We know that the UK needs more renewables for cheaper, greener energy. With around a 40-year lifespan, solar panels are a simple way to generate decades of low-cost, clean electricity to green the grid.
Rooftop solar is a recognised way to power individual buildings with said cheaper, greener electricity. However, its installation routinely commands a high pricetag and the technology has its limitations. Read on to find out more and learn about the alternative.
In simple terms, ground-mounted solar (also called solar parks and solar farms) leverages greater scale and economy, meaning you can get the same amount of solar power, but for less money. We estimate that Ripple projects are around 60% cheaper than the upfront cost of installing rooftop solar panels1. Plus, thanks to being built in locations identified as offering maximum sunshine and efficiency, it takes roughly 5 panels to power an average UK home in its entirety2 .
The energy generated from ground-mounted solar goes beyond powering one individual building. Instead, it is exported to the grid, where it is connected to every building across the UK. This provides greater flexibility for mounted solar owner as wherever you live, whether that’s in a flat or a rented home, in the city or rurally, you’ll benefit from your own green energy that is supplied to your home, through the grid. This highlights one of the key advantages of participating in a shared solar project: you can move home and, provided your new home is connected to the same UK grid, your low-cost, green electricity moves with you.
In our unique Ripple model, you’ll see your low-cost green electricity in the form of savings on your electricity bill but the best part is that your savings aren’t linked to consumption. This means that when there’s an increase in the solar power generated in summer, you’ll benefit from lots of solar savings. If you don’t consume as much as your part of the project generates, these savings build up and are stored as credits in your energy account, to be used to offset during higher usage periods, such as winter.
Low-cost, portable, flexible and green – shared solar is the renewable energy source for everybody, everywhere.
If you are not an existing Ripple member, you can start your journey today by reserving a spot in our new solar park offering. If you want to harness the power of the sun for decades of lower electricity bills and a greener future, reserve your place in our next project here.
References
1 https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/tool/solar-energy-calculator
2 Based on Derril Water Solar Park predictions: we anticipate using 74,334 panels across the site to generate 41,172 MWh, therefore each panel will generate about 0.55MWh. 2.9MWh divided by 0.55 is 5.2 panels.
