ALMOST 10,000 people looked into buying solar panels in February, more than any other recorded month.
A staggering 9,824 entered their details into The EcoExperts’ solar PV comparison tool, to see if they were suitable for solar PV.
A spokesperson from the EcoExperts said: “After a winter where fuel prices hit record highs, it is unsurprising a lot of people want to have greater control over their energy source, and to avoid being crippled with horrifying energy bills.
“It is likely we will see energy prices continue to rise and rise, and we expect to see more people turning away from the big six and looking to generate their own energy."
The EcoExperts is the UK’s leading solar panel comparison website and helps residents who want to enjoy the financial and environmental benefits of renewable energy.
If residents have an angled south facing surface which doesn’t suffer from too much shade, they can benefit from free energy and government payments within days.
In the UK, households who install solar panels are eligible for a feed-in-tariff, which pays out in three ways.
Firstly the householder saves money by not paying for electricity, secondly the resident is paid for the energy they produce and use, then again for the energy they produce and don’t use which can be exported back to the grid.
January saw 8,148 applications, while in December only 6,891people looked into installing solar PV panels.
The EcoExperts spokseperson continued: “People talk about the solar boom being over, but that is far from the case. We are seeing more and more interest in solar PV and the industry is continuing to grow. Let’s not forget, this is a financial investment. If you install a solar PV panel, you are looking at a 10-13% ROI, more than any high street bank.
“We expect this trend to continue.”
The average domestic solar PV system is 3.5 to 4kWp and costs around £7,000 (including VAT at 5%), with the typical cost ranging from £5,500 to £9,500.
A 3.5kWp system can generate around 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, about three quarters of a typical household's electricity needs. It will save over a tonne of carbon dioxide every year.
Typically it will save the average household £400 a year according to the Energy Saving Trust.
If your system is eligible for the Feed-In Tariff scheme it could generate savings and income of around £645 a year (based on a 3.5kWp solar PV system eligible for a generation tariff of 15.44p/kWh). This means a system that lasts 25 years will be paid off in about seven.
