Real Life Results From Installed Solar Panels

Some people still have doubts about how effective solar panels are in the UK and how much electricity they can actually generate in our less than sunny climate. With any solar installation you do get a pretty good estimate of how your solar system would perform before you actually have it installed. However there is nothing like seeing real world examples of how they are actually performing around the country.

I have gathered together some data on real life installations from around the UK. The great thing about solar is that most installations are monitored in real time so you can see how well they are working. Some people publish these figures online so that others can see how effective a system can be. I had previously published some data in answering the question as to whether or not solar is a scam. For anoraks like myself this type of data can be very interesting, for most people however it will be a useful guide in helping you decide whether or not solar would be suitable for you.

• System Size: 3.44kW
• System Cost: £14,000
• Date Installed: 16/3/2011
• Roof Faces: South
• Roof Angle: 35°
• Estimated Output: 2,986kWh
• Actual Results: 3.44kW photoviltaic system

• System Size: 2.98kW
• System Cost: £17,895
• Date Installed: 30/6/2010
• Roof Faces: South by West 192°
• Roof Angle: 40°
• Estimated Output: 1,938kWh
• Actual Results: 2.98kW photoviltaic system

If you run a site where you publish information about your solar PV installation and want to list your information here then you can contact me using the form on the right.

Live solar panel generation data

Many installations are monitored remotely to ensure that they are working properly and to record the performance of the system. This information is often accessible online to anyone. Natural Watt has a system that publishes live data form solar installations so you can see how much electricity individual systems are generating on people homes right now.

• System Size: 1.87kW
• Date Installed: 5/11/2010
• Estimated Output: 1,604kWh
• Actual Output: 2,075kWh
• Annual FIT Earnings: £980
• Actual Results: view

• System Size: 3.4kW
• Date Installed: 30/4/2009
• Estimated Output: 2,917kWh
• Actual Output: 3,449kWh
• Annual FIT Earnings: £1743
• Actual Results: view

• System Size: 2.16kW
• Date Installed: 8/10/2009
• Estimated Output: 1,261kWh
• Actual Output: 2,202kWh
• Annual FIT Earnings: £1019
• Actual Results: view

• System Size: 3.24kW
• Date Installed: 9/5/2010
• Estimated Output: 2,779kWh
• Actual Output: 3,872kWh
• Annual FIT Earnings: £2050
• Actual Results: view

I have reproduced the information from a few systems listed at Natural Watt but you can see the performance of all of the installations on their live database. This would be useful particularly if you were thinking of buying a system yourself as you can see how they perform throughout the day and throughout the year.

Solar panel monitoring

When you have solar panels installed there will also usually have some sort of monitoring system that can monitor how the panels are performing. With free solar panels systems you may have a meter installed that shows how well the panels are working and they will also be monitored remotely by the installer.

The image above shows one such monitoring system where you can go online to a site where you can see how well your panels are doing and also how much you have earned assuming it is a system you paid for yourself. With all of the data widely available it makes it easier for anyone comparing photovoltaic systems to see how well different types and sizes of system perform all over the country.