Category: Blog

Corporate funding of the solar industry, increased 190% globally through the third quarter of 2021, according to a new analysis by Mercom Capital Group.

The report details 112 deals worth $22.8 billion in total corporate funding in the first nine months of 2021. There were 72 deals worth $7.9 billion over the same period last year.

This will end up as one of the best years for solar financing since 2010. As the push toward the energy transition picks up speed worldwide, solar – one of the mature renewable energy resources – is benefitting enormously. Solar project acquisitions in the first nine months of 2021 have already surpassed all of 2020.

Global VC funding of solar decreased slightly in Q3 but is up 224% year-over-year with $593 million across 13 deals.

5 largest solar VC deals through Q3 2021

5. Fourth Partner Energy $125 million

4. Intersect Power $127 million

3. Nexamp $240 million

2. Aurora Solar $250 million

1. Loanpal $800 million

Public market financing of the solar sector also increased through the first nine months of 2021: $6.3 billion across 23 deals compared to $2 billion in 10 deals over the same period last year. There were seven IPO and SPAC deals announced in 9M 2021, according to Mercom.

The UK government to introduce legislation that will mandate all new homes to have built-in EV chargers. 

What is Happening?

• The UK Government will be introducing legislation that if passed, will require all new residential and non-residential constructions and homes to have built-in EV chargers station. 

• The law is part of a larger, comprehensive decarbonisation plan to ban all new fossil fuel vehicles in the UK by 2040. 

Pending legislation in the UK will see all new non-residential buildings and homes to have built-in EV chargers, in a move to help encourage more drivers to transition towards electric vehicles and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. 

The new law, which is expected to come into force in 2022, will require homes and office buildings to feature “smart” charging stations that can charge EVs during off-peak hours and to have an EV charger installed for every five parking spaces.

“We will publish our consultation response on requiring all new residential and non-residential buildings to have a charge point, and we intend to lay legislation later this year,” said the Department for Transport Minister Rachel Maclean. “The Consultation, which was made available online for public comment, is a package of announcements to support electric vehicle drivers and improve the experience of charging.

“We also confirmed our intention to mandate that home and workplace electric vehicle chargers must be capable of smart charging,” Maclean added.

This could provide a more effective transition to electric vehicles in the UK as about two-thirds of households don’t have off-street parking or garages like a majority of homes do in countries like the US. 

Britain currently only has about 3,600 public EV chargers across the country, but the British government has announced a £1.3 billion investment to install another 150,000 across homes, public streets and motorways by the middle of the decade. Oil giant Shell has also recently announced plans to help install 50,000 on-street charging stations by 2025.

The push to electrify more private cars is part of a larger decarbonisation strategy for the UK to slash carbon emissions 100% by the year 2050. The new legislation could help another target of banning all new fossil fuel vehicles by 2030, and see monthly EV charger installations jump from 500 to 700, starting from 2022. 

I’m sure that you’ve heard a lot of myths about solar panels; ‘Why would I get a solar panel when I live in the UK?’, ‘What is the point in getting solar panels? I’ll never get my investment back!’. Have you said this before? If so this blog is vital for you!

Myth 1: Solar only works when the sun is out

A common misconception about solar energy is that it only works when the sun is out. In fact, the sun’s ultraviolet light is all that solar power needs to create energy. Solar panels will create heaps of the stuff during foggy and overcast days too, as the UV light still manages to shine through. Perhaps surprisingly, solar panels are actually more efficient at cooler temperatures than hot ones

Myth 2: Solar panels can’t withstand extreme weather conditions

This cannot be further from the truth! Most solar panels should withstand wind up to 140 MPH, and they can only benefit from cold temperatures because the whiteness of snow will reflect light and improve their performances. However, extreme hail or a very unlucky thunder strike could potentially cause damages to the solar panel. But do not worry these issues can be fixed easily by calling a Solar panel Technician to find you an effective solution.

