Below you will find expanded answers to frequently asked questions about our services. If you don't find what you need, contact us and we'll be glad to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
When the pv panels are exposed to daylight the electrons in the semi conducting material become energised and are able to generate an electrical direct current (DC). The direct current (DC) then needs to be converted into a 240V alternative current (AC) so it can be connected to the main electricity supply. This means an additional device called an inverter is used which constantly monitors the electricity supply from the national grid, modifies the DC electricity produced by the solar panels and converts it into AC to match the usable electricity.
Once converted into AC electricity by the inverter the electricity generated by the Solar PV system is automatically used to power the lights and electrical appliances.
Solar Photovoltaic’s (PV) is a system which generates electricity from sunlight (photo meaning light, voltaic referring to electricity). Sunlight is free and endless, the energy generated is completely free and the systems have no carbon output, making them truly renewable.
Yes —solar panels and inverters have manufacturer warranties; solar panel has 20years warranties while the inverter has a 1year warranties.
GBE Solar Energy consultant will take you through a series of checklist questions which will determine whether your property is initially suitable for PV such as orientation of roof, amount of roof space available, access for scaffolding, planning issues etc. This will include a basic desk-top survey using mapping software to estimate how much roof space you have, giving an indication of the price of the system. At your request, a GBE Solar Energy surveyor will visit your home to confirm the size of the system, take details and dimensions of your property and identify any issues that could impact on the installation. The installer who will complete the job will then conduct one more brief visit to confirm the survey findings and provide the official quotation for the installation.
The size of solar system you will need depends on several factors, including the size of your property, how much energy you use, the orientation of your roof, the size of your roof, and how much you’re willing to invest. At GBE Solar Energy we offer a bespoke service that gives you the best performing system depending on all these factors.
Ideally, they should be on a roof of between 30 and 60 degrees (which is why roofs are ideal) facing due south so as to maximise the sunlight falling on them. South East to South West orientations are still excellent. As the orientation is rotated round to East or West the system might be expect to generate about 15% less electricity than a south facing array, but there is still a good return to be made.
The survey will involve a comprehensive check of the roof for suitability of Solar Panels. The surveyor will also check the electrical distribution board and all other aspects of the installation such as location of PV panels, orientation, and access for scaffolding, loft access etc.
Yes. Because solar PV panels react on light from the sun they work in the rainy season however, output will depend on the hours of daylight and the angle of the sun in the sky.
You could expect to use about half of the electricity you generate. In this case you would use about 850 units for a south-facing 2.0kWp system. So you would save around 120k naira per year. For larger systems this saving would be proportionally higher.
All of our PV installers are MCS accredited as are the panels that will be fitted. You will therefore be eligible to register for the Feed in Tariff.
Solar PV system needs little maintenance – you’ll need to keep the panels relatively clean and make sure trees don’t begin to overshadow them. Debris is more likely to accumulate if you have ground mounted panels. If dust, debris or bird droppings are a problem they should be removed with warm water.
Warranty
Solar PV panels are built to last for at least 25 years and most manufacturers offer a 25 year output warranty on a sliding scale. e.g
10 year guarantee on performance output to 95% and 25 year guarantee on a performance output of 85% inverter manufacturers generally offer a 10 year warranty which can be extended to 20 years for a small fee if requested. Alongside the manufacturers guarantee’s, GBE Solar offer a 10 year workmanship guarantee for extra peace of mind.
Yes, a deposit of 50% of the overall project price will be taken at the point of agreement as confirmation of the customer’s intention to go ahead with the proposed project.
A further advanced payment of 35% of the overall project price will also be required after the seven day cooling off period has expired. This will be no more than three weeks before the agreed installation date and used for work under the agreement for the specific project for example purchasing goods, in this case PV solar panels.