Solar PV
Photovoltaic panels convert the sun's energy into electricity by the use of
semiconductors.
Cells are combined and these make up the solar panel and a number of
panels connected together make an array.
Photovoltaic panels are maintenance free, have no moving parts and make no noise. Most people have the
available space to be able to install a starter system that can easily be added too.
Site selection is important with PV as unlike their thermal counterpart the PV arrays performance will drop
significantly when shaded. Solar tracking systems can be
installed to achieve extra output.
Panels should be mounted onto a south facing roof or floor, they
can also be pole mounted. It is very easy to achieve a productive
Solar PV system within limited available space.
We work with a number of suppliers and can supply a number of
different PV products best suited to your individual needs.
PV systems can be battery based or Grid-tied with the use of a
Grid-tie inverter.
To ensure an appropriate system design it is important to
understand the full energy requirements of your home /business.
Solar PV can be installed for about £4800 per KW which would
include PV panels and the Grid Tie equipment to connect to your
mains supply.
Solar PV Worksheet
Please click here for the Solar PV Faq's.
What is Solar PV?
The solar cell is a semiconductor device that when subjected to visible light converts all the wavelengths into DC
electricity. Individual cell outputs are small so cells are linked together to make modules. Modules are linked to
form arrays which are connected as strings to the charge controller for battery systems or to a grid tie inverter for
mains powered systems.
Photovoltaic module types
There are a number of different photovoltaic modules available, monocrystalline , polycrystalline and thin film.
Each type has its own properties and characteristics; the main difference is the power density of the device which
is the W/m2 that it can generate. See the table below based on a 1Kw system.
• Polycrystalline estimated production 800 Kwh per year with a power density of 120Wp/m2
• Monocrystalline estimated production 880 Kwh per year with a power density of 125Wp/m2
• Amorphous or thin film estimated production 930 Kwh per year with a power density of 62Wp/m2.
As you can see with thin film the PD is much lower so a larger roof area will need to be covered to produce the
same output as the other two technologies.
Solar insolation
This is the amount of electromagnetic energy (solar radiation) incident on the surface of the earth. Basically, it is
how much sunlight is shining down on us.
By knowing how much energy we have we can calculate collector sizes to match the energy demands for each
application. Insolation is expressed in Kwh/m2/day; this is the amount of energy that strikes a square metre of the
earth's surface in a single day, or equivalent sunshine hour (ESH).
1KWh/m2/day = 317.1 btu/ft2/day = 3.6MJ/m2/day
The greater the light intensity falling on the PV cell the greater the current produced. The voltage of a cell is not
proportional to the light intensity, the voltage increases almost to maximum in minimum light conditions; this is
why a solar cell is known as a current limiting device.
Tracking systems can be fitted to optimise the arrays direction to give better output throughout the day but this
increases the initial price of a PV installation and incurs maintenance costs as there are moving parts to maintain.
It is very important to avoid array shadowing at any part of the day. As the modules are linked in a serial link the
current output is limited by the lowest module output hence if one module is shadowed it will effect every other
module within the string.
System Design
New Generation Energy will assist you from your initial thought through to electricity production at your site. To
understand your needs please fill out the site assessment form in the download area, we can then understand
more about your needs and site specifics to prepare a quotation for you.
Planning permission is not generally required unless you live in a listed building or an Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty (AONB). However we would recommend that you speak with your local planners prior to starting
any work.
Solar Thermal FAQ's
What is Thermal Solar?
Solar collectors are either evacuated tubes or flat plates and are used to absorb the suns electromagnetic
energy. By the use of non -selective surfaces within the collector 90 to 95% of the energy is absorbed and the
heat is transferred to a transfer fluid that flows within the plate.
Evacuated tubes work in a slightly different way, the heat absorption causes a special heat fluid contained within
the heat pipe to boil and transfer large amounts of heat. As this vapour rises within the heat pipe it enters a
condenser zone within the collector manifold, this is where the heat transfer takes place from the heat pipe to the
transfer fluid.
Uses of Thermal Solar
Thermal solar can supply up 70 % of the household domestic hot water needs. It can also be used for space
heating and swimming pool heating. A standard system for a 3 bedroom house would consist of 2 panels and a
twin coil cylinder together with the associated hardware to integrate the parts. For larger householders larger
cylinders and more panels are required, we will advise you during our site assessment.
Solar insolation
This is the amount of electromagnetic energy (solar radiation) incident on the surface of the earth. Basically, it is
how much sunlight is shining down on us.
By knowing how much energy we have we can calculate collector sizes to match the energy demands for each
application. Insolation is expressed in Kwh/m2/day; this is the amount of energy that strikes a square metre of the
earth's surface in a single day, or equivalent sunshine hour (ESH).
1KWh/m2/day = 317.1 btu/ft2/day = 3.6MJ/m2/day
The greater the light intensity falling on the collector the hotter the heat transfer will be. So with an insolation level
of 1000W/m2 on an average 2 panel system covering 4m2 of roof area the energy generated will be 3.8KW per
hour under peak conditions.
A typical house uses about 5KWh per day of useful energy for domestic hot water so you can quickly see how
thermal solar systems can meet your DHW needs.
Suppose there is not enough sun.
In winter months the sun's angle in the sky is low therefore the insolation level drops as does the level of heat
transfer from the collector. This is when your primary heating system will be required as a back-up to the solar
system.
System Design
New Generation Energy will design a solar system that is best suited to your application and needs, we only use
quality parts from respected manufacturers that will provide you with a system that will work for years to come.