Myth 3: Using solar energy is too expensive, I’ll never get my investment back

Solar panels are a great investment for homeowners, especially those who want to save money on their electricity bills. They’re also an excellent way of increasing the value and appreciation in homes as well!

The best part about this technology: it can be done without any hassle or relative cost whatsoever – just make sure you know your options before making such decisions. If you are not in a secure financial position to wait for your solar panels to return your investment it may be wise to do some research before investing.

Myth 4: Installing solar is quite complicated and requires a lot of maintenance

The sun offers a free, unlimited power source that cannot be matched by any other technology. As such it is no wonder why solar panels are becoming increasingly popular as an energy option for homes and businesses alike!

The only maintenance required of these systems after installation will clean out dirt or debris from their surface once every so often depending on how much exposure they receive in order to maximize efficiency- all while providing you with cleaner air indoors year-round too, (most likely) lessening your dependence upon electricity companies who have been known time and again not just raise rates but cut back even more anyway possible despite record profits at times

Myth 5: Reselling your home will be harder with solar panels

Homes with solar panels sell on average for 4.1% more than comparable homes without solar. A study conducted by a leading research group, also found that homes with solar panels tend to sell faster than those without!

Homes with solar panels can sell between 20% and more than 100% faster than those without.

Myth 6: Solar panels will cause damage to your roof

Solar panels are not inherently bad for your roof. The potential risk comes from how they’re installed and the materials used, but this doesn’t have to be a problem! There is an easy way around installing solar panels that will keep them safe: mount it on top instead of going through – or at least use something like nails/bolts with washers as anchors so you don’t puncture any holes in its intact integrity while securing everything together securely enough against water intrusion below too

Solar panel installation should never damage roofs; however, there’s always room (especially financially) when considering alternative methods

Cities are contributing to climate change more than anywhere else. Cities are also the places that will feel the effects of climate change more than anywhere else.

There’s no doubt that cities are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, due to the energy that’s required for electricity, heating, and water. This also means that they have the biggest opportunity to reduce emissions and make progress in creating Greener Cities. 

Infrastructure is also the area where city leaders have the most control. Throughout the world, cities are investing in efficiency measures to make building more sustainable. 

By 2050, it is estimated that almost 70% of the world’s population will live in Greener Cities. Making the concept of sustainable communities an efficient and vital resolution to the growing urban population. 

Solar Energy and Batteries are a very efficient way of making Greener Cities in a global warming world! Here are some of the benefits of effective energy solutions. 

Solar Energy

One of the biggest benefits of solar energy is that it results in very few air pollutants. Widespread solar adoption significantly reduces nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter emissions, all of which can cause health problems. 

You can improve your health and protect the environment by reducing your reliance on fossil fuels and installing a solar energy system. 

Solar energy creates clean, renewable power from the sun and benefits the environment. Alternatives to fossil fuels reduce carbon footprint. Overall, reducing greenhouse gases around the world. Solar is known to have a favourable impact on the environment. 

By investing in solar energy, you can help reduce the dependence on fossil fuels in favour of one of the most abundant, consistent sources of energy we have available: our sun.

Not only can you save money on your electric bills, but you can also reduce your carbon footprint and improve the health of those around you. Get a quote today at MTG to see how much you can save by going solar. 

If you want to read more about the benefits of solar energy take a look at our blog “The many advantages of solar energy”

Battery Storage

Not at your building during the day? Save the energy you generate and use at night. 

If you have solar panels or are looking to install solar panels, you want to get the most out of your energy system. Installing solar battery storage for excess electricity generated by your panels is one great way to improve your electricity generation system’s performance throughout the day. 

At MTG Energy Solutions, we have qualified installers who can fit solar panel battery storage so you can use the electricity another time. Our dedicated team of battery storage experts will provide information and advice to help you choose the right solar battery for you. 

