Deciding to invest in solar panels is no simple or quick decision. Everyone’s circumstances are unique and there are a number of contributing factors that go into deciding what is the best option for each individual.
Before you even begin, the long nights in winter can be enough to stop some people in their tracks. For the slightly more determined (and those that know solar panels are more efficient in the cold), simple factors to consider include: should it be on the roof, or is there enough space for ground-mounted solar panels? Which roof will maximise energy generation and is there anything potentially blocking the panels? What permission is required from the council or even, is it just too industrial looking? Is there a difference between black and blue solar panels and what on earth is Monocrystalline!? And we’ve not even got to the nitty-gritty decisions yet…
However, a common factor that’s usually missed when considering solar, is energy storage. The MCS (the guys who approve solar panels in the UK) prove that for an average system, people only use around 25% of the energy they generate. That means if you don’t have storage for your solar energy, 75% of that energy goes to waste. If that wasn’t enough pain, you could have been getting paid for that excess energy.
Fear not, the story does not end there! The combination of Solar Panels, Battery and some clever Social Energy Tech can change the game for domestic energy usage. Once you introduce a battery into the mix that 25% goes up to around 68%. That is a significant spike and if you take a second to think about it – investing in a battery is a very sensible decision.
This information introduces a whole host of other decisions into the mix and can understandably leave people feeling lost, overwhelmed or just apathetic about the whole thing.
For the majority of people, however, all of the decisions are minor in comparison to the bigger motivations of why people invest in solar. Ultimately, we care about the planet and if we can save some money while doing our part – even better!
