A growing amount of renewable energy is consumed each year around the world. This helps to lower the dependency rate on fossil fuels and also reduce the money spent on electricity.
More households in the UK decide to install solar panels for home for many reasons. Furthermore, the climate in Great Britain allows for making most of the PV (photovoltaic) systems all year round.
What is solar panel efficiency?
The efficiency of each solar panel is determined as a ratio of the received and absorbed sunlight. A typical solar cell has an efficiency index of around 20%. This means that about one-fifth of the total amount of sun rays that reached a solar panel could be absorbed by a solar cell. The efficiency of solar panels fluctuates depending on various factors.
Solar panel placement
It is highly important that PV systems are properly installed and tilted on the roof to catch the maximum possible amount of sunlight. The tilt angle between 30 and 45 degrees is considered to be the optimal one. This means that solar panels are exposed to sunlight most of the time during the day. Obviously, when PV systems are facing south, this makes them as efficient as possible.
Solar panel type
There are several kinds of solar panels in terms of the structure of their cells. Monocrystalline solar panels have single-crystal silicon cells, providing more space for the electrodes to move and generate more electricity. This type of solar panels is considered to be the most efficient but also the most expensive at the same time.
Polycrystalline or multi-crystalline solar panels have cells with several silicon crystals combined. Such elements are not that effective compared to the monocrystalline ones but are definitely optimal in terms of the price to efficiency ratio. Another popular type of solar panels uses thin-film cells.
Maintenance
After the PV systems are installed, they need to be taken care of regularly. It is crucial to check whether solar systems are not dirty or covered with dust. If you are not sure about how to clean those, you could always contact the installer company or a credible service provider.
Seasonality
Obviously, the greatest amount of electrical energy converted from sunlight is obtained during the summer season. The days are long and the amount of sunlight energy is enormous. Nevertheless, solar panels are also rather efficient during other seasons when the days are cloudy and short. As solar panels are not that efficient in very hot countries, the climate in the UK is considered to be ideal for them.
How to choose the best solar panel system?
In order to select the most appropriate solar panel system for your household, you need to think of your needs first. Have a look through your monthly or quarterly bills to define the amount of electricity consumed (in kW). Then decide on what percentage of electrical energy you would like to be generated by solar panels. Once the preliminary research is done, select a solar panel system from the range of available ones on the website.
