We hope you will choose to go solar with us and we feel there are many reasons why you will want to. Here are some of them:

• We are specialists in solar energy systems with over nine year's experience
• Being passionate about what we do means that we like to get it right every time.
• We have done thousands of solar installations in many homes across the south.
• We treat your house like a home - we aim to minimise the disruption and upheaval caused by the works and make sure the process is as pleasant as it can be.
• We offer a range of different systems that mean we can fit solar on a wider range of homes.
• We try to source as many of our systems as locally as possible, and therefore use UK and European made solar hot water and electrical panels.
• All the systems we use have passed the relevant EU or UK standard tests (like EN 12975 for solar hot water panels)
• We are fully insured and qualified to carry out the works in your home.
• We are accredited for many national and local grant schemes, and can help you to benefit from the funds available in your area.
• We provide no obligation surveys and fixed price quotations.
• We will not try and pressure you into buying one of our systems but hope to advise you of what we think will work best for you.
• We are members of the Solar Trade Association and adhere to their code of ethical conduct.
• We have many satisfied customers who are would be happy to have a chat about their system and experiences if you want to hear how it all works.

Getting solar energy into your life is easy with Southern Solar Ltd.

If you would like to tell us about your house you can do that here

If your house is suitable we will come and survey your property and give you a fixed price quotation.

Once we have worked out a satisfactory solution that you are happy with we will get the system arranged and an installation date booked. Installations normally take around three days, and at the end of the job the team will explain the system to you and demonstrate any controls.

It is as simple as that!  Turn it on and you start capturing the sun.
If you would like to talk it through why not call us?

There are many reasons why you should start to use solar energy systems on your home. Here are just a few of them:

• Reduce your impact on the environment
• Save money on your bills
• Reconnect your house to the world around it
• Harvest the suns abundant energy
• Make a better return on your money than leaving it in the bank
• Do your bit to make the world a healthier place

Whether solar will work on your home is something we can easily determine.  The two different types of solar energy systems have slighlty different needs. The basic requirements for the two different systems are as follows:

Solar Hot water

• A south, east, or west facing roof, with a two meter square space available on it.
• A hot water cylinder (either vented or unvented) or a solar compatible combi boiler (please check with manufacturer).
• The ability to run pipes from the panel location to the hot water cylinder.

Solar Electric

• A south facing roof with 8 square meters of space for every kW peak of solar electric panels.
• Space to mount inverters and switches (this could be in the loft).
• A spare fuse in your consumer unit to attach the system to (if you do not have this we can arrange it).

If you have any questions why not This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or go to our forum section and post a question.

 What is the Feed-in Tariff?
The FIT (also called the Clean Energy Cash Back) will pay a premium for energy generated by renewable energy systems like solar panels. It is designed to get more of us using renewable energy and encourage low carbon living.

When does it start?
1st of April 2010

How much money will I get for my electricity?
The rates vary depending on the size of the installation. For every kWh your solar system generates you will be paid up to 41.3 p. For a well sited 4kW retrofitted system the estimated annual output would be 3300kWh and you would be paid 41.3p for every kWh – approximately £1350 a year. Generating you own power also means your bills will drop as you will be buying less power from the national grid. On top of all this anything you export back to the national grid will earn you an additional 3p.

How long will I receive payments for?
Payments are guaranteed at the sign-up rate for 25 years

Financially why should I invest in solar?
The income generated by the FIT is tax free and because the tariffs are linked to inflation we believe that it represents a 7-10% rate of return on your investment.

What’s the catch?
There isn’t one! You need to find the money to pay for the initial system but don’t let this put you off, come and chat to us about potential financial help.

OK, sounds great but where do I get more information from?
Try our feed in tarrif calculator to get an idea of what sort of systme will be suitable for your property!
If you want to know more about the FIT and what it means for your project give one of our team a call. With offices across the south of England and Wales we can provide all the help you need.

What is solar hot water?
Traditionally a boiler or electric immersion is used to heat the hot water in a building. A lot of  energy is required for heating water to a high temperature, and the cost of this energy soon adds up. The Sun can be harnessed during the day to provide the energy required to heat hot water. This free energy will heat water to wash, bathe and do the dishes with.

