Master Electrican and Renewable Specialist
Order a GivEnergy Battery system before August 16th and GivEnergy will give you a free EV charger.
I will even install it for you as part of the battery or solar install at no extra cost, providing its fixed to your house and not further than 10m from electricity meter, cant say fairer than that can you!
Since 1st February 2024, all new Battery Storage systems are zero rated for VAT.
So you can have a Battery System installed without paying VAT on the Battery , Inverter or any other parts. You don’t even pay VAT on the Labour!
This is available to everyone in the UK and its does not matter if you have an existing solar system or not.
I am delighted to announce that i have been awarded Advanced Installer status for GivEnergy solar PV inverters and battery systems.
GivEnergy run a rigorous selection process for those allowed to call themselves advanced installers. We undergo and complete additional advanced installer training specialising in detailed fault-finding and diagnostics and we must have proved our competence with our customers giveing positive feedback to GivEnergy for the quality of our installations.
At the time of writing (Jan 31st 2024) I am the only Advanced Installer of GivEnergy systems in the whole of Kent.
I must admit I’m rather pleased to have the quality of my workmanship recognised like that!
The adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in domestic homes has undergone a remarkable surge in recent months. Solar panels on your roof can help with power bills which are going through the roof (pun intended). More and more homeowners are recognising the benefits of harnessing clean, renewable energy from the sun to power their homes.
This is a quick delve into the world of solar PV and battery systems for domestic dwellings, exploring the advantages, installation process, and the positive impact it can have on both the environment and your electricity bill.
Advantages of Solar PV in Domestic Homes
Reduced Energy Bills: Solar PV and battery systems allow homeowners to generate their electricity, significantly reducing or even eliminating their reliance on grid-supplied power. This can lead to substantial long-term savings on energy bills.
Environmental Benefits: Solar power is a clean and sustainable energy source that produces no greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants. By going solar, homeowners contribute to a reduction in their carbon footprint and help combat climate change.
Energy Independence: Solar panels provide homeowners with a degree of energy independence, solar energy is used by the house as it is generated and any spare power is stored in a battery for use later when it gets dark.
Financial Incentives: Solar PV and battery systems are currently at the time of writing 0% rated for VAT on both the materials and the installation costs.
Increase in Home Value: Solar PV and battery systems can enhance the resale value of a property. Homebuyers are increasingly interested in energy-efficient homes with lower operating costs.
Installation Process
Installing solar PV in your home involves several key steps:
Site Assessment: As I qualified and MCS certificated engineer I will assess your property’s suitability for solar panels, considering factors such as roof orientation, shading, and available space.
System Design: Based on the assessment, I will design a solar PV system tailored to your energy needs. This design includes the number of panels, their placement, and the type of inverter and battery required.
Grid Permission: I will handle the necessary authorisation required for the installation, ensuring compliance with UK Power Networks requirements.
Installation: The solar panels inverter, battery and wiring, are installed on your property by myself and my team of specially chosen roofers. This process typically takes a few days, depending on the system’s complexity.
Commissioning: Your solar PV system is connected to the electrical grid and full electrical testing and certification is undertaken.
MCS Compliance: As a certified Microgeneration Certification Scheme member all of my solar PV and battery installations are certified to the requirements of the MCS and an MCS certificate is issued. Without this certificate you cannot sell your power to the grid and you may have issues if you come to sell your house. MCS is a guarantee of quality.
Warrantee: All MCS certified installations have a minimum 2 year warrantee that is backed by an insurance policy that you hold.
A Positive Impact on Your Wallet and the Environment
Solar PV in fitted to your home will have several positive outcomes:
Savings: Over time, the energy generated by your solar panels can lead to significant savings on your electricity bills.
Environmental Contribution: By using clean energy, you’re reducing your carbon footprint and contributing to a healthier planet.
Energy Security: Solar PV systems provide a degree of energy security, ensuring a stable source of electricity and if required the battery can be configured to keep vital circuits on during power outages.
