Homes and businesses in Kent are fortunate enough to be situated in the area of highest solar irradiance in the UK – which means the biggest payouts from solar PV.
Kent has the highest levels of solar irradiance in the UK, according to this map from the Met Office. You can see that Dover tips into the highest level of solar irradiance in the map on the right, showing average levels in July over the period 1993 to 2007.
This means that anyone who installs Solar PV in these hot zones is likely to benefit from better Feed-in Tariff payouts and energy bill savings than people elsewhere in the UK.
Why? Because the more solar irradiance there is, the more efficient your solar panels, and the more electricity they generate. And despite the common misconception, solar panels still work on cloudy days – your panels are still absorbing the sun?s power to generate electricity for your home.
The more electricity you generate, the more you?re paid through the Government?s Feed-in Tariff. The less you have to rely on the mains grid for your electricity, the more you save on your bills. And the more electricity you generate and don?t use, the more you can sell back to the grid, earning you even more.
It?s time to switch to renewables
Gas and electricity prices look set to continue rising over the coming years, despite pressure from homeowners and the Government to ease the strain on the household purse.
SSE?s Retail Managing Director, Will Morris, said that buying wholesale energy in global markets, delivering it to his customer?s homes, and Government-imposed levies collected through bills, all costs more than it did last year.
Will next year cost more? Will other energy providers have to follow suit? It seems likely. Now is the time to switch to renewables, and reduce your own reliance on the global markets.
Here?s how the costs and payments break down in a typical Solar PV installation:
Installation cost: Under £7,000 for standard 4kW solar panels on a regular sized home. Right now panels are the cheapest they?ve ever been, and the most efficient. You can even opt for more stylish ones that enhance the outward appearance of your home.
Income generated: Around £1000* every year for the guaranteed 20-year lifespan of the Feed-in Tariff scheme. That?s a total of around £17,000, and a return of 15%.
* Your income is based on three sources: the Feed-in Tariff paid on every kilowatt your panels produce; the export tariff paid on the energy you produce which is exported to the national grid; and the bill savings from consuming your own electricity.
Of course it varies for every customer, but we?ve worked these figures out from real installations that we?ve done over the years, so we?re pretty confident in our estimates. If you want to find out what sort of savings and income you?ll generate, book a free survey and we?ll give you a tailored quote.
Solar PV for businesses
It?s not just homeowners that benefit from the Feed-in Tariff. In fact, the payouts are even more generous for businesses. The larger your solar installation, the higher the tariff. Remember, to qualify for the Feed-in Tariff your Solar PV must be fitted by an MCS-accredited installer.
Location, location, location
If you live in Kent, you?re one of the most fortunate UK residents when it comes to renewables. Take advantage of your ideal location and install solar PV and an Air Source Heat Pump for hot water and you could be making the same savings that the Dickinsons in Tunbridge Wells are making? Read their case study.
