The Benefits of Solar PV

There are many different benefits of installing solar PV systems on your building depending on which angle you are approaching from (environmental, financial etc). The main benefits are summarised below:

• Using a solar PV system can reduce or even completely remove the need to purchase electricity from your energy provider. Not only does this help to reduce our reliance on pollutant fossil fuels, the Energy Saving Trust estimates that in the UK average savings stand at £230 per year from utilising the sun's energy through PV.
• Installing a PV system on your building is a big step towards reducing your businesses carbon footprint and aiding the fight against climate change.
• Take advantage of the feed in tariff: Officially starting in April 2010, the feed-in-tariff (FiT) pays you 41.3p for every KW of energy you produce with a PV system, with an additional 3p per unit for every one you sell back to the grid.
• Placing a solar PV system on your office, factory etc increases the value of the building meaning you can command a higher price should you ever come to sell it. Figures on exactly how much value is added are dependant on what type and sized system you install, but conservative estimates stand at approximately £4,000.
• Currently, you can get a better rate of return by investing your savings into a PV system rather than putting it in a bank account or an ISA.
• Solar PV systems are made from silicon, a derivative of sand which is widely available.

A solar PV system is a 'fit and forget' proposition; once you have installed it on your property there is nothing else you need to do. There are no moving parts to the system so the potential for a problem to occur is very small, and other than an occasional clean which should be taken care of by rainwater the only other thing necessary is the inspection and possible replacement of the electrical cabling every 20-25 years.