Get a free quote online for a solar PV (Photo Voltaic) installation from RAI systems

solar pv panels installation on a roof of a domestic house in Yorkshire

In order to get a rough estimate for an installation of PV panels, please fill in the following form. At this stage, this quote is not legally binding for either party and is purely indicative. In case of further interest, we'll need to make a full survey of your site.

We cover a geographical zone of about 30 miles from Holmfirth, which includes Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield, Bradford, Leeds, Doncaster and adjoining areas. If the site for installation is within about 20 miles of our base (near Holmfirth) in South Yorkshire, we offer a free initial site survey, energy audit and consultation before designing a system to meet your needs.

This program will compute the number of PV solar panels that best match your requirements and the average power you can expect from your system over the year. It will display the cost of the installation and also give you an idea of the time needed to recoup your investment as well as an estimate of the overall return on it. Presently, for each Kwh (Kilo Watt per hour) generated by the solar panels (consumed in the house or exported to the grid) you're entitled to receive £0.16 from the Clean Energy Cash Back Feed-in Tariff.

The energy generated from the solar array is used in the house first. If electrical appliances are switched on and your solar production exceeds the demand of the appliances, you don't buy any units from your supplier at the present rate of £0.12 for every Kwh consumed by your appliances and therefore you save on your electricity bill. You export to the grid the difference between your production and your consumption and you are also entitled to receive a further 4.5p from your energy supplier for each unit you export back to the electricity grid. If the solar panel generation is insufficient to feed the demand of your appliances, you just buy units from the grid.

This scheme is guaranteed for 20 years. All generation and export tariffs will be linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) which ensures that each year they follow the rate of inflation.

Using the form is free and you'll get the results immediately on screen. After that, the results can be posted to you if you explicitly ask for it. You can use the form several times based on different inputs in order to choose the most suitable quote.

Make use of the help tips marked as you fill the form. Fields marked * are required.

Your project
A peak power of 2Kw is a common value for a two-bedroom household. Feel free to experiment with other values. If you intend to install a system bigger than 3Kw, please contact us.
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To give a concrete meaning to power values, a washing machine on an eco-programme consumes less than 0.75Kw for instance. A low energy light bulb would consume about 0.15Kw, while a fridge-freezer would consume around 250Kwh per year. Check your electricity bills to see how much power you consume.

However, notice that the value selected here denotes the peak power requested, that is the instantaneous power the system would deliver if it was under optimal solar exposure.

This simulation program will calculate the average real power year round you can expect to generate given the orientation of the roof, the shading, and the sun patterns in the region. Assuming you're away from home during working days, you can assume that on average you'll save on your electricity bill at least half of the minimum between your real consumption (as stated in your present bills) and the expected production of your panels. To simplify, this simulation program assumes that you'd save half of your generated production on your electricity bill.

If you are in doubt, you can choose 30°C which is a common slope for tile roofs or 45°C for slate roofs.
We are assuming panels are laid out on a standard rectangle roof. The value suggested in the box is identical to the value given for the length of the house. Correct if necessary.
The value suggested for the width (rafter length) of the roof depends on the width of your house as well as the slope (pitch) of your roof. Correct if necessary.
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Precisely, the value shown in the box is the result of dividing the width of the house by (2 multiplied by the cosine of the tilt angle).

Naturally, South orientation is to be preferred, if possible, due to better solar exposure. North should be avoided.
Shade is the enemy of solar. Shading could be caused by a building constraint such as a chimney on your roof or your neighbour's tree for instance.

If possible, your solar panels should be located in a position clear of shading during the six middle hours of the day.

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If this wasn't possible, estimate the average number of hours in the middle of the day when your panels would be shaded, divide it by 6, and multiply by 100% so as a to get an estimation of the shading percentage.

There are two types of panels to choose from:
  • Sharp. Peak power: 0.245Kw. Price: £455.70.
  • Perlight. Peak power: 0.25Kw. Price: £260.74.
These solar panels are very cost effective and very reliable. All are MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certified and guaranteed 25 years. For a quick quote preview, choose any of the two possibilities. For an understanding of their respective characteristics, see the information below.
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There are many factors worth considering when choosing a type of solar panel as discussed in tips for choosing a solar panel.

From a technology point of view, panels fall into two categories, namely polycrystalline or monocrystallyne. Monocrystalline panels tend to have a higher rated power per square foot mainly in hot weather at the expense of a slightly higher cost. If space is an issue for you, you may then favour monocrystalline panels such as Sharp or Perlight. Monocrystalline panels also tend to perform better at low light levels but would be more fragile than polycrystalline ones.

Now, technology is in constant evolution and the arguments stated above, which used to apply, may not always be true and should be regarded as guidelines only.

As far as location is concerned, Sharp is a British company, their panels are manufactured in the EU. Perlight is a Chinese company and their panels are made in China.

Hereafter, we recap the main characteristics of the panels available.

Note that prices are given as guidance only since the exact price may vary at the time of purchase. It may also be the case that some models are unavailable at the time of purchase because supply conditions may fluctuate.

  • Sharp. Sharp Solar Module. Made in EU. Monocrystalline NU-245. Peak power: 0.245Kw. Price: £455.70 (excluding VAT). Dimensions: 1600mm X 1030mm. visit the manufacturer's site
  • Perlight. Perlight Solar Module. Made in China. Monocrystalline. Peak power: 0.25Kw. Price: £260.74 (excluding VAT). Dimensions: 1600mm x 990mm. visit the manufacturer's site
 
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