Maidstone Energy Services
We at Maidstone Energy Services are committed to reducing ours and as many other peoples Carbon Footprint as possible, so that in years to come our children and our children’s children and enjoy this planet as we all have.
Working in Partnership with our sister company Maidstone Electrical Services, we are offering PV Solar Systems to Domestic, Commercial and Industrial consumers. With the new Government Feed -in Tariffs this has now become a feasible option not only to save on you Electric Energy Bill but also to earn money back from the suppliers (more info below on Feed in Tarriffs).
What Do Maidstone Energy Services Offer
Here at Maidstone Energy Services we offer a full and comprehensive service right through from the quotation process to installation. Our installation is guaranteed and meets to the requirements of the MCS and NICEIC. We design your solar panels to get the best value out of them for your roof and your budget. We will deal with everything to make your investment an easy and stress free as possible. At Maidstone Energy Services we don’t like a hard sell, so we won’t try it with you. We work hard to keep are prices low as possible but using the latest equipment.
After the installation
Maidstone Energy Services prides itself on customer satisfaction. You are just as important to us after the installation as before and during. We believe the best advertisement for our company comes from word of mouth customer recommendations. We will not just simply install and forget like many other companies out there. You will have a direct number to our team for and technical help and support.
We also offer a maintenance package which will include the following annually:
• Deep clean of the panels on the roof (dirt and bird dropping)
• We check that all panels are securely fixed
• Check all cable and connecting
• Maintenance on the inverter, clean and testing of the inverter.
Please ask for a quote as we treat every house/building individually.
How does solar PV work?
Solar PV systems convert light into electrical power using a thin layer of semi-conducting material, usually silicon, encased between a sheet of glass and a polymer resin. They range in size from a few square centimetres, for example on calculators and watches to systems of hundreds of square meters made from interconnected modules that form an array. When exposed to daylight electrons in the semi-conducting material become energised. These electrons are then able to flow through the material generating a direct current (DC). The DC is carried through wiring to an inverter which converts the current to 240v alternating current (AC) so it can be connected to your home’s main electricity supply.
Where are the panels fitted?
Solar PV can be easily incorporated into most houses. The most common option is to use standard solar PV modules in a frame fixed to an existing pitched roof or tilted frame on a flat roof. In this arrangement the panels will slightly protrude from the roof tiles but are still in keeping with the shape of the house. If you are replacing your roof you can now buy solar PV integrated roof tiles and slates that can form part of the weatherproof membrane or structure.
Versatility
As solar PV is made up of modules, typically around 1m x 1.5m, an array (the full solar PV installation) can be designed to accommodate virtually any size and shape of roof. Solar PV can also be mounted vertically or horizontally allowing the system to for part of the wall and roof structures in new properties although performance will be reduced with these tilts.
Orientation and Tilt
Your roof should ideally face due south at a pitched angle of between 30⁰ and 50⁰ from the horizontal to give the best overall annual performance. Installations facing anywhere to the south or due east and due west are feasible, although output will be reduced. Installation is not recommended on roofs facing north.
Connecting to the grid
The vast majority of systems are installed in properties with an existing mains electricity supply. The solar PV supply feeds into your existing system and the electricity generated is either used in your house or is exported to the grid, dependi9ng on how much you are using at the time. Connection to the local grid is not as complicated as you might expect and Maidstone Energy Services will deal with this for you by informing the electricity District Network Operator (DNO).
Governments Feed – In Tariffs (FITs) ,exporting electricity & cost savings
With the government’s Feed- in Tariffs (FITs) scheme, you can get paid for the electricity you generate with your solar PV array. The scheme guarantees a minimum payment for all electricity generated by the system (generation tariff), as well as an additional payment for the electricity exported to the grid (export tariff). These payments are in addition to the bill savings made by using the electricity generated on-site. The payments you are eligible to receive vary depending on the system size and when it was installed. The payments are index linked and guaranteed for 25 years.
For every unit off electricity generated you will receive the generation tariff for solar PV currently set at:
Technology Scale Current Tariff Level (p/KWh) Tariff lifetime (years)
4KW (on existing building) 41.3 25
4KW (new build home) 36.1 25
You will also be paid 3p/kWh for every unit of electricity you export and will save around 12.5p/kWh on your electricity bill for every generated unit that you use in your home.
The amount of energy generated will be measured by an approved generation meter, supplied by Maidstone Energy Services as part of our package.
Until Smart Meters are rolled out across the country any export payments through FITs will be ‘deemed’ at 50%. This means you will get paid for exporting 50% of the electricity you generate regardless of how much you do actually export.
To be eligible for the full Feed-in Tariffs payments the system must be installed on or after the 15 July 2009 using new equipment, and both the system and Installed (Maidstone Energy Services) must be registered under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).
Where possible it is recommended you use any appliances during the day when the solar PV modules are generating the electricity. This avoids the full cost of taking electricity from the local grid and makes maximum use of your own investment in you solar PV system.
Here is an example of what a typical domestic solar electricity system with an installation size of 4.0kWh could earn and save you each year through the Feed-in Tariffs:
£ per year
Generation Tariff £1486
Export Tariff £51
Reduction in current electricity bill £120
Total savings & income generated £1657
Based on a tariff rate of 41.3p/kWh, export rate of 3p/kWh and electricity price of 12.5p/kWh.
This assumes 50% of electricity generated is exported. The Feed-in Tariffs rates are index linked, so this income will hold it value over the entire life of the system.
