24 T 3 JUNE 2022
Horizon
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Recouping the cost of solar
installation is going to
happen far more quickly
today than it might have done a few
years ago, and GaGu can’t see that
changing any time soon. If you have
the roof for it, it’s time.
Of course, your specifics are
going to be, er, specific, so let’s be
broad. The average installation cost
is around £4,800 for a system
which generates around 3.5
kilowatts at peak – that’s cheaper
than it was, and panel efficiency is
slowly creeping up; look for 20 %
efficiency if you can afford it.
Depending on weather, direction,
and whatever fresh hell the energy
companies have unleashed on us at
press time, it’ll cook up an average
of £270 worth of power per year, or
over £4 00 at max. You’ll save the
most on grid energy if you’re at
home using it during the day.
Tesla’s Powerwall battery can hold
13.5kWh of solar juice, but at
£9,379 it costs twice as much as a
set of solar panels on its own.
Although you no longer get paid
for generating solar energy and
using it for yourself, you can export
any energy you don’t consume to
the national grid for a little kickback.
How much you get depends on
your energy provider – it could be
as low as 1.5p per kWh to 2 0p with
the most generous tariffs.
If you’re worried about
transforming your house into
something that looks like a gigantic
1980s calculator, consider PV Slate.
It looks like normal slate, and while
it’s not cheap (around £ 285 per
square metre) you’ll be able to drag
a lot of wattage out of an otherwise
normal-looking roof.
Is it time to gosolar?
GEORGIACRUMB,HOVE
Worried about transforming
yourhouse into something
which looks likea gigantic 19 80s
calculator?Consider PV Slate
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