Beacon

The sun is a source of free energy for space heating (passive solar design), solar water heating and electricity generation (photovoltaic electricity).   Even a small amount of sun can help improve your home’s energy efficiency and comfort, and several sunshine hours a day gives you the options of considering reducing your power bills with solar hot water and photovoltaic electricity.

Understanding the site where your house is located is important for selecting the most appropriate renewable technology for your household with the best chance of performing well in your home. Three inter-related factors are key to optimum solar resource use:

1. Orientation and sun angle
2. Available sunshine hours
3. Positioning

Use this checklist to assess your site

Beacon’s Energy team have prepared a checklist which helps you to understand the main issues that you will need to think about in assessing your site and situation for using solar energy.

• Download the Solar Assessment Checklist

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  31-May-2009 (Report EN6590/4)

  Matching Renewable Technology to Local Resources at the Household and Neighbourhood Level (PDF 916KB)

  Mandy Armstrong, Verney Ryan

  This report provides information for consumers about undertaking a site assessment in relation to the potential for electricity generation at their site (house and neighbourhood). It sets out the consumer-focussed information in a logical format that will help consumers come to grips with the key issues for individual site assessment.   Covers solar water heating, wood and pellet burners, passive solar design, wind and photovoltaic generation.