Solar battery storage allows you to store electricity generated from the sun via your solar panels to use in the evening or at a later date. Adding a solar battery system is a great way to use renewable energy to increase your independence from the grid.

Unlike generators, solar panels and battery storage systems don’t create noise pollution that will bother your neighbours. This is a unique benefit and is a great way for anyone who currently has a generator to update their system. 

Solar panels generate the most energy throughout the day when, traditionally, buildings use the least amount of electricity. This means your solar PV system will be producing a lot of surplus energy that would otherwise be wasted. Adding a battery allows you to store this extra electricity to use as and when you want. 

You could choose to use the excess energy stored in your battery to power your building in the evening. Making you even more independent from the grid or you could charge your electric vehicle, increasing the amount of clean energy used by your family.

Adding a battery could mean that the bulk of the electricity used by your building is low-carbon energy generated from the sun. Meaning you’ll import less electricity from the grid, saving you money on your energy bills.

When you install a solar battery, you get to use all the clean solar energy your panels produce. If that solar power isn’t stored in a battery, you’ll end up having to pull energy from the grid, which is usually produced using fossil fuels.

This means your building will be running on dirty energy when you could have been powering it with clean power that you stored. 

If your main reason for installing a solar system is your desire to go green, pairing solar with storage is the best way to ensure that your building maintains a small carbon footprint. 

Here at MTG Energy Solutions, we offer a solar battery as part of a solar system package or you can opt to add a battery at a later stage.

Some of the bigger inspectors of solar PV solutions have started to use Manned aircraft to inspect solar PV. This blog covers why and how…

Why Inspect Solar Systems with Manned Aircraft

Manned aircraft can serve as a viable option for inspecting solar PV systems. Costs may be minimized using manned aircraft when inspecting solar farms nearby each other. Large solar farms are a suitable use case for manned aircraft. This can be useful where airspace restrictions prohibit drone operations. Certain environmental conditions such as high winds or high temperatures can also necessitate the use of manned planes as they are more equipped than drones to handle environmental extremes. Fixed or single-axis ground mount and roof-mounted solar arrays are ideal for manned aircraft solar inspection. This is largely due to the consistent angle at which an entire solar array is oriented, making it easy to adjust the gimbal pitch to avoid glare. Conversely, manned aircraft solar inspections are not compatible with solar arrays mounted on dual-axis trackers. Dual-axis trackers can rotate to better track the sun throughout the day on its X-axis as well as on its Y-axis. The variation of tracker angles when inspecting this type of array make it difficult to identify whether elevated heat signatures are caused by electrical defects or increased glare.

Where to Find Aircraft & Operators

It’s common practice for manned aircraft solutions providers in the solar industry to use rented aircraft. Charter or inspection companies are a great way to find pilots and aircraft. Certified flight instructors (CFIs) at flight schools are also good resources. CFIs are already experienced in the aircraft and flight schools have posted rates for students and others who have “soloed” and are eligible to rent the aircraft. Charter companies, inspection companies and flight schools are located nationwide, so it’s only necessary to move people and equipment. A directory of flight schools and flying clubs can be found on the FAA website. When renting an aircraft, ensure that you are asking for the “wet” rate, which includes all operating costs, including fuel. Aircraft rentals may require a minimum rental of 4-8 hours.

But here at MTG,

we’re operating a little closer to the ground, if you need solar repairs, give us a call on 0115 888 2777

Renewable energy capacity is set to expand 50% between 2019 and 2024, led by solar energy. This is according to The International Energy Agency (IEA)’s ‘Renewable 2020’ report, which found that renewable energy projects are rolling out at their fastest rate in years. making for the argument that the future lies in using renewable energy. 

The Future of Renewable Energy: Growth Projections

Renewable energy resources make up 26% of the world’s electricity, but its share is expected to reach 30% by 2024. This is due to falling technology costs and rising environmental concerns.

