubes. These are glass tubes with smaller copper tubing placed inside. Around 30 tubes are connected to form a single panel. A vacuum inside the glass helps prevent heat loss by insulating the system (and the roof below). This technology can be more effective than the flat panel solar collectors alternative due to the added insulation. The tubes remain visible on this type of solar thermal system so that the aesthetics will be slightly different from the flat plate version.

How efficient are solar thermal panels?

Solar thermal technology is older than the photovoltaic cells that are found on many solar panels right now. However, the technology remains highly efficient at converting energy into heat and has had a resurgence of interest. This is possible because solar thermal panels qualify for the UK’s Green Homes Grant as a primary measure, which could enable you to claim for vouchers to set against some of the installation costs.

Much of the system’s efficiency levels depend on where and how the solar thermal panels are installed and how easily they can access the solar energy source. For example, are they on south-facing roofs and how much sun does the location get? This will vary over the winter and summer months.

Installing solar thermal panels will also vary in costs depending on the location and complexity of the job. However, the financial and ecological benefits of harnessing renewable heat will be felt over the longer term and will also help to reduce energy bills and reliance on the National Grid.

What are the differences between solar thermal panels and photovoltaic (PV) panels?

While hybrid solar thermal PV panels are available, giving you the best of both worlds, most solar power customers will opt for either one form of solar energy technology or the other. Both offer advantages, including lower energy bills and a reduced carbon footprint. However, there are a few more distinct differences between solar thermal panels and solar PV panels.

The more comprehensive versatility of PV panels is one advantage if you seek to switch to renewable energy for powering, heating and lighting your home and providing hot water. The technology allows you to store excess electricity generated for use later on when the sun’s rays are less potent on a dull day or at night. You can even use it to heat water via an immersion heater. Installation is relatively straightforward, and there is little ongoing maintenance required.

Solar thermal panels offer a more effective, efficient way of generating solar power, giving you potential energy bill savings of 70% on domestic hot water. Although you may need to have a boiler or immersion heater to top up the solar thermal heated water as the energy generated may not be sufficient for 24-hour provision. Solar thermal panels can be a more affordable option, depending on the size and complexity of the system being fitted. Finally, there is the possibility of earning payments through the UK Government’s renewable heat incentive scheme.