A PREMIUM RANGE OF HIGH-EFFICIENCY SOLAR PANELS

Answer: Solar Thermal panels heat water using the warmth of the sun and then transfer the heat collected to your domestic hot water system, whereas Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems are "solar cells", using the sun's light to generate electricity for use in the home. Excess electricity can also be exported to the grid if sufficient is produced.

Answer: The basic minimum requirements for both solar water heating and PV systems are much the same, calling for unobstructed exposure to the sun during the brightest part of the day - typically between 9am and 3pm – and the opportunity to mount the panels or cells at an angle around 20-50 degrees to get the most benefit. A south-facing roof which enjoys direct sunlight during the two hours either side of noon is particularly ideal.

Answer: No, the system only works in daylight. At some times of the year there will be insufficient daylight and that is why your systems have a fossil fuel back up that will cover your needs at these times.

Answer: You'll typically need to allow about 4 square metres of available roof-space for solar water heating panels, while a PV system will demand three or four times as big an area.

Answer: For the majority of homeowners the addition of solar panels fall within 'permitted development rights', which means that the panels will be more or less flush with the roof. If your property is in a conservation area, an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" or is a listed building, you may need to apply for full planning permission. We recommend checking with your local council to see what their position is on solar panels.

Answer: Installation time depends on the size of the system. Average residential systems rarely take more than 2-3 days to complete.

Answer: Our installation partners have team of fully MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) accredited installers for the installation of both solar thermal and solar PV systems. The MCS is an independent scheme that certifies microgeneration products and installers in accordance with consistent standards and is designed to evaluate both products and installers against robust criteria providing greater protection for consumers. An MCS approved installer must be used in order for the householder to qualify for the government grant or the Feed in Tariff.

Answer: Yes, we sell both types of solar systems: Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems which generate electricity from daylight and solar thermal systems to heat water.

Answer: If you buy solar panels and add them to your house, your insurance company will be obligated to insure them, just as they insure the rest of your household items. You should take sensible precautions against storm damage, but of course rooves are naturally more susceptible to this kind of damage.

Answer: Solar systems of either kind can increase the value of your home by an average of 9% (source: The Guardian). Research carried out by The Energy Saving Trust confirms that 85% of buyers will pay up to £10,000 more for the same property if is more energy efficient. Solar technology has never been more affordable, and the cost is subsidised by government grants - money that would be going to the energy companies.

Answer: Yes – MyPlanet Solar Thermal products use the latest technology, which has been designed specifically for the northern hemisphere and European climate. These do not need direct sunlight to produce energy as they work on irradiated light (natural daylight). So even on a cloudy day our hot water panels will still produce hot water.

Answer: Solar collectors come in the form of either evacuated tubes or flat plates, and are used to absorb thermal radiation produced by the sun during daylight hours. The clever design ensures that 90 to 95% of the energy which falls onto the collector is absorbed and the heat is passed to a transfer fluid that flows within the plate. Evacuated tubes work in a slightly different way. The heat absorped from daylight causes a special fluid contained within the heat pipe to boil. This vapour enters enters a condenser, where the heat is passed to the transfer fluid. In both cases the hot transfer fluid passes heat to the domestic hot water system.

Answer: Thermal solar panels can supply up 70 % of an average household's domestic hot water needs, but is not suitable for heating radiators. However, It can be used for space heating and swimming pool heating. A standard system for a 3 bedroom house would consist of 2 panels and a twin coil cylinder together with the associated hardware to integrate the parts. For larger households larger cylinders and more panels are required. We will advise you of requirements during our site assessment.

Answer: The system consists of a solar collector, a pump station, a controller and an indirect hot water storage tank. The solar collector collects the sun’s energy and transfers the heat to the storage tank via the tank’s internal heat exchanger. The storage tank allows the hot water to be stored until it is used. The storage tank acts as a pre-heat tank for the existing hot water tank. As hot water is being drawn from the existing tank, hot water from the pre-heat tank replaces it.

Answer: There are several benefits:

• You can produce up to 70% of your annual hot water requirements
• You will reduce and "future proof" your fuel bills. Sunlight is free so once you have paid for the initial installation, your bills for producing hot water will be significantly reduced for the lifetime of the system (around 25 years)
• You will reduce your carbon footprint. Solar hot water systems use the renewable resource of the sun and do not release any harmful carbon dioxide or other pollutants. (The small amount of electricity used to power the pump is negligible)

Answer: They are both normally roof mounted, and they both do roughly the same job of heating the water. However, evacuated tube collectors are easier to install, and because they are better insulated they are more efficient in low sun conditions. They are also better at absorbing solar radiation at different angles to the sun and are easier to clean / maintain. However, flat plate collectors are typically cheaper, and some may perform better on cloudy days – and some people choose flat panel collectors based on the looks.

Answer: A Closed System is one where the liquid warmed in the collector is used to warm the hot water tank via a heat exchanger or coil in the tank. An Open System directly heats the hot water, and this approach is more common in warmer climates where freezing conditions are not common.

Answer: Yes, even a sunny day in November will contribute to your hot water, as the system works on sunlight rather than heat. December and January are usually the only two months that your system will rely on the boiler to heat your hot water, as these are the two months of the year with least sunlight.

Answer: They are totally safe.

• The collectors continue to operate efficiently at temperatures far below freezing.
• The only material in contact with the water is copper, which is non-toxic.