By 2024 solar capacity in the world will grow by 600 gigawatts, almost double the total electricity capacity of Japan. Overall, it will grow by 1 200 GW by 2024, the equivalent of the total electricity capacity of the US. 

The IEA was initially created after the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. It now acts as an energy policy advisor to many countries to shape energy policies for a secure and sustainable future.

Solar Will Become 35% Cheaper By 2024

When the sun shines onto a solar panel, energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the PV cells in the panel. This energy creates electrical charges that move, causing electricity to flow.

Experts predict that the US will double its solar installations to four million by 2023. In 2018, the UK had over one million solar panel installations and Australia reached two million. A big reason for this increased uptake is the fall in prices to install the panels.

The cost of solar PV-based power declined by 13% in 2018, while 72% of coal-based power will become globally unprofitable by 2040. The IEA report found that solar energy will account for 60% of the predicted renewable growth, primarily due to its accessibility. Compared with the previous six-year period, the expansion of solar energy has more than doubled. The cost of solar power is expected to decline to 35% by 2024, spurring further growth.

Future Capacity of Solar Energy

Wind and hydropower often require users to live in specific locations, but solar offers more freedom. Residential solar power is expected to expand from 58 GW in 2018 to 142 GW by 2024, and annual capacity additions are expected to more than triple. China is expected to register the largest installed residential solar capacity in the world by 2024.

Solar facilities will continue reducing their variability rates by storing electricity during the day and running at night. However, advanced solar plants will operate on higher DC to AC ratios. Meaning they’ll deliver more consistent service for longer durations.

Commercial and residential buildings will keep running at full capacity even in periods of low sunlight. Closing the gaps between collection and generation will spur more people to join the solar movement. Therefore, governments must implement incentive and remuneration schemes, as well as effective regulation policies.

Commercial and industrial solar energy capacity is forecast to constitute 377 GW in 2024, up from 150 GW in 2018. This market remains the largest growth segment because solar power generally enables larger savings on electricity bills.

The Future Lies in Using Renewable Energy

Renewable energy will continue to rise in the upcoming decade, edging out fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

This is a pivotal time for renewable energy. Technologies such as solar and wind are at the heart of transformations taking place across the global energy system. Their increasing deployment is crucial for efforts to tackle greenhouse gas emissions, reduce air pollution, and expand energy access.

Our Expertise – Energy Efficient Services

Do you want to make significant savings on your electricity bill?

By switching to renewable sources, you can actually generate up to half of your annual electrical needs.

As we’re centrally based in Nottingham – we have quick, easy access to the rest of the UK. Our qualified and trained electricians have years of expertise in working closely with businesses and homeowners for them to get the best results. Interested in helping the environment whilst making amazing savings? Discover how we can help you…

OUR MISSION

Our sole purpose is to ensure that your Carbon Footprint is reduced – which in turn will have the benefit of reducing your energy costs.

The team is committed to removing energy wastage from your business, increasing your opportunity for sustainable growth and your bottom line.

Whilst creating a healthier and happier workforce for your business through clean technologies and environmental credibility.

We now focus purely on commercial clients and we are dedicated to reducing the Carbon footprint and energy costs in your business without reducing performance.

OUR VISION

We do need to consider the future for our children, our grandchildren and our businesses and MTG Energy empowers both domestic and commercial clients to do just that.

We want to make big savings for our customers, not just for their back pockets but also for the environment. Yes, it would be amazing if every business was carbon neutral but we know that is just impossible… for now! We want to ensure that every one of our clients ends up with cleaner, more efficient energy.

Interested in our renewable energy services?

Call us on 0115 888 2777 or enquire online and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Solar inverters, also known as PV inverters, play a crucial role in the solar energy system. They are mostly considered the brains of a project. The solar panel inverter is beneficial in changing the direct current to an alternate current. Direct current is the power that flows in one direction in the circuit and assists in providing current when there is no electricity. What does a solar inverter do? Below is an informational guide into what a solar inverter is and how it works.

