Solar PV

Solar panels are attached to an aluminum mounting system, which is secured to the roof (typically directly to the rafters). Solar cells can also be integrated directly into the roof tiles – this is more suitable for new builds than retrofits. When the sun shines, the panels will generate direct current (DC) which flows into a box called an inverter to create an alternating current (AC) – AC is used by the appliances in your home / building. Note that the panels work best in sunlight; however they will still generate some energy when it is overcast using ‘diffuse sunlight’. The AC flows from the inverter into the fuse box.

If you do not need the electricity it can flow into the national grid so that someone else can use it – in effect your home / building has become a mini power station (hence the term 'micro-generation’). As long as you have a smart meter in your home (SMETS2), or half hourly metering and an export meter in your commercial building, you can get paid for any surplus energy that you generate with an export tariff.

Solar panels and a battery storage system are a powerful combination. They work together to ensure your home is almost always powered by the clean, green electricity you’ve generated at home, whether the sun’s out or not.