With rising energy costs, roof top solar energy installations are becoming increasingly popular projects with many new companies entering the market offering free solar panels and free or reduced cost electricity.
Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service has produced some guidance for consumers to help through the solar energy maze.
Doorstep Sellers
Trading Standards Officers have received complaints from consumers who paid large deposits of £250 for the installation of solar panels to their properties following door to door visits. In these cases, the panels were not fitted and the trader disappeared.
Don’t buy from the first person who comes to your door. Make sure the trader you use is local and well established. Seek at least three quotes from traders and where possible go on recommendation.
You can look up a trader at www.companieshouse.org.uk and see how long they have been a limited company.
‘Free’ Energy
Traders that offer free solar panels and free electricity can do so because they will receive income from the generation of electricity (the Feed-in tariff scheme) and from any electricity that you do not use and is exported to the grid. It may be more cost effective for you to buy your own solar panels and receive all the income yourself.
If a trader is only offering discounted electricity, as opposed to free electricity, the Energy Saving Trust advise that your savings will be less and you may want to consider if it is really worth going ahead.
A video ad on youtube offers FREE solar panels. The word 'free' is spoken and appears repeatedly throughout the ad. Yet, freeze framing the ad at the end reveals the statement; "subject to a 25 year lease". Since when does 'free' equate to a 25 year lease?
What Can You Save?
The amount of money you could save will depend upon when you use electricity. You will save if you run your appliances during the day when it is ‘sunny’ and you are generating electricity and can benefit from it.
Moving House?
Residents should also consider what would happen to the solar panels in the event of a house move and who is responsible for their maintenance and insurance.
More Information
Find out more about solar panel installations at Energy Saving Trust: Consumer guidance on free solar PV offers
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