A 4kWp system can generate around 3,800 kilowatt hours of electricity a year – roughly equivalent to a typical household’s electricity needs. It will save nearly two tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
|
System size
|
Benefit per year |
Carbon dioxide per year
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered up until 31st March 2014 | 4kWp | £785 | 1.8 tonnes |
| Registered on and from 1st April 2014 | 4kWp | £770 | 1.8 tonnes |
If your system is eligible for the Feed-in Tariff scheme it could generate savings and income of around £770 a year if you register before December 2014 (based on a 4kWp solar PV system eligible for a generation tariff of 13.52p/kWh). You will get paid for both the electricity you generate and use, and what you don’t use and export to the grid.
Maintenance
Solar PV needs little maintenance – you’ll just need to keep the panels relatively clean and make sure trees don’t begin to overshadow them. In the UK panels that are tilted at 15° or more have the additional benefit of being cleaned by rainfall to ensure optimal performance. Debris is more likely to accumulate if you have ground mounted panels.