By Euronews with AP • Updated: 11/03/2023 - 08:00
Solar Panel Installation on the Rise as Energy Costs Soar in UK
The winter months have been cloudy in a town north of London, but that did not stop a homeowner from installing solar panels in December. Kumi Thiruchelvam lives on a private avenue in Luton and is satisfied as he checks his smart meter and sees "0 watts" showing up under electricity, even at 10 am. His family consumes 12,000 kWh of electricity per year, which is higher than the normal household due to their big house and three electric vehicles. However, since he installed solar panels, about two-thirds of their electricity consumption should now be provided by them.
In January 2023, electricity prices in the UK increased by 67% compared to January 2022 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Thiruchelvam invested £12,000 to £13,000 (€13,500-€14,500) in solar panels as a cost-effective solution to rising energy prices. Following the same trend, solar power installations in the UK doubled in 2022 compared to 2021, according to MCS, the standards organisation in charge of solar installations.
The Decision to Install Solar Panels
Thiruchelvam's decision to install solar panels was a common sense approach to combat rising energy prices. In addition to that, the increase in their electricity consumption due to electric vehicles made it even more crucial. He originally wanted to install the panels at the rear of his house, where the sun comes up, but then he decided to go for the front because it spends more time in the front throughout most of the year than in the rear, and there's more shade in the rear with trees.
Cost and Installation of Solar Panels
To get a quote for the installation, Thiruchelvam used Otovo, a Norwegian company that recently launched in the UK. The app allowed him to monitor the electricity generated by his photovoltaic (PV) installation from his phone. The inverters installed in the attic change the direct current generated by the solar panels into alternating current to power appliances in the house safely. They also communicate with the grid and monitor the electricity generated. Thiruchelvam went for two hybrid inverters allowing for him to use a battery in the future, but he chose not to because battery technology is still evolving, and he views that they would be consuming everything they generate.
Batteries can store electricity which can be used later on, further reducing the reliance on the grid. The average cost of a battery is around £5,000 (€5,700). The website can predict how much money solar panel owners will save based on sunlight data. Thiruchelvam ordered his PV installation from Otovo's website, which can give a quote instantly based on the address.
Rise in Solar Installations in the UK
Nearly 15,000 domestic solar power installations were added to the British grid in January alone, more than any other month since 2016. Tom Faulkner, head of assets, infrastructure and networks at Cornwall Insight, says the solar energy market has radically changed over the last few years, and rising electricity costs are fuelling the drive for PV installations. "Historically, you would have seen export rates providing your benefit. So you would have seen that you would be able…"
Despite the general conception of cloudy days in the UK, it is one of the well-producing countries in Europe. Otovo's general manager, Jina Kwon, says that the website can predict how much money solar panel owners will save based on sunlight data. There is enough sunlight in the UK for consumers to produce the same amount of solar electricity as comparable to, say, Germany
Source: https://bit.ly/3Fiyvw5
(www.euronews.com)
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