Solar power is popular, but of course we don’t have as much sun as some countries. But we do get enough to power many places, it’s best obviously on south-facing roofs. But no power is the answer to lower bills and climate change: that’s simple living and walkable communities (most oil is used by lorries taking food to supermarkets, and from cars to drive to supermarkets).
This post had help from Solar Energy UK to get our facts right!
Around 1 in 20 buildings in England now use solar energy from small allotments to large schools (with quicker payback times). 200,000 non-residential buildings use solar, as do 1.2 million homes. Average buildings have 10 to 14 panels that connect to the electricity system, with surplus energy sent to the national grid.
It would be a good idea for large buildings like prisons to have solar panels. This would reduce costs and the money money made from surplus energy could be used for rehab.
Most modern solar installations have battery systems attached. Solar panels can be installed on flat or sloping roofs (modern technology mean that most work facing any direction, and work in daylight – not just sunlight).
There are rules to qualify for the Smart Export Guarantee to sell on energy, to make sure such systems are safe. Less common are hybrid systems that combine solar photovoltaic and solar thermal technology. Buildings that could use this include universities, hospitals, supermarkets, leisure centres and factories.
Solar Energy UK says there is 250,000 hectares of suitable roof space in the UK, most of which is not used.
Solar parks are when ground-mounted systems in rows are arranged on the ground, usually on low-grade farmlan, that again feeds direct into the grid.
Some solar panels even float on reservoirs. Solar power now accounts for 5% or more power generation in the UK and could supply 20% of energy needs by 2035. This would help to reduce fossil fuels and reduce the use of fracking.
Batteries are a good idea, as if people are out all day (when it’s sunny), the energy is wasted. Batteries store the energy, for householders to use in the evening. When they turn on cookers and TVs, run a bath and charge phones and laptops.
Is It Worth Installing a Solar Panel?
Money Saving Expert writes that at around £7000, most people can’t afford one, and won’t see the financial benefits for years. But for big buildings and communities, it may well be worth it, especially as you can sell excess energy back to the national grid.
If installed, most homes with a solar panel save around £300 a year on energy bills. So you can do the maths, to see if it would benefit your household. If you use a Smart Export Guarantee, you would make around the same (£300) a year, from selling excess energy.
Solar for Schools has information on how to apply for grants. It can also help with design, installation and operation.
How to Choose Quality Solar Panels
The Federation of Master Builders recently compared brands, and plumped for SunPower. One panel is good for tight spaces. But at around £200 to £300 each, these are not cheap.
Any installation under 50 kilowatts should be conducted by an installer registered with MSC (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) the standards body for smal-scale sustainable energy systems. This is important to ensure installations are safe and high-quality. Multiple installers have finance options, among them Otovo.
How Does the Sun Make Electricity?
The sun is a large nuclear reactor that can release photons (pockets of energy) to power the earth, on sunny days but also during daylight hours.
Photons hit the panels and cause electrons to move from one layer to another, creating electric current. Most solar panels are made from silicon dioxide (refined sand), which conducts electricity. Inverters change direct current (like from an AA battery) to alternating current (like from the grid).
Making Solar Farms More Wildlife-Friendly
There are issues with giant solar farms on farmland. This is something that ecological writers Satish Kumar and Paul Kingsnorth have both covered: the ‘answer’ to climate change is not ‘replacing technology with another’ to keep living consumerist lives.
The answer may be small-scale bird-friendly solar panels and wind turbines (some are bladeless) and walkable communities. Read this article at Solar Energy UK on how solar farms can become havens for biodiversity.
Oxford University’s Physics Department has recently created solar power, without need for silicon solar panels. Their light-absorbing material is for coating onto mobile phones, rucksacks and even vehicles. It stacks light-absorbing layers onto one solar cell, for greater efficiency.
In North America, solar farms are creating wildlife corridors and alternative fencing methods to try to keep wildlife away, and using repurposed mine land (over farms). Companies are also leaving surrounding areas to ‘rewild’ and avoiding mowing lawns during breeding seasons.
