Ablectrics now supplies Solar panels.

This renewable source of energy coupled with low energy lighting could prove a great way of saving money on your electricity bills. Not to mention helping to reduce global warming. We have built a solid reputation for our efforts to supply the best low energy lighting. We have endeavoured to learn every aspect of the field and offer the best service to our customers. We now want to channel our efforts into the supply of solar panels. We can even arrange installation to Bristol and the surrounding areas. If you are interested in discussing the benefits of using solar panels, or would like to arrange a free quotation please fill in the contact form bellow and we will get back to you.

Benefits of solar power

The UK feed in tariff starts in the UK. With a higher than expected rate of 41.3p per kW a typical 2.5kW system can earn an income of around £1,200 a year.

This payment will be made every year for the next 25 years guaranteed. So bearing in mind that a typical solar pv system will last around 35 years, you would be looking at a payment of £10,000. For a typical install, you would be looking at a rate of return of 10%, and this is a tax free payment.

After 30 years, compound interest would turn the £10,000 in a savings account to £27,568. Assuming the money from solar (the feed in tariff and electricity savings, etc) is deposited in a bank after the installation costs have been paid off at year 10, harnessing the sun would be worth £40,654 after 30 years.

According to the Government, these tariffs will cover the initial cost of the installation of the technology with a return of up to 10%. With solar PV panels installed you should earn back the capital costs of the installation two or three times over the duration of the tariff as well as making sufficiently reducing your bills.

An average 3/4 bedroom house fitted with 2.5kw Solar PV panels and normal electricity usage would earn over £900p/a tax free!

Add this to an approximate £300 reduction in your electricity usage and you could benefit by well over £1,000 per year.

How do solar panels work?

Solar panels collect solar radiation from the sun and actively convert that energy to electricity. Solar panels are comprised of several individual solar cells. These solar cells function similarly to large semiconductors and utilize a large-area p-n junction diode. When the solar cells are exposed to sunlight, the p-n junction diodes convert the energy from sunlight into usable electrical energy. The energy generated from photons striking the surface of the solar panel allows electrons to be knocked out of their orbits and released, and electric fields in the solar cells pull these free electrons in a directional current, from which metal contacts in the solar cell can generate electricity. The more solar cells in a solar panel and the higher the quality of the solar cells, the more total electrical output the solar panel can produce. The conversion of sunlight to usable electrical energy has been dubbed the Photovoltaic Effect.

Other factors that affect the output of solar panels are weather conditions, shade caused by obstructions to direct sunlight, and the angle and position at which the solar panel is installed. Solar panels function the best when placed in direct sunlight, away from obstructions that might cast shade, and in areas with high regional solar insolation ratings.

Solar panel efficiency can be optimized by using dynamic mounts that follow the position of the sun in the sky and rotate the solar panel to get the maximum amount of direct exposure during the day as possible. For more information on solar panel efficiency through the use of mounts, see our section on solar panel mounts and accessories.