A Sunny Visit to Dunfermline

The Low Energy Services team were in Fife at the weekend as we begin work on the installation of a new 88 kWp integrated solar system.

It is a common myth that solar panels need sunshine to work where in fact they just need daylight. As long as the light source is strong enough, solar panels can generate electricity as they are specifically designed to capture a certain range of wavelengths of light. So while solar panels don’t need sunshine to operate, it certainly helps us when it comes to installing new solar panels for a commercial premises in Dunfermline, Fife.

We are stripping out three slate roofs and installing a new 88 kWp integrated solar panel system that will help the business to lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.

What are integrated solar panels?

Integrated solar panels (also known as in-roof panels) are fundamentally the same as the solar panels that you traditionally see fitted to commercial buildings. But instead of being installed on top of roof tiles or slate, they are integrated into the roof – replacing a section of the original roof. They are of course weather proofed and designed to be a direct replacement for the existing roofing material, being just as strong with the obvious added advantage of having photovoltaic cells to generate electricity for the business.

Integrated solar panels are not designed to look like roof tiles (despite some people calling them solar roof tiles) but because they are installed into the roof rather than fitted on top, they have a more seamless look as they sit flush with the roof tiles rather than sitting on top of it.

They are also lighter than normal solar panels as they can do without the mounting frame. On older roofs or ones that are already heavily loaded, this can be a big advantage.

While we will be putting together a full case study of this Solar PV install work when the job is completed, what makes this job particularly interesting is that we can only complete the work during the weekend so as to not disrupt day to day work operations for the business. But more on that when the job is complete.

Making the switch to Solar

Moving to green energy generated by solar panel installations for your commercial business has huge potential savings you can make on energy bills; and all by putting your unused roof space to good use.

Solar panels (whether integrated or standard) for commercial purposes can save your business money on their energy bills while presenting opportunities to sell surplus power back to the national grid and giving your business financial stability in the ever chaotic energy market. At Low Energy Services, we are a leading commercial solar panel installer covering Scotland and the North of England. We have worked with commercial businesses big and small ranging from office building solar panel installs to multi site systems for well known fast food chains.

There are so many benefits to installing commercial solar panels but for many businesses, the main issue is the ever rising cost of electricity. By investing in solar panel installation, your business can benefit from:

Saving up to 90% on your energy bills
Low maintenance
No interruption to energy supply
Pay less than 2p per watt for your electricity

How Solar Panels Work

Electricity Generation

Daylight hits the solar panels photovoltaic system and converts this into electricity.

Conversion

The inverter converts the solar panels electricity from direct current to alternating current for use in your building.

Usage

Renewable energy is used during the day and at night when the sun has gone down, electricity can then be imported as normal using power from the national grid – unless you also have a battery storage system installed.

Grid Connection

Connection to the electricity network allows any excess power generated by the solar panels to be fed back to the grid. Good for business. Good for the environment.

Find out more

From survey and design, through to installation and maintenance of solar panels, battery storage solutions and other green energy services, we offer turnkey solutions for your business.

At Low Energy Services, we provide an extensive portfolio of services and solutions such as energy monitoring, control strategy analysis, building heat leakage analysis, design, supply, installation and maintenance of renewable technologies, and general advice on how to make your building as efficient as it can be.

To find out more, please contact us by phone, email or contact form.