What Is a Solar Inverter, and Why Is It Important?

A solar inverter is one of the most vital components of a solar structure. The inverter transforms the energy output from solar panels into consumable electricity form used in residential or commercial properties.

How Does a Solar Inverter Work?

It works by taking the variable direct current from the solar panels and changing it into alternating 120V/240V or alternate current output. Most home appliances run on alternate current but not direct current. It is the reason why solar panels must change the direct current output collected by your solar panels.

Technically, the sun shines on your photovoltaic cells (solar panels), designed with semiconductor layers of crystalline silicon. The layers are a combination of negative and positive layers connected by a junction.

The layers absorb the light and transfer the solar energy to the photovoltaic cells. The energy runs around and bumps electrons lose. The electrons move between the negative and positive layers generating an electric current, commonly referred to as direct current.

Once the energy is produced, it is either sent directly to an inverter or stored in a battery for later use. This ultimately depends on the solar panel inverter system you have.

When the energy gets sent to the inverter, it is usually in the direct current format. However, your home requires an alternate current. The inverter gets hold of the energy and runs it via a transformer, consequently spitting out an alternate current output.

In short, the inverter runs the direct current via two or more transistors that turn on and off extremely fast and feed the transformer’s two varying sides.

What Does a Solar Inverter Do?

As previously mentioned, PV inverters are considered the brains of a solar energy system. This is to say, without the solar inverters, the whole system cannot function. Below are a few essential job duties for solar inverters.

Convert Direct Current to Alternate Current

This is a solar panel inverter’s basic function that helps create power that is usable in homes and commercial properties.

Maximize Power Output

Solar inverters continually keep track of the solar array’s voltage to discover the maximum power at which the modules can function. If modules are degraded, or shading happens from environmental factors, the inverters can unintentionally identify the string’s wrong peak. This reduces the system’s general energy production.

Interface with The Grid

New smart inverters have advanced from one-way to two-way communication with the grid, helping with grid-supporting functions. Smart inverters can carry out certain grid-supportive functions related to communication, frequency, voltage, and controls, owing to advanced software.

One of these grid-assistance functionalities is the ability to ride through minimal disturbances, such as voltage change. A smart inverter can turn into standby mode in the event of a voltage change and assess how long the disturbance occurs, and switch off if it persists.

Report on Power Production

Solar inverters help you to keep track of your solar system’s power output. The latest inverters come with communication capabilities via Wi-Fi, hardware Ethernet, or Bluetooth. With their technology, you can view the error codes, power reduction data, and diagnostics from inverters on their dedicated smartphone apps or computers.

Ensure Safe System Operation

Solar inverters are required to switch off in case of an electric arc, which is possible due to material degradation and system ageing. Inverters are programmed to spot these arcs, but research has discovered that not all inverters will do it effectively. CHINT inverters are among the top performers that will ensure safe system operation.

Types of Solar Inverters

Solar panel inverter technologies comprise three types, micro-inverters, power optimizers, and string inverters. String inverters are the most common option worldwide. Below are the three categories explained;

String Inverters

They are the most cost-effective inverter options available in the US. Previously, solar installation companies generally offered string inverters systems if your property’s roof had limited shading for long days and did not face multiple directions.

However, recent updates from major string inverter companies design the inverters to be applicable in wider circumstances. The panels are arranged into groups linked with strings, hence the name. Many panel strings can be linked to a single inverter, transforming the panels’ direct current electricity into appliance-friendly power.

Power Inverters

They are a type of module-level power electronics, usually with similar benefits as the micro-inverters but cheaper. The inverters are located at each panel. However, instead of converting the direct current to an alternate current at the panel site, the optimizers condition the direct current electricity and passes it to a string inverter.

Their panel-level optimization leads to a higher system efficiency than string inverters in instances where the roof is shaded.

