Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need a south facing roof and how big does it need to be?
  

South, SW or SE facing is fine, a typical installation needs about 15-20Sq meters of roof space. Other roof orientations are much less effective.

• What will it generate?
  

We hope to survey your house and size the system PV and Wind to meet 85-90% of typical electricity needs. The rest you can get from economy 7 rates 3p/unit into the batteries!

• What will happen if there is a power cut, or even if the grid fails
  

Your house carries on like normal - depending on the weather etc. If you modify your usage patterns you can run forever e.g. wash clothes on bright days.

• How much electricity do I use?
  

We have a number of models but a normal 3 bed house typically can use between 2500 to 4500 KwH (or units) per year. Lets say round 10-12 KwH per day.

• What is a Unit or KwH of electricity
  

A 1 bar electric fire running for one hour

• What is the likely payback for the Naturalwatt System 1

• Can it heat my house?

It can provide electricity during power cuts to run your boiler and say fridge lights tv etc, but it cannot generate enough power (typically 20,000 KwH/annum) to heat an average house. But it could be sized to run a heat pump for a major help with heating your house.

• Can I generate cash and electricity back to the grid, so my system is not wasted when the weather is good for generating power?

Yes using our G83/1 Device. We also manage your relationship with the electricity board so you get a best price for it. We also get your carbon credits £65 per 1000KwH generated.

• What does a typical NW System 1 cost?
  

It varies, by size, maybe around £14-15,000 - depends on our detailed survey.

• Can I get a grant for this?
  

Grants for a significant amount i.e. up to £3,000 per KW of PV capacity are available or up to £5-6,000 for a typical installation - see the grants process documents.  Grants are on a first come first served basis and rationed by time period.

• What is a typical system installation labour cost?
  

Around £1200 for a typical system e.g. 6 man days inclusive in above figure.

• Can I get a grant if I install it myself?
  

No, sorry, we have to go through a stiff accreditation to meet required standards. 

• Can I install it myself?
  

Yes we can give you a kit, but all electrical work needs to be certified to meet Part P of Building Regulations.