There are in effect only two key sorts of solar panel. The older fashioned type which just produce Solar Energy in the form of hot water, and the more up to date kind which create useful amounts of electricity. Both technologies can be cost effective as long as they have been professionally installed, and when one takes advantage of state subsidies which are currently available.
To be sure, the photovoltaic kinds of solar panel are more advanced, dearer and perhaps more useful, because you can use the electricity which they provide for a much wider range of tasks, in addition to the water heating function which is all that the old fashioned panels perform.
So, water heating Solar Panels could cut your energy usage by producing all or some of your hot water and home’s heating requirements. Water heating solar panels generate hot water during daylight, and this can easily be stored in the majority of domestic hot water systems, which may used by family members when they come home in the evenings, and as they get up in the morning. Of course, there are heat losses suffered in keeping the hot water from when it is produced (in daytime) until when it’s needed (most often in the evenings and mornings). These losses may be fairly serious, depending on the insulation of the system and time lag between when the water is warmed and when it’s.
On the other hand, Photovoltaic panels will also supply energy for this purpose, but they can additionally run your household appliances such as washing machines etc. In addition, you sell any electricity that you don’t consume to the national grid at an advantageous price. Of course, you always pay a higher price for the electricity that you purchase, than for the electricity that you sell to the grid. For this reason, the power of photovoltaic panels can be most effectively utilised if you make one or two changes to your daily routine. You should be able to programme your household appliances to operate during the day, because they will use free electricity. You should also if possible try to do any other jobs requiring fair amounts of electrical energy, so that you do them during the day. In this way, you will maximise your consumption of free electricity, and minimise your usage of bought in electricity.