Answer: No, in fact generally these systems are maintenance free. Some systems installed in the 1970s are still running. It may be necessary to exchange the antifreeze every few years. It may also be necessary to exchange the pump as it wears, but it’s a normal off the shelf heating pump, and is inexpensive.

Answer: The life expectancy is between 20 and 30 years. If a solar thermal system receives regular maintenance checks, they can last over 30 years. Although very little maintenance is required, it is recommended that a service contract be made with your solar installer.

Answer: Absolutely nothing. If snow collects on the glass surface of the collector it will rapidly melt. In fact the design is such that it will melt more rapidly from the collector surface than it will melt on other parts of your roof.

Answer: There is no need to wash or clean the collectors. Deposited grime will not significantly impair performance and when it next rains deposits will be washed off.

Answer: No - it is better to keep it on.

Answer: The RHI is similar to Feed-in Tariffs, which have done more than anything else to accelerate the installation of renewable energy capacity in Europe. in April 2011 the Renewable Heat Incentive will come into force.

• You may earn a regulated income from every kilowatt hour of heat produced
• The Tariff level is set by the government - based on technology and size
• All renewable heat generation – domestic or business - qualifies for the tariff, with no maximum size.
• Under this tariff it is planned that Solar thermal will earn around 6p for every kilowatt of heat produced.
• All income will be tax exempt.

Answer: PV stands for Photovoltaic. The PV process converts sunlight, the most abundant energy source on the planet, directly into electricity. The equipment required for this process has no moving parts and as a result requires minimal maintenance. In addition, the electricity is generated with no emissions and no noise.

A PV cell consists of two or more thin layers of semiconducting material, most commonly silicon. When the cell is exposed to light, electrical charges are generated and this can be conducted away by metal contacts as direct current (DC).

The electrical output from a single cell is small, therefore multiple cells are connected together to provide a more useful output. Cells connected in this way are encapsulated (usually behind glass) to form a weatherproof module or panel. Multiple modules can likewise be connected together in order to provide sufficient power for common electrical appliances.

Answer: Each PV system is constructed from different components. These include PV modules (groups of PV cells, which are commonly called PV panels); a charge regulator or controller for a stand-alone system; an inverter for converting direct current (dc) into alternating current (ac), the cabling to connect components together, and mounting hardware for the PV panel itself. This panel must be fixed to a roof or sited to get maximum daylight.

Answer: Daylight hits the photovoltaic cells and is converted to clean electricity. This is fed into the inverter, which converts the electricity from direct to alternating current, for use in the home. When the solar energy system is producing more power than is needed it can often be exported to the national grid. In such a system, during the night, power is imported from the grid in the normal way.

Answer: The electrical output of a PV cell is dependent upon the intensity of the light to which it is exposed. So PV cells will tend to generate more electricity on bright days than when skies are overcast. However, PV panels do not need to be in direct sunlight to work, so even on overcast days the panel will be generating some electricity.

Answer: In the UK, we get about 60% of the sunlight received at the equator - so there is still a lot of potential energy available! PV has been used in the UK over the last 20 years or more for many applications, particularly in remote areas where grid connection is impractical, such as weather monitoring stations, marine navigation aids, etc. Over the last few years PV technology has become more common in urban areas, often seen incorporated into the roofs and facades of homes, offices and factories.

A modest sized domestic grid connect system will provide a substantial portion of a household’s electricity needs for over 6 months of the year. Installations on commercial buildings are particularly effective, meeting the daytime demands of an office. Over 1.5 MW (1,500,000 Watts)of building-integrated PV system is already installed in the UK.

Answer: A typical domestic system of 1.5 kW (1500 Watts) in the UK would produce around a third of the annual electricity needed for an average family household (taking the average demand to be around 10 kWh per day). However, calculating the required system size would need to consider other factors too, for example whether the system is grid connected, and what the energy demand of the household is, etc.

Answer: Not normally. Since the system produces AC power from daytime solar radiation, it can power domestic appliances independently as long as there is sufficient daylight. If the system is also connected to the national grid, at nightime when the cells are not generating energy, electricity is taken from the grid in the normal way. Any excess electricity generated during the day, for example when you are at work, is sold back to your electricity supplier.

Batteries are only required if you want a truly off-grid solution and independence from any power cuts that might occur. They are also required if you own a property which is not attached to the grid in order that power produced during the day can be stored for use in the evening. Batteries add significant costs to a solar system so are normally only offered on specific request.

Answer: A well designed system will operate well in excess of the manufacturers 20 year warranty. The PV module with no moving parts has a lifetime expectancy of at least 40 years.

Answer: There are a number of compelling reasons to make this investment now:

• Reduce or eliminate your net electricity bill
  MyPlanet Solar PV systems, combined with the feed in tariffs (FITs) from your electricity supplier, create very favorable financial incentives for installing a solar system NOW.
• Declare clean energy independence!
  By investing in a solar PV system you generate your own electricity from daylight, a clean, silent, renewable energy source with no emissions.
• Enjoy long-term, trouble-free performance
  MyPlanet Solar PV panels come with a 20+ year warranty and 40+ year life expectancy, so your system should last for years to come, sheltering you from ever rising electricity prices.
• Add value to any property
  The value of your solar PV system is added to the appraised value of a property. It’s one of the few home improvements that can be justified in terms of return on invested pound.