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Summer days doubling solar electricity output in Britain

Weatherwatch: long days of sunshine double electricity output http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2012/jun/03/weatherwatch-sunshine-solar-power?newsfeed=true Paul Brown  3 June 2012  The last nine days of May saw a record production of solar power in Britain. The clear dry air meant sunlight was strong, more than doubling the daily average electricity output. Long hours of daylight are currently giving the thousands of households that invested in solar power under the original high level of subsidy considerable income.

The scheme, designed to make the solar industry take off in Britain, was remarkably successful. The rapid increase in installations and improved technology considerably reduced unit costs. The government then misjudged the situation, cut the subsidy, and industry confidence
collapsed. After months of uncertainty a new regime for solar schemes
of all sizes has been developed. Only time will tell whether the
gradually reducing subsidies over time will be enough to encourage
householders, churches (all with south facing roofs), schools and
industry to invest in solar.

As someone who fitted panels when they were twice as expensive as now
but gained the largest subsidy there is more reason to be cheerful
when the sun comes out. Not that the panels do not produce power an
income on cloudy or rainy days, they do, but not so much. A surprising
by-product of having a solar system is how conscious you become of
electricity use and how to reduce it. As a result, despite a dull
winter, over a year this household is a net exporter of electricity to
the grid.

June 4, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | decentralised, UK