Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
What is Solar Photovoltaic (PV)?
Generate cheap, green electricity from sunlight.
Solar electricity systems capture the sun's energy using photovoltaic (PV) cells. The cells convert the sunlight into electricity, which can be used to run household appliances and lighting.
PV cells don't need direct sunlight to work - you can still generate some electricity on a cloudy day.
How do Solar Photovoltaic (PV) cells work?
PV cells are made from layers of semi-conducting material, usually silicon. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers. The stronger the sunshine, the more electricity is produced. Groups of cells are mounted together in panels or modules that can be mounted on your roof.
The power of a PV cell is measured in kilowatts peak (kWp). Thats the rate at which it generates energy at peak performance in full direct sunlight during the summer. PV cells come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most PV systems are made up of panels that fit on top of an existing roof, but you can also fit solar tiles.
Why choose Solar Photovoltaic (PV)?
Reduce your carbon footprint - solar electricity is green, renewables energy and doesn't release any harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) or other pollutants. A typical home PV system could save over 1 tonne of CO2 per year - that's more than 30 tonnes over its lifetime.
Reduce your electricity bills - sunlight is free, so once you've paid for the initial installation your electricity costs will be greatly reduced. A typical home PV system can produce around 50% of the electricity a household uses in a year.
Sell electricity back to the Grid: if your system is producing more electricity than you need, or when you can't use it, someone else can use it - and you could make a bit of money.
Store electricity for a cloudy day: if your home isn't connected to the national grid you can store excess electricity in batteries to use when you need it.
This information has been taken from the Energy Saving Trust website. For more information please click here.
