PV solar panels are the future
PV solar panels (photovoltaic) are our future. Learning from history; dependence on others is never a good thing. The future of energy security will be on a personal level.
The start of Power My Home began on a train journey to Salzburg in 2004, where I noticed the large numbers of solar panels on homes, even back then.
A flight back home from a visit to Rome took me over Germany, a country also affected by the Roman Empire. Flying into Munich airport, the differences between Britain’s and Germany’s rooftops was very noticeable. The future was clear to me, and I decided to promote solar panel technology.
That return journey from Rome was yet again as inspiring as that original train journey. This time, looking out of the window of the plane, the number of solar panels on display was apparent. They were everywhere, on both homes and commercial rooftops.
Germany has a similar type of climate to the UK, so why have German people enthusiastically adopted this technology? But, why do the British still see this technology in a negative light?
The answers to these questions are simple.
Dependency!
The United Kingdom has been lucky enough to have plenty of cheap and easy to access oil and gas over the last 30 years, which has made us complacent. Germany didn’t have this luxury and had to find other routes to reduce dependency. However, now that the end of North Sea supplies is coming, we find ourselves in the same position as our European counterparts. We too must now look to self-generation.
In the 1990s, the German government embarked on incentive schemes that allowed both homeowners and businesses to self-generate power. Our government has now recognised Germany’s lead on using a feed-in tariff incentive.
The generation tariff allows you to receive payments through an energy supplier. They will pay for the surplus power that you generate. Brilliant! As the adoption of these solar technologies spreads into many other countries, including Scandinavia, solar panels are nowhere to stay.
The only question you should ask yourself is when to install?
The feed-in tariff scheme is designed to reward early adopters but will be reduced gradually over time. A leap of faith is necessary when installing solar panels, but the pioneering spirit is what we British do.
The ancient Roman society represented the technological pinnacle of their time and Germany of our time. History teaches us time and time again that technological adoption to survive is key.
Time to show our neighbours how savvy we are.
I have to agree with what is already said, however I don’t believe the cost are that high (Correct me if I’m wrong) and I was reading an article that mentioned even the councils and churches are putting solar panels everywhere to cut costs.
But @ken… he has a point.. i think if they worked harder in intergrating them so they weren’t so ugly they would have a much higher up take.
Hi Ken
Yes price will be an issue for alot of people, but to use the early car industry as an example, those who can afford will buy for the benefits that solar panels bring and the prestige of being the first in the street.
Prices will fall slightly in the future and the new government green deal will allow people without the upfront means to still buy.
Those who want to continue to bury their heads in the sand after reading this, then they will just be left at the mercy of a world with progressively and continued higher energy costs.
We have just sent the certificate to our energy suppliers to get official acceptance to the feed in tariff scheme and we are already becoming aware of the benefits of solar power each day when we read the meter. (Sad we realise).
We have always thought ourselves fairly typical of our generation (mid 60’s) s having our character with regard to money and economic outlook formed in the days of rationing and restrictions of the 1940/50’s of our childhood. As a result any investment in new technology has to make sense financially.
We assume that as we get older we will not be moving about, either as much and certainly not as quickly as we do now and it is pretty obvious that anyone in their 80’s will need to spend more money on heating than now.
So we have used part of our cash savings to invest in PV solar panels to us a tax free income far greater than that which could be achieved elsewhere with an additional increase in value to our home should we need to change circumstances. We believe that following the installation of the PV solar panels that chances of us having to move in increasing age for financial reasons have been greatly if not wholly reduced.
Financial benefits come from tax free payments for every kWH produced (41p) as well as the additional 3pence payment for every kW sent to the National Grid, plus the fuel savings. Furthermore our increased awareness of the cost of energy will make us even more careful to reduce wastage.
To sum up:
Usual return on Cash Investments in the bank in the region of region of 1-4.5% (subject to tax)
Rate of return with PV solar panels is estimated at 6-10% minimum (tax free)
These estimates are current and do not include for adjustment (not downward) for increases in future energy costs!
All very well but you omit to mention cost of start up for these panels.
I don’t think British people are complacent at all. They do recognise a rip off when they see one though. When the technology becomes readily affordable for everyone then it will take off.
You also need to make the panels more attractive for homes that do not have square or rectangular sides. The panels look absolutely terrible when put onto a roof where they don’t fit the shape.