How does solar power work?

Solar power works by capturing the energy from the sun to create clean sustainable power.
The sun's energy can be captured in two different ways, to produce either free electricity, or to create free hot water for use in your house. A different system is required for each method.

Solar Hot Water

Solar hot water systems absorb the heat and free renewable energy from the sun, to provide hot water for use within the home. The heat from the sun is collected through a special fluid, which passes through a twin coil cylinder, where it gives up this heat to the domestic hot water. A conventional boiler is connected to the cylinder to provide top up heat as required.

For this reason solar hot water systems are only suitable for houses which have a system boiler and room to house the twin coil cylinder.

Gas Combi boilers cannot be used with the Wickes' Service Solar Hot Water Systems.

How much does it cost?

The prices for the standard systems are shown here. These prices include all the standard components required, Panels, panel mountings, twin coil cylinder and pump and all fitting and commission of the system. The system will be designed for the size of your property and the number of people who could live there, to ensure that the amount of hot water produced and stored and is appropriate for the expected usage. Unlike solar PV systems, there is no advantage in producing more hot water than will be used in each household. On average a solar hot water system will produce up to 60% of the household annual usage.

- www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Information concerning the proposed government renewable Heat Incentive, can be found here:

- www.decc.gov.uk

No. of Panels	Size of twin coil cylinder	Selling Price inc. vat
1	147L Vented	£4,499.00
2	216L Vented	£4,999.00
3	320L Vented	£6,299.00

The prices include, panels, pump, expansion tank and a new twin coil cylinder and all necessary plumbing and fitting. Before any work commences, you will receive a detailed quotation showing what is included.

How much can I save?

Savings - a solar water heating system can reduce your water heating bill by between £50 and £85 per year at current fuel rates. It will also save up to 570kg of CO₂ emissions, depending on what fuel you currently use.

Fuel Displaced	£ Saving per year	C02 saving per year
Gas	£50	250kg
Electricity	£80	570kg
Oil	£55	310kg
Solid	£60	520kg

All savings are approximate and are based on the hot water heating requirements of a 3 bed semi detached home with a 3.4m square panel. The pattern of your hot water usage will impact on the potential savings.

Source Energy Saving Trust

- www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

The government has a commitment to make it easier to afford renewable energy systems and has proposed a scheme to help customer fund the purchase of Solar Hot water systems. This is called the Renewable Heat Incentive ( RHI) and is currently under consultation. More details can be found here.

- www.decc.gov.uk

What is included?

The Wickes Solar Installations service is a complete service, using one of the UK's most experienced national installers The service is designed to provide the reassurance that you will get the most appropriate system for your needs, that your investment in your home will provide the expected benefits and that the product quality and installation service are what you expect. After you have applied for your site survey, everything is taken care of for you. Our service includes:

• Free, no obligation site survey, assessment and discussion of your requirements
• System design and quotation to your requirements. The quotation will detail everything which is included and will also highlight any costs outside the standard charge, for example, extra scaffolding, or additional wiring, or upgrades.
• Full terms and conditions will be provided with the quotation.
• System installation using MSC approved, guaranteed components
• Commission of the system and demonstration of how to use efficiently.
• Payment on completion and to your satisfaction.
• Supply of Manufacturers guarantees.
• Supply of Installation guarantees.
• After care service

Wickes Solar Solutions is provided on behalf of Wickes by:
Mark Group is a family-owned international business which has been providing energy saving solutions to homes since 1974.
Each week Mark Group makes more than 6,000 homes more energy efficient, whilst maintaining the highest standards of quality and service.
Mark Group is an ISO 9001 quality assured company and a certified member of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) , the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA), The British Board of Agreement (BBA) and the National Insulation Association (NIA) - providing peace of mind for its customers.

System specifications & guarantees

Wickes Ferroli flat-plate panels
On-roof	1-panel	147ltr Vented
	2-panels	216ltr Vented
	3-panels	320ltr Vented
	1-panel	150ltr Unvented
	2-panels	200ltr Unvented
	3-panels	300ltr Unvented

The Solar hot water panels are manufactured by Ferolli, a company who have many years experience and who have been making heating systems for over 50 years.

They have a warranty for 5 years. Panels are made using a toughened glass designed to resist mechanical damage e.g. from hailstones.

Twin Coil Vented For Wickes
Cylinder	Manufacturer	Material	Guarantee Period (years)	Standards
147ltr Vented	Newark	Copper	10	BS1566-2
216ltr Vented	Newark	Copper	10	BS1566-2
320ltr Vented	Newark	Copper	10	BS1566-2
Twin Coil Unvented	Manufacturer	Material	Guarantee	Standards
150ltr Unvented	Advanced Appliances	Stainless Steel	25	WRAS approved
200ltr Unvented	Advanced Appliances	Stainless Steel	25	WRAS approved
300ltr Unvented	Advanced Appliances	Stainless Steel	25	WRAS approved

The Supplier will provide the following where necessary:

• Cabling in accordance with system plan.
• Pipe work in accordance with system plan.
• Warning labels
• Any other consumables as required for standard installations such as fireproof board, conduit, trunking, fuse for distribution board, screws, cable clips, cabling, connectors etc.
• MSC certification

Frequently asked questions

Q. Does solar power work in the British climate?

A. Yes, even in the British climate it should still be possible to produce up to 60 % of your hot water and up to 50% of your electricity per annum.

Q. What happens when it is not sunny?

A. PV systems only require daylight, so they will also work on cloudy days (although not as efficiently) and on cold sunny winter days. Solar Hot Water Systems require heat, not daylight to work and the panels are designed to be as efficient as possible in absorbing heat.

Q. What are the benefits of the Wickes Solar Power Service?

A. The Wickes Solar Power Service is a complete end to end service provided by the country's largest and most experienced installer and is fully guaranteed. There is a no obligation free site assessment and a system design service to meet your requirements. Installation is done at an agreed time and there is NO PAYMENT UNTIL COMPLETION. You will be provided with all the necessary certification and guarantees to obtain the FiT payments with the reassurance of an after sales service.

Q. Is solar power suitable for my property?

A. Solar Power works best if you have south facing roof. Systems can be designed which will work if your house is on an east / west axis, but some additional costs may be involved. The roof should not be shaded by any tall buildings or overhanging trees at any time. Systems work best if the angle of the roof is between 30 to 40 degrees to the horizontal, but solutions may be possible for different angles to this. If you are interested in a Solar Hot Water system then you must have room to install the correct size of twin coil hot water cylinder. The roof must be sufficiently large and strong enough to support the required number of panels. When you contact the customer support telephone line ( freephone 0800 111 4964) you will be asked a number of questions to help establish if your property is suitable. The free no obligation site survey will allow any specific issues to be answered.

Q. Do I need planning permission?

A. Solar Panel installations fall under the designation of permitted developments and should not require planning permission, except for listed buildings, or in a conservation area, or National Park. We recommend that you should always contact your local planning department to check the requirements. If necessary, you should apply for permission before installation commences.

Q. Is the system guaranteed?

A. Each component carries a manufactures guarantee and the installation is also guaranteed by REIGA, to provide you with peace of mind.

Q. Will any maintenance or servicing be required?

A. In line with best MSC practice a health check should be undertaken every 2 years. Your installer can provide details.

Q. Will anyone need to come into my property?

A. During the site assessment the surveyor will need access to your property and to the roof space. They will need access to the loft and to your current consumer unit and/or hot water boiler. During installation access will be required to the roof and to the loft space and to make electrical and or plumbing connections. All installers will travel in vehicles clearly branded Mark Group and will carry identification cards, which you can request to see. The installers will require access for their vehicle to park close to the property. It is important that an adult is available at the premises to allow access.

Q. How long will it take?

A. Installations will take about 2 days, depending on the size and complexity of the installation. If you have a solar PV installation, it will be necessary to install scaffolding to give safe roof access and this will take about half a day, done in advance. During installation of Solar PV systems, it will be necessary to switch off the power for short periods.

Q. Will I need to do anything before or during installation?

A. If necessary , you should obtain planning consent prior to installation. Before the installers arrive you should carry out any works agreed with the surveyor. For example, clear your airing cupboard for your cylinder, or ensure the loft space is cleared and freely accessible. The installer will need to be able to park a vehicle close to the property and any space agreed for the scaffolding should also be cleared. During the install, the installers will not require anything as the will have all the equipment and tools required.

Q. Will there be a lot of mess?

A. The fully trained installers will keep any mess to a minimum. During installation, the panels will be mounted onto mounting frames, which will be securely fitted to the roof timbers, by lifting the necessary roof tiles, or slates. All of these will be correctly replaced . Any other mess caused during installation will be cleared, as they go, by the installers and any scaffolding will be removed and collected promptly.

Q. Will the system be tested after it is installed?

A. The installed system will be commissioned and tested by the installer and you will be shown how to operate it efficiently.

Q. When will I have to pay for my system?

A. You will be sent an invoice for payment once the installer has confirmed a satisfactory installation has been completed.

Q. How can I get the best from the system?

A. You will be shown how to operate your system and given full instructions. Solar PV systems are virtually maintenance free for the life of the system. Solar Hot water will need a routine health check every 2 years and further details on this are contained within the customer information pack left at the point of installation.

Q. Will I need to clean the panels?

A. The panels are made from a glass designed to be self cleaning. Panels should never be mounted under over hanging branches, or in other locations where debris may accumulate on the panels, or which shade them in any way.

Q. How do I obtain my FiT payments?

A. Once you have received your MCS certificate, you can contact your energy supplier to confirm that you are now eligible to receive FiT payments and to agree the generation and export tariffs.

Q. What happens if I produce more electricity than I need?

A. You will get paid for all the electricity that you produce, whether you use it in the home, or export it to the National Grid. In addition any electricity surplus to your requirements, which is exported back to the grid will attract your agreed offset tariff rate, currently this is an extra 3 pence per unit.

Q. Can I increase the size of my system at a later date?

A. If you have a large enough roof space, it should be possible to add more PV panels in the future, to create more electricity. However, as the Inverter is matched to the system, it will be necessary to upgrade this accordingly.

Q. What happens if I move house?

A. Your solar power installation is a valuable asset and should make your property more attractive to a purchaser. You will be able to pass your certification to the new purchaser, who will then be able to continue claiming the FiT payments.

Q. What happens during a power cut?

A. Solar PV systems continue to work, but have an automatic cut off to disconnect them from the grid to prevent electricity leaking back onto the grid and putting at risk anyone working to repair it. You will be shown how to switch your system back on.

Q. What happens if I need advice after the installation of my system?

A. The installer will provide details for the warranty and after care service in your information pack. If you have any questions, then you should call the customer service telephone number . Freephone 0800 111 4964

Q. What should I do if I have a question or technical issue which is not covered here?

A. If you have any questions, then you should call the customer service telephone number. Freephone 0800 111 4964

Q. Is this service available where I live?

A. This service is available in mainland Great Britain and the Isle of Wight. For more information please contact Mark Group directly on 0800 1114962.

Timeline for installation

The Wickes Solar Installation Service is designed to give you the best possible service and to work around your requirements. This is what you can expect:

• Within 3 days of your initial contact you will be contacted to follow up on your enquiry
• Within 7 days from your initial contact, your free of charge site survey should be booked
• Your survey should be completed in 21 days, or less. The survey will take approximately 1.5 hours.
• With 7 days of the survey and site assessment, you will receive detailed system plans, based on your requirements, together with a quotation for all works.
• Within 7 days of your order confirmation a date will be booked for your installation.
• Installation should be completed within a further 12 weeks. Installation should take about 2 days. Ideally this should be 2 consecutive days.
• After installation the system is commissioned and you will receive a customer information pack.
• Payment is made on completion to your satisfaction.
• Within 2 weeks of installation, you may be contacted to arrange a free of charge system check.
• MSC certificates, REIGA Guarantee and Product guarantees will be sent to you directly.

For more information:

      or       Call Freephone 0800 111 4964

Government Incentive Schemes

As part of the government policy to encourage the use of renewable sustainable energy they have introduced an incentive to make it financially attractive to install Solar PV electrical systems. This is called the Feed-in Tariff (FiT). To find out more, visit The Energy Saving Trust Feed-in Tariff Guide.

The government has also proposed a scheme to support the installation of Solar Hot Water systems, but this is still under consultation. To find out more, visit The Energy Saving Trust Renewable Heat Incentive Guide.