It may seem surprising to many, but solar rooftop solar panels can be a great investment in Northern Ireland. Although considered a rather dark place, this beautiful country gets between 1,000 and 1,100 hours of solar UV light each year. With this amount of UV hours, solar panels can generate a serious amount of green energy for your business.
Solar power innovation has come a long way over recent years, and many of these advancements have helped lower the cost to produce energy, making it a more affordable renewable energy option. There are, however, many aspects to consider before making an investment decision and reaching out to solar companies – in particular bird proofing solar panels
Do Solar Panels Actually Work in Northern Ireland?
It’s true, Northern Ireland does get its fair share of bad weather, but don’t let this put you off investing in solar energy. Just like any other location, solar panels work by generating power from the sun. The process involves installing solar panels on a roof and connecting the panels to a solar inverter.
There is the option to connect the solar power installation to the main grid or install a solar energy system. The second option is great if you are located in a rural area and may need power backup during energy blackouts, or if you just want more control over where your energy is coming from. Irrespective of the connection choice, with solar panels you can help generate clean energy and even reduce energy bills.
The solar panels generate energy from the intensity of light, which means they can even work during overcast winter days. This is great news if you are in Northern Ireland, as the solar panels are not necessarily dependent on bright sunlight to work.
To make certain your solar panels are functioning at their best, get professional guidance on what system and size are best for the proposed property. It is not a great idea to source and instal solar panels yourself as there are a lot of technical considerations involved.
Are Solar Panel Installations Expensive in Northern Ireland?
The expense of installing solar panels in Northern Ireland depends on many aspects. For example:
- What is your average business energy consumption?
- How many solar panels will you need?
- How much room do you have for solar panels?
- Will you need a battery storage system?
The total solar energy system installation costs will also depend on the type of solar panels you opt for, the quality of the solar equipment, choice of the installer, and insurance. However, to give you a rough idea, the average solar panel installation costs between £4,000 and £9,000. It is sensible that you reach out to your preferred solar supplier directly to get an exact price for your commercial solar system installation.
Can You Get Free Solar Panels in Northern Ireland?
Unless your best friend owns a solar panel company, you are unlikely to get free solar panels as the government does not provide free solar panels. In the past, there have been some national schemes to encourage solar panel installations for homes and businesses in Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO), led by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI), wanted to encourage renewable energy. Their scheme involved electric companies issuing Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) to home and business owners that generated their own renewable energy. The electricity suppliers then had to show the ROCs to the government to prove they had sold renewable energy. This scheme, however, is no longer available in Northern Ireland.
Are There Any Solar Panel Grants In Northern Ireland?
There are currently no specific solar panel grants in Northern Ireland. However, in January 2020, there was the introduction of the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). SEG is a form of solar funding where licensed electricity suppliers are obliged by the government to offer a favourable tariff and make payments to renewable energy generators that are exporting energy to the national grid. With the support of SEG, a solar system can repay itself in about 5 to 10 years.
To meet the requirements for the SEG, your solar PV system can only generate up to 5MW, which a typical small scale system would be well within this range. The technology and installer used by the solar panel owner must also be licensed under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) (or equivalent). This is really important as energy suppliers may request you to provide a valid MCS certificate to prove your solar installation meets the necessary standard. You will also require a registered smart meter that logs your exported electricity. This is needed even if you are not signing up for a smart tariff.
How much money can you make exporting electricity?
There is no minimum or set tariffs for the Smart Export Guarantee. The only requirement is that the tariff has to be greater than zero at all times. The energy companies are responsible for determining what tariffs to offer their consumers. The electric companies can opt to offer multiple tariffs or just one.
The SEG tariffs can also be fixed or variable. A fixed SEG tariff will pay a determined rate per kWh of electricity exported over the length of the contract. A variable SEG tariff will fluctuate the price based on market demand (with the only requirement that prices never fall below zero).
Closing Thoughts
With the potential money that can be made through solar panel investment put to one side, generating power via renewable energy sources is great for the environment. Green investments are a great way to make your contribution towards fighting climate change.
If you are not sure about installing solar panels, you can instead look into renewable energy stocks or switching to a renewable energy supplier. There are plenty to choose from in Northern Ireland, and by doing this, you can still be a part of the national push towards renewable energy generation.