Planning permission is not generally required unless you have a listed property or live in an area of outstanding
natural beauty, AONB although we would recommend that you speak with your local planning authority prior to
starting work. We can help you with this should you wish.
In general we specify a hot water storage capacity of 50 litres per m2 of collector area. And for calculation
purposes we assume a use of 40-45 litres of hot water per person per day.
Solar Thermal
Why let the sun's energy go to waste .
By installing an advanced 2 panel solar system the average householder
could save up to 70% of their domestic hot water bills.
Many people think that solar panels either thermal or photovoltaic will not
work in the UK, that is untrue, they work just as well here as in other
Countries.
New Generation Energy can supply and install systems that can also
provide some space heating capacity. These systems have more thermal
panels than domestic hot water (DHW) systems and generally have larger storage vessels.
Whichever system is chosen it is essential to ensure that the home's thermal envelope is well insulated prior to
the installation of any renewable energy system. As a responsible renewable energy design company we want
you to obtain the best return on your investment and we can advise you on any measures that need to be taken
to achieve this prior to any installation.
Thermal solar is a great way to heat a swimming pool, multiple panels can be used and they may also be
integrated into the DHW system. Using this method the DHW system can be setup to take priority and once
satisfied the pool could act as a thermal store.
Thermal solar systems can be fitted for about £3750 for a conventional 2 panel system although we would
always undertake a free home assessment to ensure suitability and firm pricing.
Please click here to view our Solar Thermal FAQ page.
Wind Turbines
Small wind turbines are classed as turbines that are able to generate
between 200 watts and 50 kWs of electrical power. If a wind turbine is
placed in a carefully chosen site it should provide you with a reliable and
economical means of generating clean energy and reduce your
personal carbon footprint.
Click Here to view
Wind Turbine Products Supplied
The turbine works by converting the wind energy captured by the rotor into electrical energy by means of a
generator. This generated power can be stored in batteries or synchronized to the national grid with the use of
a grid-tie inverter.
To ensure good performance it is widely accepted that an average yearly wind speed of 4.8 metres per second
and above is required. Please use the link in the windpower faq section below to find your average annual
windspeed or of course feel free to contact us for assistance.
Please note, there are many factors to consider when purchasing a wind turbine and although having a
suitable windspeed is the main factor to consider we will survey your site to ensure that the chosen site will
enable maximum power generation and the best return for your investment.
New Generation energy can supply and commission a wide range of turbines from 400w to 50KW taking into
account your individual requirements.
We do not promote or sell roof mounted turbines.
Wind Turbine FAQ's
Wind Energy Worksheets
Wind Turbine FAQ's
What about Windspeed.
The average annual windspeed is the most important factor in the selection of an appropriate site for a wind
turbine. Your annual windspeed can be found by using the following link:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/renewables/explained/wind/windspeed-database/page27708.html
.Unless you know your correct grid address you will have to use the multimap postcode to grid index calculator,
please call us if you need any help with this.
To achieve good yield from your investment in a turbine you will need about 4.8m/s annual windspeed but this
also needs to be a steady flow of breeze and not gusty turbulent wind. The turbine rotor will need to be about 6m
above the nearest obstacle (trees, buildings etc) for a 50m radius. A turbine sited too low will never reach its
output guidance figures.
The power available from a turbine increases by the cube of the wind velocity multiplied by the swept area of the
blade. This means that a 1mph increase in wind speed will give 3 times the amount of power available, this is
why the siting is of paramount importance.
New Generation Energy will help you with this and with our on site anemometer equipment we can monitor
marginal sites to assess their potential.
Available Space
Wind turbine towers come in various configurations from standalone monopoles to tilt up monopoles, guyed,
lattice etc. For the erection of turbines access will be required by vehicles the size of a JCB. On some of the
standalone towers cranes will be required so please think about your site access etc, please contact us with any
questions. As a general rule twice the length of the mast will be needed.
Planning Permission
Wind turbines will need planning approval and thankfully permission should be easier as the government has
made commitments to ensure councils give permission, unless there are credible objections rather than the "not
in my back yard" complaints.
New Generation Energy will help you with your planning application to ensure that your application gets treated
fairly on its first review with your local planners.
Battery system or Grid Tie
For the remote user without mains power batteries are the ideal solution for energy storage. For those with mains
power available we advise a grid tied system which is simple, reliable and more cost effective. Should there be a
power cut the grid tie inverter will isolate any power generation from the national grid for safety. Systems with grid
tie inverters need authorisation from your local DNO (district national operator), we can help you with this.
Batteries will add a significant cost to a RE system and they will need care and attention to ensure optimum
performance and lifetime, so careful thought needs to be made when deciding on what system to install.
Installation
The turbine foundations will need to be laid as per the specification from the turbine manufacturer and will need
about two weeks to cure prior to the main turbine erection. Depending on your location it may be more practical
for this service to be contracted to a local groundwork's company who are happy to work to the supplied
specification. Once the groundworks are complete your turbine should be installed and producing electricity
within one week.
All turbines that New Generation Energy supply have a life expectancy of 20 to 25years minimum. Turbine
warranties are dependent on the manufacturer, this can be discussed at the design stage. We also offer service
contract plans that will give you peace of mind in the event of any problems.
What Next..
Should you wish to proceed please fill in the "Energy requirement worksheet" or if you have your last twelve
months utility bills these will suffice. Also there is a brief site assessment guide that should provide us with
enough information to see if your site is suitable for wind generation prior to undertaking a site survey.