How are solar panels made?

The main ingredient in a solar panel is Silicon (90%+). Silicon is the second-most abundant element on the planet after Oxygen. About 28% of the Earth’s crust is Silicon.

A fact that surprises a lot of people, especially solar sceptics!

  1. To extract Silicon from the rocks and sand it is put into an enormous furnace at over 2000 degrees Celsius. Resulting in pure liquid Silicon. Everything from Glass windows to computer chips uses Silicon – which all go through this extraction process.
  2. This Silicon is then cooled (crystallised). Solar cells need to have an ‘electric potential’ to generate a current, so a chemical is added (Boron) to the crystallised Silicon, a second chemical (Phosphorous) is added later in the production process to create a second layer.
  3. The crystallised Silicon and Boron are added to a large furnace and baked for two days to combine the elements.
  4. This results in a large block of crystallised Silicon known as an ingot, this block is then cut into individual cell-sized columns and then cut again into very thin Silicon crystal wafers.
  5. These wafers are then separated and cleaned.
  6. The wafers are then treated with the second chemical (Phosphorous) and baked again to create the two separate layers. We now have an ‘electric potential’ A positively charged layer and a negatively charged layer.
  7. The cells are then treated with an anti-reflective coating as any light reflected from the cells would be wasted energy.
  8. The solar cells are now ready to be assembled and create energy.
  9. A semi-molten metal is applied to the back of the cells – often aluminium, which can help conduct electricity.
  10. The cells are then assembled into rows connected by metallic strips (or printed on using a Silver paste). These ‘contacts’ are then baked onto the cell using a furnace.
  11. Each cell is tested, inspected and sorted into classes of efficiency and quality. They can then be assembled into a solar panel.
  12. The cells can then be connected together in rows to form the panel. The modules are made up of a sheet of glass, cells, adhesive and a back sheet.
  13. The module is then laminated and cured by heating.
  14. An aluminium frame and a junction box are then attached to the laminated module.
  15. All finished modules then go through a series of tests before leaving the factory. An infrared camera looks for micro-cracks in the module/cells. The module is then ‘flash tested as the final test of quality to ensure it will perform as expected.
Finally, the solar panels are ready to be installed on your roof!

faq’s about solar panel systems

One for the zoom family quiz!

In 1921, Albert Einstein won his first and only Nobel prize for his work on describing the photoelectric effect.

In a nutshell, light (a beam of particles) knocks off electrons from the solar cell; the solar cells direct these electrons along a current – creating electricity. In theory, solar panels could last forever as there are no moving parts.

 

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Solar power panel efficiency has increased significantly over the last ten years so you might be surprised at how much electricity even a small roof could generate.

The smallest system we would recommend would be 9 x 380W panels, covering an area of 17 square meters. (4m x 4.25m).

 

How many solar panels do I need?

No. It’s a common myth. Whilst south facing is the most optimum facing position, as a rule of thumb – an identical East or West facing roof would generate 85% as much energy as the south-facing roof.

You may prefer to have an east and west facing roof than the south and north-facing roof as you could fit twice as many electric residential solar panels on the east/west roof than just south facing.

Even a North facing roof will generate approx 55% as much energy as a south-facing roof. For example, a 20 year old 10% efficient south-facing solar panel would generate approximately the same amount of energy as a modern north-facing solar panel.

 

How do solar panels generate electricity

The installation of solar panels on residential buildings are considered permitted development so you do not require planning permission if they comply with the following conditions.

There are necessary limits and conditions which must be complied with to benefit from permitted development rights.

  • Solar panels should not be installed above the highest part of the roof and should not project more than 200mm from the roof slope or wall surface.
  • Installers should not install solar panels on a building that is within the grounds of a listed building or on a site designated as a scheduled monument.
  • If your property is in a conservation area, or a World Heritage Site, you must not install solar panels on a wall that faces a highway.

Feel free to reach out to us to buy solar panels in the UK & switch to a sustainable lifestyle. Give us a call at 01273 286 627 and request for a free design and quote.

 

Planning Portal

The district network operator (DNO) is the company responsible for distributing electricity from the national grid to your home. Installers must inform the DNO of your installation within 28 days after the date of installation. Leoht will handle this for you.

You do not require permission for systems under 16 amps per phase (3.68kW single-phase or 11.04kW three-phase supply). All of the residential solar panel systems that we install fall into this category. System sizes are based on the AC inverter rating rather than the peak DC output of the solar system.

“By following bad advice regarding output limits you could be costing yourself £000’s.”

 

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Not on their own. But it is possible when combined with a time of use tariff and energy storage – depending on the time of use tariff and smart export guarantee rates.

For example, Octopus Go tariff pays 5.5p/kWh for every unit exported and charges 5p/kWh for off-peak use from 00:30 – 04:30. You could install solar panels that generate the equivalent of 100%+ of your electricity consumption and earn 5.5p/kWh for every unit exported to pay for topping up the batteries in the winter at 5p/kWh.

Your bills could even go negative if you can generate more than you use!

Time of use tariffs are why we have smart meters so expect them to become more common in future.

Yes. Solar panels are worth the cost. We believe that solar pv panels systems are an excellent investment for both you and the environment.

Our solar power panels systems cost between £5000 to £9000+ VAT, depending on the size and location of your home. This may seem expensive, but by installing a solar system we aim to reduce your electricity bill by up to 100%. Where else could you earn 9-13% per year tax-free on a low-risk investment, whilst protecting against rising energy prices and helping the environment at the same time.

Our solar panels are durable and come with a 25-30 year warranty. If well maintained, our solar panels can last for more than 30 years. Our solar panels are modern and blend well with any roof. A premium solar panel installation acting as your home’s own energy supply is likely to increase the value of your property.

Solar panels are largely maintenance-free. Over time, however, they may be affected by environmental factors – dead leaves, for example, may block sections of the panel. We recommend that solar panels are checked every few years to ensure maximum efficiency and cleaned once or twice a year.

Solar panels need sunlight to generate energy, so they do not work at night. However, you can install a battery to store excess electricity generation during the day to then be used later at night.

Negative electricity bills

Generating more energy than you use could turn your electricity bills negative.

The marginal cost of adding panels to a 4 kW solar system is negligible, you may as well use the space available and go larger.

Find out how much you could save with solar

Our cost and savings calculator can help you find the right solar specification for you and how much you could save!

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