Solar Panels

How do solar panels work?

Solar panels work by taking the energy from the sun’s rays into an array of photovoltaic cells and converting it into useable (Alternate Current, or ‘AC’) electricity. This energy can then be distributed through a home’s electrical panel and used to power any mains-powered electrical device in your home. 

Can I store energy from my Solar Panels?

​Yes. A recent development in solar technology is that high-volume domestic batteries are now affordable and efficient. They are commonly known as ‘solar batteries’.

Historically, you always had to use the power that was being generated through your solar panels immediately, meaning that you were forced to use high-powered devices and pieces of equipment when the solar panels were generating energy. Now however, you can install a battery into your home’s system to ensure that the energy isn’t wasted.

This is particularly valuable now that it is harder to make as much money from selling energy back to the national grid. However, some solar batteries still allow you to sell the energy as well as store it.

A typical solar battery will cost between £2,000 and £10,000 depending on their size, but prices are reducing all the time.

How much does it cost to equip my house with Solar Panels?

​The size of your house and the number of devices that you want to power will dictate how many solar panels you need. Bigger houses will usually need more heating and will have more devices, so will need more panels to provide sufficient power.

You also need to consider the available roof size, and the amount of sunlight you typically get.

Here’s a quick guide to help this calculation, however, we would always advise getting in contact with House AV to ensure that your requirement is dealt with precisely.