One of the best things about solar PV is that the technology is suitable for the vast majority of homes in the UK. That said, there are a few factors which can affect whether your home is suitable.
Which way does your roof face?
The direction your home faces will determine how much direct sunlight it gets throughout the day, and how much energy your system will generate. If your home faces between south east and south west it will normally be suitable for solar PV. Alternatively, if the two sides of your roof face east and west, it may be possible to design a system that spans both sides and will still generate a good amount of electricity.
What's the angle of your roof?
Very few people ever have reason to think about this. Most roofs in the UK have a suitable pitch. On residential properties they are normally between 25o and 45o. The difference in angle only makes a small difference in performance. We always check this during the survey.
If you have a flat roof, we can usually install a frame to mount the panels on.
Do you have space on your roof?
Depending on the size of solar PV system that you want to install, you will need a clear area of between 18 and 40 square metres on your roof – the more the better. If your roof is an irregular shape, has dormers or other obstructions then it may not be suitable – we can advise you about this when we carry out your survey.
Planning permission
In most cases, planning permission is not required for the installation of solar on a roof in Scotland. However, if your property is a listed building, in a Conservation Area or in a World Heritage Area this would be required.
How energy efficient is your home?
In order to qualify for the government's feed in tariff, your property must have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D or higher. The majority of properties will already be at this level as this is the average accross the UK. If you're not sure what your EPC rating is we can arrange for our Energy Assessor to carry out a survey, and advise you of what measures you can take if you fall short of the D rating.