All homeowners who generate green electricity from products like Solar Photovoltaic Panels will be paid by their energy provider for every kilowatt hour generated every day for 24 years.

1. Choosing the Right Solar Panel Company
With so many firms now on the Solar Panel band wagon, and a large Feed-in Tariff reduction that came
into place in April 2012, how do you know which one is right for you? In an informative article in
Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, written by Eco Homes Assessor Tim Pullen explains the best way
to choose a reputable Solar Panel Installation Company. Below is a brief summary:
• Choose a o pa that employs all its own roofers and electricians. This will ensure that your
installation is of the highest quality.
• Ask to see the i stalle 's ualifi atio s - many companies are using unqualified staff.
• Ask hat oofi g e pe ie e the i stalle has - many solar companies have no roofing expertise at all
and this is a crucial skill. It's a bonus if they have an NVQ in solar roofing with heritage experience.
• Choose a o pa hi h has hu d eds of i stallatio s u de its elt a d that is happ to p o ide ou
customer testimonials.
• Ask ho gua a tees the o k a ship a d e su e it is u de itte i ase the o pa goes ust.
Reputable companies offer a solar care insurance warranty for ten years.
• Ask ho is goi g to he k the st u tu al i teg it . It is not unusual for installers to miss the fact that
the solar panels may overload the roof structure.
Tim also gives his view on 'renta-panel' where some companies offer to mount Solar PV panels to your
roof and give you 'free' electricity in return. He believes that while you might save £480 a year on a 4kW
array, the company will make around £1,320 under the Feed-in Tariff scheme.

2. It really is a helpful alternative if you don't have the funds to cover the installation at the moment, but
you want to lower your energy bills straight away. What you should do is agree a buy-back cost with the
installation company, so you can eventually own the solar panels and become eligible for the Feed-in
Tariff scheme at a later date.
The new Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme was introduced this April by the Government to encourage all of us
to help our world by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, the major contributor to rising global
carbon emissions.
All homeowners who generate green electricity from products like Solar Photovoltaic Panels will be
paid by their energy provider for every kilowatt hour generated every day for 24 years. And that's tax
free and index-linked too!