Solar Panels | Energy Galaxy

The Benefits Of Solar Electricity


Cut your electrical bills
Sunlight is free so why not put it to good use? Once you have made your initial installation fee your electrical bills will be reduced significantly.

Get paid for the electricity you generate from your solar panels
The UK government are able to pay your for the energy you generate in your own home, you can even get paid for the energy you use.

Sell electricity back to the grid
If your solar panels start making more electricity that you need you are able to sell the unused electric back to the grid through the Feed-in scheme.


How Do Solar Panels Work?

PV cells are made up from layers of semi-conducting material, usually silicon and glass. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers. The stronger the sunshine, the more electricity is produced. Groups of cells are mounted together in panels or modules that can either be mounted on your roof or on the ground.

The power of a PV cell is measured in kilowatts, and that is the rate the which the solar panel will produce energy at peak performance, for you to get peak performance from your solar panel it will have to be in direct sunlight during the summer, solar panels still work in cloudy weather but are not as effective at creating as much electricity as if they were in direct sunlight. You can get PV cells in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. Most PV systems are made up of panels that will fit on top of existing roof tops, but the alternative is for you to fit solar tiles.


Solar Tiles And Slates

Solar tiles are designed to be used in place over big solar panels and to replace the current roof tiles. A system made up of solar tiles will typically cost about twice as much as an equivalent panel system. Solar tile systems are not normally as cost-effective as panel systems, and are usually only considered where panels are not considered appropriate for aesthetic or planning reasons, so the solar tile is more of a last resort if you are not able to fit solar panels but want to save on your electric bill.


Costs And Savings

A 4kWp system can generate around 3,800 kilowatt hours of electricity a year in the south of England – that is roughly equivalent to a typical normal household’s electricity needs. You will save upwards of two tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. A 4kWp system in Scotland can make about 3,200 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, more than three quarters of a typical household’s electricity needs. It will save more than a tonne and a half of carbon dioxide every year.