Brits cash in on dry spell

As the UK experiences the driest start to the year in over eight decades, many hope the good weather will continue as they stand to earn money simply by harnessing the power of the sun.

With much of the UK experiencing approximately 17 hours of daylight at this time of year, the estimated 15,000 homes that have solar photovoltaic (PV) panels installed, are watching the sunlight turn into a cash sum of around £960 a year, as they take advantage of the government’s Feed-in-Tariff scheme.

Introduced at the beginning of April 2010, the scheme offers homeowners who have had solar PV panels installed using products and installers accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), a payment of up to 41.3p for every unit of electricity they generate.

Louisa Gilchrist, solar expert for npower, the leading utility supplier of solar technology in the UK, comments: “It’s fantastic to see Feed-in-Tariffs generating so much interest with homeowners. Even though solar panels don’t need direct sunlight to produce electricity, the dry conditions the UK has experienced in the first half of the year will certainly have had a positive effect on the amount of energy homeowners are producing.

“As the warm weather continues over the summer, when we also see prolonged hours of sunlight, owners of solar panels often see a significant increase in the amount of energy they produce and because of FITs, this now corresponds to an increase in income as well.

“What’s more, even if homeowners find themselves generating more energy than they need over the summer period, they will still receive money for every unit of energy they generate though the FITs scheme – regardless of whether they use it themselves or sell it back to the grid.”

The scheme has provided a significant incentive to homeowners interested in solar power, with suppliers such as npower, the leading utility supplier of solar technology in the UK, reporting an 80 per cent uplift in enquiries since the beginning of April when the scheme was introduced.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) uses energy from the sun to create electricity to run appliances and lighting in the home. Solar PV requires only daylight - not direct sunlight - to generate electricity, making it incredibly efficient. The system also generates no greenhouse gases, helping you to reduce your carbon footprint.

To help homeowners take advantage of the double benefit, npower solar offers a complete ‘one-stop-shop’ service including site survey and installation.

npower’s website includes guidance for homeowners on solar installations, including a suitability calculator which tells homeowners whether their property is suitable for solar installations and offers a free estimate for installation.

For more information visit npower.com/solar