How does the system work?
A solar panel collector will sit on your roof, you can either have a flat panel or an evacuated tube system [pictured] The collector has a special coating which absorbs the suns heat and heats the water in the system.
A pump and controller will sit in your airing cupboard the controller will work with sensors on the roof and in the cylinder to turn the pump on and off depending on the temperature of the water. [picture]
The liquid in the panels contains an antifreeze solution so that it wont seize up in the winter.

What are the different types of panel?
Flat Plate systems – these can be integrated into the roof, so it is part of the roof covering. They consist of 2 sheets of metal and a very thin film of water runs between them, which is heated by the sun.
Evacuated Tube systems – these fit a smaller roof area, so are more efficient. The tubes can be twisted towards south if needed, so they are good for more easterly and westerly roofs.

What would a system do for you?
A well located panel in an unshaded roof should provide 50%-70% of your hot water you should have free hot water from March to September.

What size system do I need?
The systems are sized on the amount of hot water you use, the size of the new hot water cylinder (and size of the solar panel) will depend on how many people live in your house and how many bathrooms you have.
For 2-4 occupants 160L of storage will normally be sufficient, for 4-6 people and 2-3 bathrooms you will probably need 240 L.

What happens in an install?
Before the install we may need to arrange for scaffolding to be erected we only use fully insured professional companies. The install will usually last two days one day to plum in the cylinder and pipe work and one day to put the panels on the roof and commission the system. We have our own teams of installers who are fully trained and polite and tidy.

Are there any maintenance issues?
A well installed system should require little maintenance, you may want to get the system checked over once every 3-5 years to ensure that you haven't lost any pressure and the system is still working at its best. We also recommend that you change the antifreeze solution in the panels once every 3-5 years.

What is solar electricity?

Solar electric panels, otherwise known as photovoltaic (PV) panels, generate electricity from sunlight. The electricity is used as a supplement to your mains electricity to power all the normal electrical appliances.

What will a system do for me?

The larger the system installed, the more power it will generate. A small system would contribute to your electricity usage whilst a larger system could provide the same amount of electricity you use in a year.

What size system will you need?

To get the best out of a solar electric system it needs to be placed on a large south facing roof with no shading. a small system will genrally take about 8m² and a large system could take up to 30m²

How much is it all going to cost?

Please contact your nearest branch for the latest prices, these will be a guide, and most properties require a full survey before accurates quotes can be produced

What savings can I make?

The new feed-in tarriff means that you should get a decent payment for the electricity that you generate, the payemnts should be enough to dramatically reduce your electricity bills, and maybe eradicate them all together.

What happens in an install?

The whole installation process should take 2-3 days. We will spend a day putting the panels up on your roof and the other connecting everything up, testing and commissioning the system. We will always install an approved meter which lets you monitor how much electricity you are producing so you can inform your energy supplier for payment. We will go through the system with you to ensure you know how everything works and provide you with a user guide plus any ongoing support you require.

How is it connected to the existing services?

In addition to the solar panels an inverter is installed that allows the panels to interact safely with the national grid, at the right voltage and operating frequency. The system works fully automatically requiring no adjustment by the householder. A full wiring diagram and shut down procedure will be displayed next to the inverter.

Are there any maintenence issues?

No they do not need any maintenance, and there are no moving parts. The panels also do not need cleaning unless mounted in a particularly dirty environment. you may have to replace the invertor during the life of the system, usually after 10-15 years. Southern Solar offers a 2 year warrantee on the installation, and we will make sure you know the warrentee details for all of the system parts.

Is it worth going off grid?

Many people ask if it is worthwhile going “off grid” and running the house with the solar PV connected to a battery bank. If you are already connected to the grid, this idea is unlikely to be practical as you will require racks of batteries that need regular maintenance. The national grid is essentially a giant battery from which you are taking and supplying electricity.

how are the panels fixed on my roof?

The way that the panels are mounted is dependent on the type of roof. There are mounting systems for flat or sloped roofs and we can work with almost all roofing materials. Panels can be fixed “on roof” or built “in roof”. We always use framing of a highest quality made from stainless steel and aluminum, never galvanized steel.

how long will the system last?

We expect the lifespan of the panels to be in excess of 35 years (manufacturers are now claiming 50 years), and the manufacturers offer a performance warranty of 25 years. Inverters may need replacing after 10-15 years. We guarantee all our work for 2 years.

Whats the environmental impact of manufacture?

Saving energy at all stages is important to us, so where possible we source panels from within the UK, mainly using companies with world class manufacturing capacity in Wales. We expect the panels to return their “embedded energy” in less than 4 years.