Solar power – What’s in it for me?
Reliable energy supply – the amount of sunlight hitting the earth is only expected to vary by 0.1%. This is a known factor and we also know how long each day in the year will last. Weather affects the amount of sunlight (irradiance) hitting our panels. In the UK, daily weather can be highly unpredictable but when you look at the average weather conditions over a longer period of time we would only expect a +/- 10% variation based on historical data. This means it is easy for us to forecast the amount of solar power you can expect to yield from your system over it's lifetime.
A free supply of energy – solar PV systems utilise a free and clean supply of energy from the sun. This means you are not subjected to fluctuating fuel prices and you can guarantee a supply of solar power as long as the sun shines!
Low carbon energy – a common misconception is that solar panels require more energy to manufacture than they will produce. This is simply not true and we would expect the energy payback of a good quality panel to be as little as 2-3 years in the UK, even when you take into account the associated carbon from shipping, installation and decommissioning. This means solar can be used in your carbon reduction strategy to help meet targets and legislation.
A fast and flexible energy solution – solar PV is a highly flexible technology that can be used across a range of sectors and in a variety of environments. It is easily scalable and can be installed quickly, with minimal disruption to your business’ daily activities.
Few planning restrictions – unless you are building a multi megawatt solar farm or proposing installation on or near a listed building then your solar PV system should easily be approved for planning and in many instances planning is simply not required. This is contrary to other renewable electricity systems like wind and hydro that can undergo many months of planning before a project can commence.
We know it works and we can prove it – solar PV is a long-standing technology that has been tried and tested in the UK for many years. Every system installed by GMI Energy is fitted with advanced monitoring hardware that enables us to track its performance. We know that our systems are performing 11% above their forecast on average. Furthermore, a 2012 study conducted by the University of Sheffield found that 92% of UK systems monitored for 2 years are performing on spec