1. Micro-inverters

You can install these on each panel in a solar energy system. They transform the direct current electricity from your photovoltaic cells into alternate current electricity on your roof without needing a separate central inverter. Experts mostly mount them onto the back of the solar panels.

Just like with power optimizer inverters, micro-inverters allow you to monitor each solar panels’ performance.

Summary

Every home and residential property has different solar needs. A good way to determine what solar inverter you need is to calculate the amount of energy you would ordinarily require. With a quality CHINT solar panel inverter, there is almost no limit to what you can do with the power. It is always advisable to seek professional help if you need to consult or make a purchase.

A new report has found the UK low carbon and green economy to be four times the size of the country’s manufacturing sector. Despite experiencing a small downturn during the pandemic, the growth of the sector looks to be promising in the next five years. 

What is Happening? 

The UK’s low carbon and environmental goods and services sector is estimated to be worth around 200 billion Pounds. Which is four times more than the country’s manufacturing sector, according to a new analysis.

The low carbon sector encompasses products and services provided from across the UK economy including cleaner transportation and efficient home insulation. While the impact of the pandemic has been significant on the sector, forecasts for its future growth looks to be promising and its ability to recover from the pandemic.

In the new study, there are now more than 75,700 businesses in the UK green and low carbon economy, ranging from wind turbine manufacturers to recycling plants, with more than 1.2 million people employed in the sector between 2020 and 2021. 

Employment in the UK green economy was also at an all-time high in 2019/20 reaching up to 1.48 million jobs. Though the number experienced a slight drop when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Similarly, the number of green companies in the country increased up to 87,339 in 2019/20. 

The report is based on 900 data sources from the UK government, the private sector and academia.

Currently, low carbon companies take up the largest proportion of the sector at 49%, while renewable energy companies contribute to 35%. 

The sale of wind-generated electricity is particularly notable, the sector generated up to more than 33 billion pounds. Which includes control systems development and manufacture, consulting houses and companies providing power firming systems and services, maintenance services and grid integration services.

Aside from wind energy, the biggest growths experienced in the UK green economy between 2018/19 and 2019/20 include biomass (16.4%), wave and tidal (12.5%) and carbon capture and storage (11.7%). 

While the Bank of England forecasts about 7.3% growth for the UK economy in 2021, the green economy is unlikely to benefit from the injection of money in the country’s plan to boost the market. 

However, based on projection data, the sector is expected to grow up to 266.5 billion pounds over the next five years, though sales from energy generation will likely need to take at least two years to return to pre-pandemic numbers.

So, you may have heard from a previous electrician that your solar panel inverter is either broken or needs replacing. However, when you have the problem again you look for this inverter and can not find it. Don’t worry! In this blog post, we will cover what an inverter is, why it is so important and finally where you can find it.

What is a solar panel inverter?

An inverter is one of, if not the most, important pieces of equipment in a solar energy system. It’s a device that converts direct current (DC) electricity, which is what a solar panel generates, to alternating current (AC) electricity, which the electrical grid uses.

If this breaks, the appliances that are dependant on your solar panels to run will stop working.

Why is it important?

The inverter will convert all of the electricity from your solar panels into AC electricity for use on your property.

Modern appliances rely on alternating current or AC electricity. But the electricity from your solar panels comes out as direct current (DC) power. To make this solar energy used within your home or business, you need an inverter to convert DC electricity to AC power in real-time.

If your inverter were to break, then you will not be able to convert any of your DC power to useable energy. This will lead to your solar panels producing nothing that can be used

Where can i find it?

When your panels produce energy, it all gets sent to a single inverter, which is usually located on the side of your home, in a garage, or in your basement. This often differs from person to person but usually, it is in one of these places. If you still cannot locate your inverter then calling a professional to give it a check through would be the next correct move.

If you ever find yourself in need of solar panel repair MTG Energy Solutions are here to help!

Visit our blog page to see more here.