There are essentially just two main kinds of solar panel. The simpler type which just generate Solar Energy in the form of hot water, and the higher technology type which harvest useful amounts of electricity. Both types of system can prove to be cost effective if they are effectively installed, and when one takes advantage of state grants which are presently available.
Certainly, the photo-electric kinds of solar panel are more technologically advanced, more expensive and perhaps more useful, because you can use the electricity which they generate for many more uses, including the water heating task which is all that the old fashioned panels can perform.
Water heating Solar Panels could reduce your gas and electricity consumption by providing all or part of your hot water and domestic heating requirements. Water heating solar panels supply hot water during the day, and this can easily be stored in most domestic hot water systems, which may used by family members when they come home in the evenings, and in the mornings. Of course, there are heat losses to be suffered in keeping the hot water from when it is generated (in daytime) until when it is needed (most often during the evenings and mornings). These losses can be quite serious, according to on the insulation of the system and time lag between when the water is warmed and when it’s.
Photo-electric panels can additionally produce energy for this purpose, but also they can power your domestic appliances for example washing machines etc. On top of that, you can sell any electricity that you don’t consume to the national grid at an advantageous price. But bear in mind, you will always pay more for the energy which you buy, than for the electricity which you sell back to the grid. For this reason, the sophistication of photo-electric solar panels will be most efficiently harnessed by making one or two alterations to your daily routine. You can setyour household appliances to operate in daylight hours, because they will use free energy. You should also where possible attempt to carry out any other tasks demanding considerable electrical energy, so that you do them in daylight. By doing this, you will maximise your consumption of free energy, and minimise your consumption of bought in energy.