Costs, savings and maintenance

Costs

An average system of 4 kWp and will cost around £10,000 (including VAT at 5%). Most domestic PV systems cost around £2,000 to £3,000 per kWp installed, though small systems cost proportionately more. the more electricity the system can generate, the more it costs but the more it could save you.

• Larger systems are usually more cost-effective than smaller systems (up to 4 kWp)
• PV panels are all around the same price per kWp, but PV tiles cost much more than a typical system made up of panels
• Panels built into a roof are more expensive than those that sit on top.
• More expensive panels are smaller so a bigger system can sit on a smaller roof

Savings

A 4kWp system can generate up to 3433 kilowatt hours of electricity a year using SAP calculations – that’s around 90% of a typical household’s electricity needs – and will save over one and a half tons of carbon dioxide every year.

If your system is eligible for the Feed-In Tariff scheme it could generate savings and income of nearly £1,000 in year one.

This benefit will increase as electricity costs and feed in tariffs rise.   You will get paid for both the electricity you generate and use, and what you don’t use and export to the grid. If you know your system size, you can get a tailored estimate for your system using our Solar Energy Calculator .

For a more detailed breakdown based on a 4KW system click here

Maintenance

Solar PV panels are one of a few renewable technologies that require little to no maintenance. They are kept clean by weathering, and can be left alone once installed. It is advised thatthey are kept clear of shading from any growing vegetation, and if they do get dirty it is advised to clean them to maintain the efficiency.

Much like a dirty window, the cleaner the window the more light is let through, the cleaner your panel the more output you will gain, however there is no need to be up on your roof cleaning the system every week. We recommend that the panels are cleaned with distilled water at least once a year. We have built this cost into our returns calculations.