The sun finally arrived in Northern Ireland last week — and should it stick around, it might save homeowners £300-£500 on their energy bills.
Domestic solar energy systems are becoming increasingly common, showing that, even at our northern latitudes, the sun can do its bit to power our homes.
However, there are no public levies or schemes for domestic solar panel installation in Northern Ireland, so those interested in this renewable resource will have to pay for the installation themselves.
Michael O’Donnell, sales director for Solar Fix, believes that solar panels pay for themselves many times over.
“A typical solar system for a domestic customer is only about 12 panels,” he explains.
“A solar system with about 12 panels and a small battery typically stored in the roof space now costs under £10,000.
“Around 75% of the average electric bill can be completely wiped out for under 10 grand.
“The panels are guaranteed for 25 years. For an initial investment, it’s like buying 25 years’ worth of electricity up front.
“Most systems end up paying for themselves in about five to six years, and they are guaranteed for 25 years, so it’s an absolute no-brainer.
“For the domestic market, you will always need power to run your home, it’s just a given.
“There’s no return on investment on just buying it from the grid. It’s just dead money.
“Whereas with solar panels, you’ll probably make four to five times your money back. Plus, it’s good for the environment.”
Aodhan O’Donnell, of energy price comparison service Power to Switch, estimates that the general return on solar power at a lower level, closer to £300-£500 a year, with panels takes between seven and 10 years to pay for themselves.
He still believes that a domestic solar energy system can help people with costs, not least because “we don’t know where prices will go over the long term”.
“Having security of supply within your own home — you’re depending on what market rates are charging,” he continues.
“So at least you could offset some of that cost or have some security over the cost.”
Aodhan O’Donnell, of Power to Switch, says that domestic solar panels can help insulate consumers from price shocks
There are plenty of myths about solar panels that consumers may have heard — one example being that solar power is not reliant on direct, bright sunlight to generate power.
However, only daylight, even if accompanied by Northern Ireland’s seemingly ubiquitous cloud, is needed to turn light into volts.
Moreover, a home does not have to be south-facing in order to have a functioning solar system. A house with less direct sunlight can compensate for this by having more panels functioning at a time.
For Michael, solar power can quickly and easily become part of a household’s energy supply.
“Most of our installs are completed within about six hours. And it’s not a complex integrated system,” he explains.
“It runs in tandem with your house. The basic physics of it are that solar is slightly stronger than the grid.
“Therefore the solar power must be consumed by the grid first. As the sun sets, the grid is allowed to come in.
“It’s not a case where you have to be running around hitting switches or changing anything over — it happens automatically because we have a slightly higher voltage than the grid, so we will always flow first.
“If solar doesn’t exist, the grid then flows. It’s automatic and it’s seamless.”
Solar Fix also finds that users who opt for a solar system end up becoming more mindful and cannier electricity consumers.
“Customers will have a monitoring app on their phone showing them what the panels are producing and, if they have a battery, showing them what their house is producing live, second by second,” he says.
“All of sudden you start saving money by knowing what you’re using and switching off.
“That information has proven very, very powerful.”
Michael also believes that carbon usage will come with increasing costs in coming years.
“The average domestic solar system could save in the region of over 25,000 kilos of carbon in its lifetime.
“What we believe is going to happen in future is that some level of carbon tax is going to be introduced.
“Particularly in the business world, people are putting in systems — not for the financial payback, but to reduce their carbon footprint.”
Furthermore, if carbon usage were to become a factor in rates homeowners pay, or even as a tax, a solar power system could help a home reduce carbon-related costs.
These savings are still hypothetical, but as the climate crisis intensifies they are not hugely outlandish.
Nothing comes for free when it comes to energy and finance, and there are a few unavoidable drawbacks to solar energy generation.
Firstly, while solar power doesn’t require direct sunlight, it is effected by how long the sun is up each day.
The closer we are to the winter solstice, the less power can be generated from panels.
According to Michael, power generation “forms a basic bell curve. January and February are quite low. It ramps up from March through to August and then ramps down in December.”
“Even in the depths of winter, with the four to five hours of daylight you have then, your system could maybe be saving you £30 to £40 a month of electricity.
“In the summer months, it will save you £100 to £150, possibly more, and it will heat your water for free.”
There are some innovations that are helping with storing solar energy, namely the introduction of batteries which can store excess solar power generated during the daytime.
Battery technology has also improved in recent years with big brands such as Duracell entering the market. Waterproof outdoor batteries and indoor ones with 10-year warranties have improved consumer confidence.
The second drawback to domestic solar power is the up-front cost.
Purchasing solar panels and having them fitted at a property costs a lot more than a monthly energy bill.
Michael estimates that “small- to medium-sized systems” will cost less than £5,000, rising to £10,000 if you want to add a battery to store excess power.
This investment may well pay for itself over the lifetime of a solar system’s warranty. However, it requires a level of liquidity that not every household has.
Aodhan says that customers can lower prices by shopping around effectively.
He also advises that customers do their homework before spending big money with a solar panel provider.
“I think it’s important to look at the accreditations that each of the installers have, making sure they’re genuine, that they have certifications and they’re qualified to do the work,” he says.
“There is that sort of due diligence that consumers have to do with any big spend.
“There’s quite a few advice agencies, like the Energy Saving Trust, where you can go and look at what to consider when you’re looking at solar panels.
“Also engage with the installer companies. A lot of them will provide quotes, will do an assessment of your home and look at the suitability of your home.
“So it’s engaging with those reputable companies that will provide you with a genuine product that meets the needs of your home.
“When it comes to renewable technology, there are so many Facebook and community groups online.
“There are so many people sharing information, experiences, insights. It’s an opportunity to engage with the people who have done it before.”