MG Solar

Solar systems rely on capturing the sun’s energy using PV cells which then convert the light into electricity in order to run homes and even businesses. It is correct that PV cells do not actually require direct sunlight - electricity can even be generated on a cloudy day.

The major benefits of solar electricity are:

You can reduce your electricity bills because sunlight is free and a typical home PV system can supply up to around 40% of the electricity you use in a year.
Once you have paid for the initial outlay of the system and installation, your electricity costs will begin reducing which makes it effective over the long term
With the electricity you create you effectively become a renewable energy supplier and you can sell any surplus back to the national grid under the feed in tariff scheme (April 2010). To learn more about the feed in tariffs click here  (MCS accredited products and installs qualify)

You can store the electricity you don’t use for a cloudy day – it can be saved in a battery and perfect for those who are not connected to the national grid
Lastly, the big pro of going solar is that you can make an impact on the environment due to a reduced carbon footprint. A typical home PV system could save around 1200kg of carbon dioxide per year – this is around 30 tonnes over its lifetime!

Renewable Heat Incentive – RHI – Clean Energy Cashback

A proposed structure of the RHI was published on Feb 1st 2010 by the DECC which is to be introduced from April 2011. Renewable heat installations put in place since July 2009 are eligible for a cash back subsidy based on the necessary heat requirement of a building. This will be of around 5.5 pence per kilowatt hour used, for the lifetime of the equipment used.

The RHI will provide a major incentive for buildings and home owners to invest in ground source heat pumps, solar thermal, solar pv and other renewable heat systems. The proposed tariffs are based on pence/kWh of renewable heat delivered and the rates and lifetimes will vary with the technology and scale used
Want to know more about RHI? Click the read more button

How do you know if Solar PV’s are right for you?

For optimum electricity generation, you need a relatively sunny place to install it – i.e. a roof or wall which faces within 90 degree of south and isn’t overshadowed by trees or big buildings.

You need a strong roof because solar panels are quite heavy – an MG Renewables Ltd installer can help identify this.

You may need planning permission if you are in Wales or Northern Ireland but not necessarily if you are in England or Scotland. Either way you need to check with your local planning authority or officer especially if your home is a listed building, is in a conservation area or World Heritage Site.

INSTALLING SOLAR PV SYSTEMS can bring about substantial savings and around £200 off your electricity bill a year (assuming a 2kWp system with 50% on site consumption with excess exported to the grid on a typical export tariff).

Maintenance of solar panels is not highly financial as you just need to ensure they are kept fairly clean and ensure they aren’t being overshadowed by trees
Feel free to call MG Renewables Ltd for a quote or some free advice about solar energy on, 0115 922 7777 or email here

For a full list of MCS* Accredited products, please visit http://mgrenewables.com/products.html

(*Microgeneration Certification Scheme.  For further information visit: http://www.microgenerationcertification.org/ )