Solar panel with power

How do solar panels work in the UK?

Installing solar panels lets you use free, renewable, clean electricity to power your appliances. You can sell extra electricity to the grid or store it for later use. There are over 1.3 million installations on homes across the UK – see where the UK solar panel hotspots are. Let’s look at how they work and whether they’re suitable for your home.

Where can I buy solar panels?

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How do solar panels work?

When the sun shines on a solar panel, solar energy is absorbed by individual PV cells. These cells are made from layers of semi-conducting material, most commonly silicon. The PV cells produce an electrical charge as they become energised by the sunlight. The stronger the sunshine, the more electricity generated.

Are solar panels a good investment?

Solar panels on their own offer lower electricity bills and clean energy. But they’re at their best when combined with other renewable technologies. Store excess solar electricity in the day that you’d have otherwise lost. Use this stored energy to avoid more expensive tariff periods.

Should you buy a battery or a solar panel?

This is particularly useful because solar panels naturally generate the most power during daylight hours, which is often when homes use the least electricity. With a battery, you’ll make the biggest bill savings by storing your excess energy and using it when you really need it, not selling it back to the grid.

Which solar panel is best for your home?

Monocrystalline panels are the most expensive and most efficient but are also the most common and comprise the best solar setup for home energy. Polycrystalline panels come in second and thin-film panels are the least efficient overall. Most solar panel manufacturers provide monocrystalline systems nowadays.