What’s up with Solar Panel Roof? And why its not on every house yet? I wonder a lot and hence wanted to find out what are the teething problems? As the cost of Solar Panels have fallen 82% from 2010 to 2019.[1] Experts predict that the cost of solar PV is expected to be cheapest source of power by 2050.[2]
Solar panels aren’t just becoming cheap but since their invention in 1955, when they only converted Solar to Electricity at 2% efficiency. Latest news came on December 2020, from UK company called Oxford PV who has obtained a world record of this conversion efficiency at 29.52%.[3]
So if you’re like me, dreaming of a home with Solar Panels one day then that dream might not be far fetched. And other than getting a guilt-free feeling of using self generated electricity. If you also want to make extra money out of your solar panel setup here’s what I explored.
Solar Panel Roof Basics
- Solar panels that generate electricity are known as solar ‘photovoltaic panels’ or PV panels for short
- You don’t need planning permission (unless the roof is flat, house is listed or in conservation area)
- The price of a typical solar panel system, including installation is about average £6200 ($8378)
- South-facing roof will work the best in northern hemisphere and north-facing in southern.
Solar Panel Roof Benefits
- Low maintenance
- Reduces carbon footprint
- Can increase value of house
- Most come with 25 years warranty
Solar Panel Roof Options
- Solar Panels on top of existing roof
- Solar Tiles as Roof replacement
- Solar Panel or Solar Tiles with added Battery storage
Solar Panel or Tiles without Battery Option 1 or 2
Savings coming from fitting solar panels on roof mainly depend as how many sunny days you get at your location. Where I live in UK, where weather patterns are notorious one minute it’s raining next it’s sunny. We have average 1493 hours of sun per year. On that basis, using just Options 1 or 2 you are looking to save £85 to £220 a year off your bill.[4]
Yeap I hear you, that’s not a lot for UK at least but might be much more in sunny countries for sure. With no battery storage the electricity generated during day has to be used immediately or sold to power grid during offpeak rate which is generally low. This need a energy consumption behaviour change which won’t suit everyone.
Solar Panel or Tiles with Battery Option 3
Solar panel and battery were like missing solemates. Using the last Option 3, where battery storage is integrated with Solar panels. Solar energy can be stored and used day or night. With battery(s) added to property opens door to other money-saving options, like downloading electricity onto battery pack at night when the cost of electricity is low.
The total cost will double when you add Battery pack like a Tesla Powerwall but with help of such batteries you will be able to buy electricity when its cheapest at night time around 8p per kWh (average in UK) and spread it around day when its 16p per kWh. Electricity can now be re-sold back to the grid, just like a Stock Market.
And with Tesla’s Autobidder software it’s now possible to automatically do that buying electricity and sell it back to the National power grid for profits. That’s why – Electricity is the new Oil people! Here in UK additional thing to do is register with Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) and earn money for surplus electricity produced. And you will be a part of every increasing distributed energy system called as “Microgrid”.
Revolution Electrified’s Take
Honestly after investigating the current situation of Solar Panel Roofs, I was bit disappointed by the ROI (return of investment) and that home owner will have to wait nearly 25 years to level up their investment. And it comes as surprise as UK Government’s decision to close the feed-in tariff scheme to new solar panel installations from 31 March 2019 which previously was lucrative. I hope there is a substitute coming.
But I sincerely believe we are at a cusp of Solar transition. I have been mentioning in my previous blogs that the problem with electricity wasn’t how to generate more of it? But where to store it? And this major hurdle is getting resolved now with the idea of storing electricity into batteries. And as Solar panel and battery become even more affordable and efficient, we will see it raise as a main source of producing electricity.
I’m sure the future of Solar Panels and Clean Energy is bright ..pun intended. I am still surprised how there is no energy company picking up this opportunity and leaving early adopters and government to incentivise its use. Why there isn’t any Rent-My-Roof scheme or hardly any solar powered cars? The answer to that is the timing isn’t right yet.
Things like mobile phone or personal computers didnt make sense until the price and use was right. General public won’t go for it. So when cost and efficiency of Solar PV improves even further, it will become a no-brainer technology. We will see new houses built with solar roofs by default. And I’m sure we will see all roofs and buildings using it. As its a free source of energy and who doesn’t like free.
