No, solar panels do not require direct sunlight! Of course, panels will generate more energy when situated in direct sunlight, with peak irradiance of around 1000W per m2. However, during daylight hours there is always some level of irradiance to capitalise on.

Bifacial panels capture irradiance (light) on both sides of the solar panel. This can be a huge advantage in efficiency and overall energy savings. There are certain conditions which make bifacial panels well suited to their environment. Bifacial panels absorb irradiance on both sides of the solar panel, therefore one side captures irradiance more directly, whereas the reverse side captures reflected light from nearby surfaces. It’s therefore best to situate these panels where there are highly reflective surfaces nearby.

There are a few solutions on the market for pest protection. We recommend a black mesh which is discrete and very effective at keeping birds and rodents from nesting under your panels.

Yes, solar panels work in winter. Although solar irradiance is much lower in the winter and the days are shorter, this does affect solar energy production.

Yes, solar panels and batteries can certainly be taken with you when you move. Clearly there are practical considerations to this and a better solution may be to price the cost of the system into the property sale price.

No! Great solar yields can be taken from East and West orientations. Mixing orientations is completely valid when using optimisers and separate maximum power point trackers (most inverters have at least two).

Not necessarily, but it does generally have greater structural implications. Unless your building has been specifically designed to support the new load, we may be limited in what we could install on the roof.

This greatly depends on the use case of your system. Batteries which are to charge only from a solar system will be dependent on the excess energy produced from the array, where excess energy is simply the quantity of energy left over once the solar panels have met the demand of the property. However, most batteries have the ability to charge from the grid. This can be a great way to save money if you have a dual rate tariff, as you can charge the battery when rates are lower and discharge when rates are higher (rather than buy energy from the grid during this period).

This is difficult to say as there are many variables. Commercial installations typically demand a fee of £800 – £1200 per kWp. Much depends on the scope, which can vary in complexity between sites. Of course, choice of equipment and access requirements also influence the overall cost.

PV stands for ‘photovoltaic’, it is the process of transforming solar irradiance into electrical DC energy which can be utilised to reduce energy consumption in a premises.

Solar tiles have been on the market for sometime now. Although the concept is attractive at first glance, the tiles have some downsides. The tiles are typically less efficient and the lifespan of the roof is significantly lower than that of a traditional UK roof, 25 years versus 50 years.

The payback period for a solar system is highly dependent on a number of factors. Such as, solar yield, upfront cost and proportion of generated energy which is self consumed by the property. Often, the more energy that can be consumed, rather than exported, the better the payback period. This is why battery storage has become so popular, especially in domestic properties where large proportions of energy are consumed in the evenings, when solar irradiance is not a resource.

We use our own team of experienced professionals to carry out the work. We allocate resources dependent on the scope and complexity of the installation. We pride ourselves in broad engineering expertise and project management, that goes beyond electrical and roof work.

This of course depends on the nature of the installation scope. Smaller domestic installations of up to 20 solar panels can be completed in as little as one day. Whereas, larger commercial installations of hundreds of panels can take weeks.

Solar panels have a long life span of 25-30 years. Modern panels commonly come with very good warranties and efficacy guarantees. This information is visible on the product datasheets of the equipment.

A roof structure will always be assessed prior to installation. If your roof cover is not in a suitable condition, or the underlying structure is unable to support the imposed load of the panels then we will advise accordingly.