Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Answer these questions and receive my eternal love!! Solar Energy

Hello everyone, I really need some help in regards to my final research project. Im looking into the aesthetics of solar panels and how this effects their uptake within the UK. I really need someone who has either worked loosely with solar panels either as a student or a professional to answer these questions. If anyone out there can help I would be so grateful.

What do you feel is the main reason people adopt solar energy technologies?

Would you say there is a particular demographic that is most likely to adopt solar energy technologies?

What do you feel are the main barriers to solar panel adoption in general?

What do you feel are the main barriers in retrofitting projects?

What era would you say most of the buildings were built in that request these installations?

How much does an average customer spend on a fit out?

Do you feel there are any building types where solar panels would not be appropriate?

What is your personal view on the aesthetics of solar panels?

Reply 1

jrhartley

The main reason was the absurd return that people were getting under the old pre-December 2012 Feed-In-Tariff. Anyone with a few thousand in spare cash was able to get a gov't guaranteed 7-10% return off their roof - so a no brainer for the wealthy.

There remain a lot of questions about the genuinely workability of the technology for places like the UK. Above all, the embedded energy claims and the pollution from using rare earth metals - particularly in China where water sources have become heavily polluted for PV production.

e.g.

http://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/pollution-casts-shadow-over-chinese-solar.html

Until there are more controls over production (which will put the costs back up again) and until the technology improves further, I am always reluctant to spec these, certainly for new projects. Its greenwashing, basically to my mind. I'd always recommend clients spend the money by putting another 100mm of insulation in instead of PVs. For retrofit applications I can see the attraction, but the pollution issue means I would still be wary. George Mombiot has written a lot about the absurdity of PV in the UK - I would recommend you read up on his column if you haven't already.

Reply 2

jrwbooth

Thank you very much for your comments. Have you worked with solar panels before? Any chance you would be able to have a crack at the questions? :smile: