In 2010, the government decided to replace grants for solar panels with feed-in tariffs. This means that for every unit of energy produced from a solar panel system, the owner will be paid a specific amount. Therefore the more you produce, the more you will earn. This has led to companies who are willing to install solar power systems on various properties for no fee. As a result, not only do the homeowners stand to make savings from these systems but so do companies from the feed-in tariffs.

This is a great opportunity, however most companies will have specific requirements that you must adhere to for them to consider your home. They will need to ensure that a significant amount of solar energy will be produced by your home and will therefore justify the cost of the solar panels. In effect, it is still an investment that they need to judge is worthwhile before proceeding.

For instance, some companies will require a roof that is at least 20 metres squared. The larger your roof is, the more energy will be produced and thus more money will be earned from the tariff. In addition, a company may request that your roof is south east, south or south west facing. This is because countries that are in the northern hemisphere that have south facing roofs will collect more sunlight than those with north facing roofs. It is the opposite way around for those in the southern hemisphere.

Additionally, a further requirement for many companies will be that the roof is not obstructed by any buildings or trees that will restrict the amount of sunlight. All of these requirements are in place to ensure that the solar panels will collect a significant amount of daylight to justify all of the costs incurred. This includes the actual cost of the solar panels, the installation costs, the insurance charges and any maintenance charges. With all of these expenses, it is clear why solar power companies have many requirements.

However, those lucky enough to qualify should look immediately look into taking advantage of this situation. Each household stands to gain around £70 each year and although it may not sound like much, over time it will add up and with electricity prices rising year on year, these savings will increase. In effect, it will be like leasing out your roof for the return of electricity savings.

This may sound like a win-win situation; however homeowners should be wary about issues such as roof damages that are not caused by the panels. Some companies may charge you for the loss in tariff payments whilst the roof is repaired. Therefore before committing to anything, you should seek clarity on any issues you may have.