Renewable Energy – Solar Photovoltaic….there has recently been a big influx of information on renewable technologies. These are technologies that generate electricity or heat by using powers provided to us by nature.
In this day and age of not only a drive for being more environmentally aware, but also of rising energy prices, more and more people are becoming interested in using renewable technologies.
What is Solar PV?
Renewable Energy – Solar Photovoltaic(PV) is power generated from solar panels. Solar panels can be used for solar water heating and solar energy generation (electricity). Solar panels are generally installed on your roof, where they absorb the rays of the sun and convert these into energy.
Solar PV – Solar Water Heating
Solar panels are so efficient for water heating that in the United Kingdom, where the sun doesn’t shine very regularly, they can provide you with energy to heat you water during the summer months, as well as part of the winter.
Roof fitted, this type of Solar PV will absorb and retain heat from the sun. This is then converted into a cylinder of water that is warmed up throughout the day and can be used later. The cylinder is plumbed betweenthe solar panels and your water supply and a pump, that only uses a small amount of power, moves the water around your system.
Solar PV – Solar Energy Generation
For solar energy generation, solar panels that have Solar PV cells turn daylight into electricity. This means that they can be charged with daylight and don’t necessarily require direct sunlight. In essence, the Solar PV cells have two layers of silicon or other semi-conducting materials that creates an electric field when light shines on it. The more light the cell receives, the more electricity it generates.
One of the great benefits of solar energy generation is that you can sell back any surplus energy to the grids, meaning you could potentially earn money by having solar PV technology.
Solar PV – Potential Savings
Installing a solar water heating system could save you quite a lot of moneydepending on what older system you replace with the solar PV. For example, if you had:
• Gas, you could save £50($80) per year and reduce your carbon footprint by 0.25 tonnes.
• Electricity, you could save £80($130) per year and reduce your carbon footprint by 0.6 tonnes.
• Oil, you could save £55($88) per year and reduce your carbon footprint by 0.3 tonnes.
• Solid fuel, you could save £60($96) per year and reduce your carbon footprint by 0.5 tonnes.
With solar electricity, you are expected to generate £770($1.25k) per year, export £30($48) per year and have a yearly reduction of around £120($192) on your electricity bills. This means that your total savings and generated income for a year will be around £920($1.5K).
So, if you are concerned about your carbon footprint and are looking into using renewable energy – solar photovoltaic to generate your own power, solar PV is a great way to achieve this, be it for hot water or for electricity. And you could generate some additional income in the process as well as saving on your current bills!
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