FAQs

• How does solar work?
• Is there enough sun in the UK for solar to work?
• How long do solar PV systems last?

• How does solar work?

  Solar PV (Photovoltaic) uses light sensitive semi-conducting materials that generate direct electric current when exposed to sunlight. This is different from Solar Thermal which uses the sun's energy to heat water.

• Is there enough sun in the UK for solar to work?

  Actually, solar panels work on daylight - they don't need direct sunshine, so the often-cloudy UK weather is sufficient to generate a significant amount of electricity. Germany, for example, where the light levels are similar to the UK, produces more than a third of the world's solar electricity.

• How long do solar PV systems last?

  Panels carry manufacturers' performance guarantees for 25 years, and you can expect another 10-15 years of use beyond this point. The inverter (the piece of equipment that converts the Direct Current produced by the panels to Alternating Current on which the grid runs) needs replacing after about 12-15 years (this will be done at no cost to SolarShare customers).