Return on Investment: While there is an initial cost associated with installation, the long-term savings and potential for income generation make solar PV an excellent investment for homeowners.
Solar PV and battery systems are more advantageous now than ever before. As the world strives for cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions, harnessing the power of the sun at home is a practical and eco-friendly choice. It’s a win-win situation for homeowners looking to save money on energy bills while contributing to a greener, more sustainable future, and if you drive and electric car you could be doing miles and miles on nothing but sunshine!
If you’re considering solar PV for your home, I would be happy to give a no obligation solar calculation and installation quote so you can see the projected generation and weigh up the feasibility of starting your own journey toward a more sustainable energy home.
I’m delighted to announce that we have completed the long and rigorous assessments to be successfully awarded MCS registration.
This means we can install solar PV and battery storage systems which carry the MCS guarantee of exceptional quality.
Solar PV and battery storage is becoming more and more important for our future energy needs and we are delighted that we are now able to provide a one stop solution for solar PV, battery storage and EV charging all with our usual attention to detail and high quality of workmanship.
I am now an approved installer for GivEnergy battery storage systems.
Battery storage in domestic properties is going to be needed more and more to enable us to manage the electricity grid.
Whether it’s storing energy that you’ve produced with your own solar system for use when the sun has gone down or charging up batteries when electricity prices are cheaper (for instance overnight) and then using that stored energy to run your house when prices are more expensive.
Battery storage may be a good solution for you to allow you to manage your energy needs.
As usual, systems installed by me are installed to the highest standard of workmanship using top quality materials.
The GivEnergy range of battery systems gives the ultimate flexibility to utilise the system to best effect and be able to expand it in the future if the need arises.
With great sadness we mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II after a lifetime of dedicated service to the United Kingdom. Thoughts are with her family, the new king and everybody who feels loss at this sad time.
Queen Elizabeth has been a constant presence through out my life and her dedication to her role from such a young age right through to the end of her life was truly remarkable.
Thank you ma’am, for all you did.
It’s been the case for a while now that in order to rent out a privately rented property the landlord must have a valid electrical installation condition report (EICR) that confirms that the installation within that property is satisfactory for continued use.
These inspections must be done at most every five years.
I was musing today that, for example, if a property has had a challenging tenant, it’s good practice to have the electrical system inspected and tested when tenants change over.
If a tenant has treated the property harshly or they have undertaken their own improvement works for instance, it might just be wise to have the electrical system given the once over before the new people move in.
Electrical systems can be easily damaged with sockets and light fittings being broken when parties get too excitable or even have wires come loose when fittings are unscrewed to allow the hanging of the tenant’s wallpaper.
As a landlord its always better to be on the side of caution and ensure that rental properties are still always satisfactory for continued use.
At the end of March the wiring regulations which are now in their 18th edition, had their second amendment.
The wiring regulations are regularly updated in this way and usually there are full new editions around every 10 years with two or three amendment editions happening during the interim.
There is a transition period, but as of September all work must be completed to the second amendment standard. Given that I am now specifying work that may be undertaken after the deadline I have taken a decision to adopt these new regulations early.
Key changes are that now in almost all cases, surge protection is required to be fitted to consumer units and distribution boards. In my opinion this is a good thing as it is relatively cheap to install and provides protection from voltage spikes throughout an entire installation. Anyone who has had a television or computer fail because of a voltage spike will wish they’d spent the small amount of money on a surge protector!
The second change is that a new type of circuit breaker known as an arc fault detection devices is now mandatory for circuits supplying socket-outlets in:
There is also a change to the minimum standard of RCD required. Many RCDs that were installed in the UK prior to the last few years were of an “AC type” which have been found to fail to operate in the presence of equipment that contains microchips or switch mode power supplies.
It is therefore now required that the newer type of RCD known as an “A type” is installed on all circuits that may have such electronic devices. In reality that means if it is any more complicated than a tungsten filament light bulb it will need the new type of RCD.
There are also changes to testing and certification and some specific requirements around micro generation systems.
