Solar Power: Explaining energy ratings to your customers
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
Solar power and energy efficiency are popular topics amongst homeowners right now (along with EV charging but that’s for another time!). Do you have all the answers to their questions? Below is an article written by Richard Percival from Comera Energy, a member of the HBXL supplier network. They specialise in the design, supply and installation of PV solar panels, working in conjunction with residential building firms to provide a seamless service. See what Richard has to say…
Under the UK government Feed-In-Tariff scheme that ran from 2010 until March 2019 – homes that had solar PV installed would only be eligible for the generation component of the tariff if their home had an EPC of at least D (58). Generating low carbon electricity whilst at the same as having leaky roofs, walls and windows made little sense.
Sadly, this precluded many homeowners who were keen on solar PV from proceeding with solar PV installation as they could not justify the capital outlay without the cash flows from the generation tariff.
Once homes are energy efficient, then installing solar PV is a great decision – making sense commercially and ecologically. Not only will your customers be generating green electricity – but with a payback of 8-10 years and a system lifetime of 25-30 years, this is a great investment.
An informed decision on solar power and energy efficiency
It is also worth knowing that the old Feed in Tariff has now been replaced by Smart Export Guarantee that requires electricity suppliers to offer a tariff and payment mechanism for small scale microgeneration such as solar PV that is exported back to the grid. This came into effect on 1st Jan 2020. The Solar Trade Association has a league table of the different tariffs offered in terms of price paid for kWh of electricity exported to assist consumers make an informed decision about their electricity supplier once they have solar PV installed.
Government funding
UK housing stock needs to be urgently upgraded and refurbished if the UK is to meet its climate change targets of being Net Zero by 2050. The news that the UK government is going to fund in part (2/3) or in full some of the upgrades required to improvement the energy performance of existing housing stock is hugely welcomed. Whilst the average UK home has an EPC of D – this hides a wide variation of new stock being on average B (80) and existing older homes D or E.
The installation of solar PV will improve the EPC rating of a property by 5-10 points – but its important that this is considered alongside fundamental improvements in the fabric of the building such as the walls, roofs and windows. Together, such improvements and upgrades can make homes energy efficient and green.
Comera Energy has over 10 years of experience of installing solar PV systems across the UK. We work with building contractors and homeowners who are considering improving the energy efficiency of a property. We would welcome a chance to discuss your energy efficiency project and how solar PV could complement other works being undertaken.
The Solar Panel Bonus Pack (an optional extra for EstimatorXpress) includes a range of Solar PV array estimating calculators. You can then send your requirements for review by Comera Energy’s team of experts. Once they’ve assessed your needs, you can expect a quote within 48 hours. You can also contact Comera Energy directly to talk about solar panels on 0117 971 8121 or email them at hbxl@comeragroup.co.uk.
