SOLAR PANELS

The comments on this page are only a personal opinion and the facts may not be entirely accurate. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

Q.          Q.  Are Solar Panels any good ?

    A.  Yes.  But, I am not sure if they will save the environment or save you any money.

         You will need to weigh up if making and fitting the panel takes more energy than the amount it will save. 
         Over the life of the panel it will also need maintenance.

At this time with new super efficient boilers, it does not take much gas to heat a tank of water and with more appliances using a cold water fill the demand for hot water at the end of a sunny day is not so high.  If you are a bit of a 'boffin' and would like to check your own calculations may I suggest that you take a gas meter reading in the summer after you have finished using the heating.  During this summer quarter, work out how much it has cost you in gas to heat only the hot water.  You may also find that when the sun is at its hottest the demand is less because you may be on holiday or prefer to use the shower (using a shower is also better for the environment).

On the other hand, if interest rates are low and you are not getting a lot of return on your money, then perhaps saving a few pennies on the gas bill might be a good thing !

Q.         

Adrian Lucas
April 2009