Most properties will not need planning permission, but you should contact your local authority at an early stage to notify them of your proposed installation.

This depends on the number, orientation, angle and shading of the PV panels, as well as the latitude of the location. As a guide using PVsol we can offer the following approximations: For residential properties: A typical 2.8kWp domestic system will generate 2,415kWh per year, saving over 1 tonne of CO2. We can mount panels onto roofs or in gardens using mounting structures, plus planning permission isn't usually required. For commercial properties, including schools: A typical 10kWp commercial system will generate 8,000kWh per year, saving nearly 5 tonnes of CO2. We recommend that small and medium sized businesses contact The Carbon Trust as they may qualify for a loan to help fund installation.

Solar PV Systems are designed to work all year round. Solar panel manufacturing technology has now advanced to a point where the system can now produce power on an overcast day.

You can be generating your own electricity within hours, as a normal solar PV install typically takes just 1 - 2 days.

Your solar PV panels are all linked together and connected into an inverter which converts the DC power that they generate into mains voltage compatible AC. Any power that you generate will first be used by you. If you generate more power than you use, the surplus can either go to the grid or be exported to a battery thereby reducing your electricity bill.