Free Solar Panels Available to UK Households

Energy sector organisation EnergyLink has called on British households to act now and take advantage of the opportunity to dramatically reduce their carbon footprint, without spending a penny.

While many low carbon technologies such as wind turbines or heat pumps may be too expensive or impractical for the average UK consumer, free solar panels allow households to help protect the environment and make big savings on their energy bills.

An increasing number of solar panel companies across the UK are now willing to install and maintain solar energy systems for free. Properties which are privately owned and meet the criteria of having an unshaded roof space of at least 20 square metres facing South, South East or South West should qualify.

The solar installer receives payments called feed-in tariffs for the electricity generated by the system and the householder is able to significantly reduce their carbon footprint by receiving free electricity during daylight hours.

Another option is for householders to pay for the solar PV system and claim the feed-in tariff for themselves. However, not everyone has the capital available and neither can they raise it, so free solar panels are a viable solution for many.

It is estimated that each kilowatt of solar PV electricity generated will offset the production – by fossil fuel-generated power – of 16 kilos of nitrogen oxide, 9 kilos of sulphur oxides and 2,300 kilos of carbon dioxide. A typical free solar panel system is in the region of 3 to 4 kilowatts.

By signing up for free solar panels, UK homes will generate clean energy for at least 25 years after installation, which is the minimum amount of time the Government has agreed to continue the feed-in tariff scheme.

According to EnergyLink, not only will solar-powered households be playing a major role in contributing to a cleaner, more diversified energy mix for the UK, they will also be able to use energy during daytime hours without worrying about the environmental impact or the size of their energy bills.

Charging devices such as MP3 players, digital cameras, laptop and tablet computers and using timer-controlled devices such as washing machines and slow cookers can all be done during the day whether or not anyone is at home.

Those who spend much of their day at home can also use entertainment and work-related devices alongside lighting and heating with the peace of mind that they lowering their impact on the environment and saving on bills.