You would be forgiven for thinking that solar panels in Northern Ireland aren’t effective. But surprisingly solar panels not only work in our weather, they actually perform incredibly well, enough that you can save anywhere from 50-80% on your home and business electricity costs.
With the cost of electricity rising year on year and the price of solar panels being their lowest ever, there’s never been a better time to consider installing solar panels on your home or in your business.
Recently I went through the process of pricing solar to get the most competitive prices and there was a huge disparity in cost for comparable systems. With that in mind, we’ve created Solar Compare NI to help NI home and business owners get the best value on their solar panels, electric vehicle chargers and battery systems.
Reasons to install solar panels
The costs of electricity has increased significantly over the last number of years and if you were to think 10 years into the future, you can be confident that the cost will increase further. However, if you install solar panels, the cost is locked in now and once the payback period is completed you’ll save even more on your electricity bills.
In my research, speaking to some homeowners who have installed solar panels and batteries, they did so for many reasons but by and large the primary one was because the installation provides energy security. They fixed the cost of the solar panels now, but know this will provide significant savings many years from now when either starting a family, growing their family or moving towards retirement.
And this is important, because solar is a significant investment. The payback period isn’t instantaneous. Depending on your property, its position, the amount of electricity you use and the size of the installation you put on your property, each factor contributes further to making this a good or a bad investment.
If I were considering solar panels again, I’d consider one factor and that is the payback period. The shorter this is, the better. Because if I’m planning to stick at my current home for longer than this, then it makes financial sense to do so. Or am I planning to add an EV car instead of petrol? Then again it makes sense as our electricity bill will increase.
What to look for in an installer
When you consider solar panel installers or any trade for that matter, there are a few things you should look for in a quality business.
- They provide an itemised quote and documentation relating to the effectiveness of the solar panels on your property
- They answer all your questions confidently and to your expectations on the installation
- They are prompt to respond to your queries
- The quote is competitive based on the specific requirements of your property.
Due to the nature of solar panel installation, there are multiple trade bodies and organisations that are reputable When choosing a solar panel installer in Northern Ireland there are a few things I also suggest you check.
- They are MCS registered – MCS is a mark of quality. Membership of MCS demonstrates adherence to these recognised industry Standards, highlighting quality, competency and compliance.
- They are RECC registered – RECC sets out high consumer protection standards for businesses that are selling or leasing renewable energy generation systems to domestic consumers.
- They are NICEIC registered – NICEIC-registered electricians provide quality electrical work and repairs and have all the right insurances and policies in place.
Each of these registrations ensures your solar panel installer works to the highest standards and is insured to complete your work. The good news is that Compare Solar NI only works to support those businesses that work to the highest of standards and hold all of the above accreditations.
Solar Panels Northern Ireland
If you want to reduce your electricity bills and you want to compare multiple solar panel installers then check out Compare Solar NI – https://comparesolarni.com/ where we take your specific requirements and match you with up to 3 local installers who will give you a competitive no obligation quote for your solar
