Is my home suitable?

We offer a wide range of diferent sized solar PV panels and our Energy Expert will help choose the ones most suitable for your home. The panels are ideally placed on an unshaded, south-facing roof; however they don’t rely on direct sunlight, so they could even work on cloudy days.

How it works

A solar PV panel consists of cells of one or two layers made from a semi-conducting material like silicon. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers, causing electricity to flow. The electricity flows through a cable and is collected at a central point usually located in your roof space. The electricity is then converted from a direct current (DC) to an alternating current (AC) and carries on into your home for you to use.

The following figures are calculated using our 2.3 kWp solar PV system.

Average annual saving on your electricity bill: Generating your own electricity means you don’t have to buy it from your supplier - you’d normally pay 14.2p per kWh for your electricity*. The average customer will generate 1,955 kWh of electricity per year so if you generated 50% of your own electricity each year you'd save: £138.80 (977.5 kWh x 14.2p).

Average annual earnings from the Feed-in Tariff: Current Government rates pay 43.3p for every kWh you generate and use. The average customer could generate 1,955 kWh of electricity per year, meaning a total income from electricity generated of: £846.51 (1,955 kWh x 43.3p).

Average annual earnings from the National Grid: You'll also get an extra 3.1p for every kWh you generate but don't use which is fed into the National Grid. So for example, if you use 50% of the 1,955 kWh you generate, you can sell 50% (977.5 kWh) to the National Grid for an additional income of: £30.30 (977.5 kWh x 3.1p).

Total annual earnings and savings:

£1015.61 (£138.80 + £846.51 + £30.30)

25 year earnings and savings:

25 x £1015.61 = £25,390.25

 

*Payments for Solar PV panels for the electricity you generate and use began in April 2010 as part of the Govnerment's Feed-in Tariff. Current rate 43.3 p/kWh used onsite (and 3.1 p/kWh used for export). Rate applies only to installations fitted to or weidr to existing building. Assumes our 2.3kWp British Gas PV System. 50/50% split between electricity used on-site and excess exported back to the grid on a typical export tarif. Unit price used in calculation representative of the average p/kWh charge, as derived from the annual bills at industry average consumption of 16,500 kWh for gas and 3,300 kWh for single rate electricit,y paying by Monthly Direct Debit on our Standard Tariff prices as at 18 August 2011, averaged across all regions and including VAT. 50% on site xonsumption number sourced from the Feed-in tariffs (Specified Maximum Capacity and Functions) Order 2010. Correct as at July 2011.