Southern Renewables was contacted by a customer who lives in Chard, Somerset enquiring about the possibility of having Solar PV installed in their home.
The first part of our process is to book a meeting at their property so we can get an understanding of their requirements and how we can help. This involves a full survey of the property externally and internally.
It quickly became apparent that they were concerned with their rising energy costs and wanted to lower their dependency on the grid. We discussed the main areas of their electrical usage :
After the initial discussion on electricity usage, we went outside to assess their roof type and size. They were very concerned about the visual impact the panels might have, but after showing them a sample of the panel and pictures of other installations we have completed over the years they were happy. The roof faces east and west which has it’s pros and cons but overall a very good roof for solar panels.
After we had completed our survey we were able to specify the size of the Solar PV system required and also the battery storage requirements. The customer had plenty of questions on how battery storage works so we explained how the system is set up and the benefits.
After our meeting and gathering of all the required information, I started the design process back at our offices. Using our design software we are able to gauge the correct amount of solar panels and battery storage required.
Once the design is completed we put together a design & quotation package for the customer to look over. They understandably had questions so we arranged a meeting at our offices to run through the design and the calculations and explain how we install Solar PV into their home in more detail.
We were delighted to receive confirmation from the customer that they would like us to provide them with a Solar PV installation so we moved to the next phase of the project.
Following acceptance we can put together the contract which is required under MCS (Micro Generation Certification). MCS is an organisation that creates and maintains standards relating to low-carbon products, installers and installations. MCS accreditation is a sign of excellence and high quality in a renewable energy installer. The contract consists of everything we need to supply and all the work to be undertaken.
Once a contract is signed and deposits cleared, we are then able to send the G99 application to the National Grid. The G99 application is required when either installing multiple 3.68kw systems within the same street/development at the same time or a single system above 3.68kw. The 3.68kw refers to either the A/C coupled battery storage or the inverter. The solar panels aren’t taken into consideration when applying for the G98 or G99 paperwork.
This process can take up to 4 WEEKS but we received back the green light from the National Grid, which took 2 weeks. This gives the green light to order the Solar PV panels, other materials, scaffolding and plan for the installation date. Installation dates were sent to our client for approval and purchase orders were sent to our suppliers.
As soon as we are onsite we can run through the exact and positioning of the Solar Panels and the Inverter. An Inverter is required for numerous reasons, one being to convert the DC current generated by the solar panels into AC current. The inverter also diverts the AC or DC current to where it’s needed the most and this is all programmed in the commissioning stage.
The installation was started and was really helped on by top quality tea and biscuits, Hobknobs are a particular favourite of ours…
The loft in this property is converted which can make the cable routing a little more fun but we are always able to make a nice clean run no matter what the situation. Keeping the cabling out of site is always a primary consideration.
With Solar Panels and cabling installed, we can then move on to the Inverter and Batteries.
The current fuseboard wasn’t up to current regulations so we installed a separate one to connect up the inverter to the household AC electrics. The new fuseboard provides RCD (residual current device) which is a safety device that switches off the electricity automatically if it detects a fault. RCDs are far more sensitive than normal miniature circuit breakers and provide a high level of protection against electric shock. We also installed a surge protection device which protects the household electrical items from surges which can cause damage to items such as computers, tv, laptops etc.
With all the hardware installed, we can then connect the system to the monitoring software. This has a really useful smartphone and tablet app that enables the customer to see what their daily generation and usage is:
Following the completion of the project, we can monitor the system on our mobile app to make sure everything is working exactly as it should. We have been in contact on numerous occasions with our client to help them understand and make the most of their solar PV system which they have been very appreciative of.
1) How did you find the initial contact and design process with Southern Renewables
EXCELLENT
2) Did our contractors greet you in a friendly manner and were they pleasant throughout the installation
EXCELLENT – probably the best contractors I’ve had the pleasure of having work done by.
3) Are you happy with the Installation and handover process
EXCELLENT – most definitely – more than happy.
4) How have you found Southern Renewables aftercare following the completion of the work
EXCELLENT - help with setting up the system and changing settings to suit us.
5) If Southern Renewables could improve in one area of their service, what would it be
Honestly can’t think of anything that could have been better – our expectations were exceeded.
6) Would you recommend Southern Renewables
Definitely.
