Why should I install a photovoltaic system? Installing your own solar photovoltaic (PV) system means that you can generate your own electricity from the free and inexhaustible energy from the sun. A photovoltaic system never needs refuelling, emits no pollution, and can be expected to operate for over 30 years while requiring minimal maintenance. A typical PV system on a house roof could prevent over 34 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions during its lifetime. Today photovoltaic systems are recognized by governments, environmental organizations and commercial organizations as a technology with the potential to supply a significant part of the worlds energy needs in a sustainable and renewable manner. The UK government has recently committed £10 million towards encouraging the installation of photovoltaic systems on buildings in the UK. Organizations such as Shell and BP have set up large photovoltaic manufacturing plants and environmental organizations such as Greenpeace strongly support the use of solar energy.* Energy use in buildings accounts for over 30% of the UK's energy usage. Installing a photovoltaic system is one of the ways householders and other building owners can contribute towards a sustainable future for everyone. *'With global climate change threatening all our futures, we need to switch to clean, renewable forms of energy and electricity production. Solar electric panels can generate electricity that is free from pollution, fuelled by the natural resource of the sun, which is free, abundant and inexhaustible. Greenpeace strongly supports solar energy.' Matthew Spencer, Head of UK Climate and Energy Campaign, Greenpeace. The key benefits of a solar roof are: - Your own clean power source that helps reduce global warming - Reduces your electricity bills, since daylight is free - Increases the value of your property - Extremely low maintenance, with a long functional lifetime of 30 years or more - Silent in operation - Increases your awareness of electricity use and encourages more energy efficient behaviour From the Brittish Photovoltaic Association http://www.pv-uk.org.uk