Roofing Company London Solar Panels
Affordable solar panels for your London roof
In the last few years, the cost of living has gone through the roof. Literally, in the case of energy costs. Happily, there’s a solution in sight. Solar panels can save over £500 a year on your energy bills. Here’s how you can get affordable solar panels for your London home.
In 2023, over 17,000 UK homes installed solar panels every month. They’re reducing bills and lowering our collective carbon footprint as we speak. That said, you’re still going to need an initial outlay. On average, a battery-powered, 4kW solar system for a three-bed semi will set you back around £9000.
It’s possible to spend less than this, and cheaper solar panels might be right for your home. But there are certain elements that are non-negotiable. Let’s take a closer look.
What affects solar panel cost?
The main factors that affect the cost of solar panels are panel type, efficiency, installation, and warranty.
TYPE OF PANEL
The chief types of solar panel are monocrystalline and polycrystalline. The former are more efficient, so you don’t need as many of them, and they work better in hotter weather.
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Installing Solar Panels
Mono panels tend to be more expensive because of this, but poly panels are getting more efficient. So you could save some money here. We’ll go into more depth further down the page.
EFFICIENCY
The efficiency of a panel dictates how much energy it generates. Mono panels are 15-20% efficient and poly panels around 14-17%. The higher the efficiency, the more you’ll pay.
INSTALLATION
Installing solar panels is a highly technical job. So always use a certified installer covered by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. You’ll get a professional job and also be able to sell excess electricity back to the grid. Yes, you can be paid to use solar energy.
Costs depend on where your home is, the size of your solar system, and the number of installers.
WARRANTY
Solar panels last on average 25 years. With your initial outlay of around £9000, you’ll break even in about seven years. But you don’t want your panels to pack in before their time, so try to get a lifetime or 25-year warranty. This will, of course, put up your costs, but it might be worth it in the long run.
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A closer look at panel types
Typically, solar panels towards the cheaper end of the spectrum are sold with around 10-12 years’ warranty. That’s something you’ll want to factor in when you do your budgeting.
We’ve talked about monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels, but you can also opt for thin-film. Let’s drill down into the three types.
MONOCRYSTALLINE SOLAR PANELS
Mono panels are constructed from single-crystal silicon solar cells. They’re cut from bars of pure silicon and moulded to help the cells create more electricity. The pure-silicon construction and their overall efficiency make these the most expensive type of solar panel, with an efficiency rating that can top 20%. They can also keep their high performance at hotter temperatures.
POLYCRYSTALLINE SOLAR PANELS
Poly panels are less efficient than mono, which makes them more affordable. They’re made by melting silicon-crystal fragments together. Their efficiency comes in at around 14 to 17% and they have a shorter lifespan. That’s because the electrons have less space to move around, so they produce less energy.
Poly panels are a good environmental choice as production creates less waste. They’re also a
cheaper solar panel. So you’ll want to weigh up the pros and cons when you make your choice.
THIN-FILM SOLAR PANELS
Want a truly affordable solar solution for your London roof? Thin-film solar panels layer products such as silicon and copper indium gallium selenide.
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Solar panels: the non-negotiables
They use less silicon than their mono and poly cousins and their non-crystalline structure makes them the cheapest solar-panel option. That’s great, but the drawback with thin-film is efficiency, which can be as low as 7%.
As we’ve seen, there are ways to shave money from the cost of your solar roof panels, but there are some elements you don’t want to compromise on.
You should always go for a reputable manufacturer with a robust build quality (which includes the roof hooks), a 25-year or lifetime warranty, and post-sales support. If the solar panels cover most of your roof, they’re generally better quality.
If it’s a decent guarantee you’re after, go for panels that wedge the solar cells between layers of glass, rather than one sheet with a foil backing. You’ll also enjoy a better output guarantee.
TALK TO THE EXPERTS
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Spend less on poly or thin-film solar panels and accept lower efficiency or go for tried-and-tested mono panels and enjoy greater efficiency and better output guarantees. Talk to London Roof Gardens. We’re builders and roofers first and foremost and are fully certified to carry out solar-panel installation.
