Homeowner Blog

When installing a solar PV system in your home one of the elements to consider is if you need a battery system to complement your PV panel setup. At Spirit, we install battery systems for most domestic PV systems we install, however there are a few factors that go into this decision.

Solar Together is a group-buying scheme that offers discounted solar installations. While this might initially seem attractive, there are several compelling reasons why you should consider choosing an independent solar installer like Spirit Energy instead. 

Fixing a few hundred kilograms of silicon to your roof warrants many queries about the general installation process. So lets answer some of the frequently asked questions.

Installing solar PV can be a big investment, and like any investment, it’s always worth doing due diligence when picking the right installer for you. It can be difficult with so many options, each with their own pros and cons. Between new entrants and established incumbents, and the wide range of specialties and experience. In this blog, we will round up a list of criteria to help find the right installer for your solar investment.

Although energy prices are expected to fall this summer, bills remain as unpredictable as ever, with energy prices double what they were in 2020. The government Energy Price Guarantee which effectively subsidies the unit rate of electricity and gas is due to come to a close in June, so our energy bills will once again be subject to Ofgem's price cap.

When you install a solar system, you are effectively buying your own power station on your roof. That business is using your land (and the sun that falls on it), to produce an income stream.  That income stream is the value of the business that you have created. Those income streams will come in over the course of 25+ years. So how do we put a Net Present Value (NPV) on them today? In an example below, Mr. C discovered that his investment of £8,900 would be worth over £25,000 on the day that it is installed. A return of over 270%. 

You may think that solar PV is an established and accepted technology in the UK, but it’s surprising how many solar panel myths persist. At our last community event, a visitor confidently informed us that ‘Britain doesn’t get enough sun for solar power’, which may come as a shock to our clients, whose thousands of panels have been generating well for the last decade.

So let’s set out the facts to debunk common solar myths, from the misinformed to the absurd.

In a surprise piece of good news, the government announced last week that solar panel VAT will be scrapped until 2027.

A smart meter is an upgraded version of a traditional electricity or gas meter that can communicate wirelessly and automatically with your energy supplier. When your supplier installs one, they also give you an in-home display (IHD) - a small screen that shows your usage in monetary and kWh terms, both in real time and historically.

Looking at Google search data, you can see how interest in solar panels has intensified since the energy crisis hit the news last autumn, and surged when the upcoming electricity price hikes were announced last month: