The Eco Experts Launches New "˜Solar Panel Calculator'
UK solar panel comparison site, TheEcoExperts.co.uk has launched a new website feature which lets you calculate exactly how much money you could save after installing solar panels.
The Solar Panel Calculator, designed by The Eco Experts' in-house tech team, is a sophisticated app which allows the user to input a number of variables to work out exactly how much energy their home could produce, helping homeowners to decide if this would be a cost-effective option for them.
Visitors can enter their postcode to locate their house on the map, then after estimating the pitch of their roof and how much shading there is over the property, see how much money they would save each year, and weigh this up against the cost of installation. The calculator even works out how much sun your postcode gets each year and from that calculates how much energy is available to harness. The clever app also takes into account various government incentive schemes, and how much you could make from selling energy back to the grid.
This is the first calculator of its kind and gives homeowners the chance to really asses the benefits of installing solar panels before they make a decision. Jon Whiting, Website Manager for The Eco Experts comments: "˜Installation is not cheap, and most customers want to be assured that their investment will pay off before they spend. The calculator is an easy way for people to be able to estimate the benefits and see all the information about incentive schemes in one place.'
The Eco Experts is involved in one in four domestic solar panel installations in the UK and has built a reputation as an industry expert for consumers looking to reduce their carbon footprint. With all of the conflicting information on tariffs and government incentives in the media, The Eco Experts' aim is to provide clear and up-to-date guidance on the options available.
Alex Vasili, the designer of the feature, wanted to bring buying solar panels up to speed with other online purchases: "˜Consumers are used to being able to go on the internet and find out the exact cost of an investment, so I thought it should be the same for solar panels. I used google maps as a way of locating people's houses, and then consulted with industry experts and solar panel providers to work out what the most important factors would be on how much energy a home produced. These factors have all been included in the app so it is a fairly comprehensive assessment of return on investment.'
The calculator is live on The Eco Experts' website now: solarcalculator.theecoexperts.co.uk
