Frequently asked questions - Free solar scheme.
Why Free?: Although your farm or dairy benefits from as much free electricity it can use from the system, the investment company that pays for the installation get recompensed by the government by way of the Feed in Tariff. As the tariff level is index-linked and guaranteed for 25 years, the proposition is financially very attractive to investors.
Can we buy our own panels?: Yes we can help you obtain the best quotes for installation of the system although you should bear in mind the cost of a typical 50 KWp solar PV system would be in the order of £145,000-170,000. If you request a viability survey the report will contain estimates of performance, costs and savings of both routes.
Effectiveness: Solar photo-voltaic panels are powered by light so they do not need to be in direct sunshine to work effectively. There is sufficient light, even on a cloudy day, for solar panels to extract the energy which they need in order to generate electricity. Light shining on a solar panel creates an electric field across layers of silicon in each cell, causing electricity to flow, even in relatively low light conditions. However, they should not be completely shaded, i.e. by trees or buildings.
Longevity: PV panels have an expected useful lifetime of 45-50 years. Their performance may decrease by a few percent over this very long time frame.
Likely problems: The inverters that convert the DC (direct current) generated by the panels, to AC (alternating current) used by most equipment, can incur a progressive loss of efficiency and may need replacing every 10 years or so. For free installations, the management company will be responsible for their replacement.
Planning permission necessities: Planning permission may be required for your solar PV system installation. If so, an accredited installer will be able to assist with this and may be responsible for the cost of the planning application.
Any disruption likely?: For approximately 20 minutes after installation of the panels whilst the final connection is made.
Weight restrictions: Your roof must have sufficient load-bearing capacity to support the weight of the solar PV installation. The surveyor will check this carefully before any recommendation is made. Alternatively, you can use some of your land to house the panels of course.
Cleaning: Rain is normally sufficient to keep the panels clean enough for normal operation.
Maintenance: Solar PV systems are designed to require very little maintenance. If necessary, you'll be contacted to arrange a suitable date and time for access by a maintenance engineer.
Dealing with problems: Panels can be monitored remotely so that if something goes wrong, an engineer can respond.
How much of the generated electricity can we use? The electricity generated is free for you to use in its entirety and will be used in preference to the National Grid. Anything you don't use will be fed back into the grid. If you need more than is being generated, it will be automatically taken from the National Grid via your existing electricity supplier.
If we move on?: The benefit of the free solar PV electricity will simply pass to the new property owner.
