As energy prices continue to be an issue for many households despite government intervention, many homeowners will be looking at ways they can help reduce their usage and find more sustainable and cheaper power sources.

A question that many will be thinking is, are solar panels worth the investment? Will solar panels solve all of my problems? In our latest blog, we discuss all things solar panels to help you make the best decision for your home.

Solar panels use semiconductor technology to convert energy from sunlight into electricity that you can use to power or heat your household. It takes advantage of one of nature’s most powerful and FREE resources, which is a win-win for us and the environment! Each month more than 4,000 solar panels are installed in the UK alone, showing their increasing popularity and suitability for homes and businesses across the UK. But what are the key benefits?

Energy source all year round

Installing solar panels into your home provides a constant power source all year round for free. Even in the winter months, energy can still be generated.

Increase property value

Whilst solar panels can be perceived as a hefty investment into your home – one perk of this is they can add significantly to the value of your property. For example, on average, solar panel installation adds around 4-5% to the value of your property.

Source of income

If you do not use all of the electricity generated by your solar panels, you can sell this surplus electricity back to the grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Or you can simply save this electricity for future use.

Reduce your households carbon footprint

By ensuring your home uses renewable sources of power such as solar panels, you will significantly reduce the carbon footprint produced by your home. Solar panels, on average, save around 1 tonne of carbon dioxide per year from a standard household.

Although the benefits of solar panels cannot be denied, the upfront cost to install a solar panel system costs on average between £5000 and £10000 however, it is worth noting that solar panels are now VAT-free making them much cheaper than they have been previously. However, this cost can vary depending on how many panels you need for your home, which will often depend on your energy consumption. Usually, the rule of thumb is the more expensive the system, the more electricity it will be able to generate and the more long-term savings it will bring. However, it is worth noting that based on an average household, it will take around 12-26 years to break even on the investment of installing a solar panel system into your home (Solar Together, February 2022). However, as the cost of electricity continues to increase at an exponential rate the payback period will continue to reduce as homeowners will make more money on the excess electricity they sell back to the national grid. Despite this, it is also worth noting that there is currently no support or grants provided by the government to encourage and offset the cost of this investment.

At Arc Design Services, we specialise in architectural design, offering a fresh and exciting approach to every project. With this in mind, Arc Design Services could help you incorporate solar panels into your existing home, renovation, or new build plans. Contact our experts today, at Arc Design Services at www.arcdesignservices.net or 0161 928 4433.