Solar energy is a complex topic, and if you’re not in the industry, it is common that you’ll have a lot of questions about it – especially if you’re looking at investing in solar power for your business.
Here at Bowler, we want to ensure that you have all of the information that you need, so we have put together this blog to answer 3 of the most common questions we are always asked about solar panels:
What’s the difference between Solar PV and other solar energy techniques?
The word photovoltaic can be directly translated to mean ‘light-electricity’, and that is just what photovoltaic materials and devices do, they convert light energy into electricity. There are four main types of solar energy technologies:
- PV systems that use PV cells made from semiconductor materials to convert sunlight directly to electricity
- Concentrating solar power (CSP) systems that concentrate the sun’s energy using reflective devices such as mirrors to produce heat that is then used to generate electricity
- Transpired solar collectors, or ‘solar walls’ that use solar energy to preheat ventilation air for a building
- Solar water heating systems, which contain a solar collector that faces the sun and either heats water directly or heats something called a ‘working fluid’ that is then used to heat water.
How much does a solar energy system cost, and how much will I save?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple, or single answer to this question as it all depends on the size of the system that you have installed and the amount of electricity that you use.
While we can give you an estimate on how much you can save by installing solar, you’ll still need to know the size of the system that you’re going to have installed. The best way of answering these questions is to speak to one of our advisors who are in the know and will be able to give you answers on your case specifically rather than giving you generic figures.
Where does the excess energy that I generate go?
Myths about solar energy have said that excess energy that you produce is lost, and that simply isn’t the case.
One place that the excess energy that you generate can go is back to the grid – and for every unit of electricity that you generate that goes back to the grid, you will be paid for, this is called your export tariff.
You might decide that you would prefer to keep all of the electricity that you generate, so you can choose to store it on site by purchasing batteries when you have your Solar PV system installed – but this option can be costly, so think carefully when deciding on batteries.
Free Case Study Pack
Download the Solar Energy Investment Case Study Pack and discover how Bowler Energy has helped commercial and industrial clients invest in solar. See how five businesses have benefitted from:
- Reduced energy bills
- A guaranteed ROI on their installation
- Meeting CSR and sustainability goals
To download your free copy of the Solar Energy Investment Case Study Pack, and to see how Bowler could help you, click here.
