Solar panels

The amount of electricity your panels generate depends on the amount of sunlight they get. For instance, they’ll produce their maximum amount of electricity on a sunny summer’s day and much less on an overcast winter’s day.

Electricity is measured in watts. 1,000 watts of electricity, also known as 1 kilowatt, is enough to run a one-bar electric fire. Electricity companies charge for energy use in units. A ‘unit’ is the energy needed to run a one-bar electric fire for one hour.

Each of the Habinteg solar panels makes 150 watts on a sunny summer’s day. To find out how much energy your roof can generate, multiply the number of panels on your roof by 150.

For example, if you have 10 panels:

10 panels x 150 watts = 1,500 watts

So, the maximum amount of electricity your panels would be able to generate is 1,500 watts. What’s actually produced will vary depending on the time of year and the weather, so it could drop to 10 watts on an overcast day in January, for example.

Habinteg’s solar panels don’t include a battery. That means you can’t store any extra electricity produced. If they generate electricity and you don’t use it at the same time, it goes into the national grid.

If you use more electricity than is being generated by your panels (e.g. it’s dark or you’re needing to use a lot), you’ll be using electricity from the national grid.

Because of this, it’s a good idea to keep track of your energy use to help you see how much you’ll be charged for electricity.

If you have a smart meter, it’ll show how much energy you’re using from the grid. So as long as that stays at zero, you’re entirely solar-powered!

You can work out how much electricity you use by looking at the power rating of your appliances and multiplying it by the time it’s in use. Find out more with this guide from the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

Try to balance how much electricity you’re using with the amount being generated by your solar panels. Run appliances that need a lot of electricity, e.g. your washing machine or dishwasher, during the day when the sun is shining. Try to stagger using them so they’re not all on at once.

Try to reduce your energy consumption. If any devices on standby are safe to turn off, turn them off at the wall. The most common culprits are:

• TVs on standby
• Games consoles on standby
• Microwaves
• Lights left on.

Find out more ways to reduce your energy use with these tips from the Centre for Sustainable Energy.