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Solar Panel

Solar PV explained

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are made up of panels that fit on top of your roof, but you can also install them on the ground or fit solar tiles.

Solar PV cells are made from layers of semi-conducting material, usually silicon. When sunlight shines on the panels or tiles, electrons create a flow of electricity. An inverter then converts the direct current (DC) electricity generated into alternating current (AC) for use in your property.

Installing a solar PV system in Jersey won't materially reduce your carbon footprint, when replacing electricity, because the imported electricity we supply is already low carbon.

An abstract illustration that shows the sun, trees and water.

Solar PV loves the sun

Solar PV systems work best in full sunlight. They can work on cloudy days but the stronger the sunshine, the more electricity they generate. Other factors which affect performance include:

  • Time of day
  • Angle of the sun
  • System orientation
  • Cloud and shade cover

Performance is measured in kilowatt peak (kWp) - the number of kiloWatts a solar PV system will generate at its maximum performance level.

Is your roof suitable for solar?

Most solar PV systems are installed on roofs. The ideal roof for a solar array should face south, be unshaded, and at a pitch angle of about 30 or 40 degrees.

East or west-facing roofs can be used, but north-facing roofs are not recommended as they typically don't get enough sunlight.

Nearby buildings, trees or chimneys that would shade your roof will have a negative impact on the performance of your system.

An illustration of hills, trees, sand and the sun.

Before you install your solar PV array

Before installing PV panels on your home, ask yourself some questions:

  • Why am I doing this?
  • Is it for the environment to reduce carbon?
  • Or is it to save money and cut my energy bills?
  • What is the energy profile of my home?
  • For example, have you already got electric heating?
  • Are you on an off-peak electricity tariff?
  • What is your annual consumption and how is that split between heating/hot water (which will be on a low-cost tariff) and General Power and Lighting? The new app My JE can help you with this by providing you with energy profiling details.

Sizing for cost-effectiveness

Jersey’s electricity grid is already virtually decarbonised which means installing solar panels will not materially reduce your home's carbon footprint because the electricity produced by solar panels will simply be replacing low carbon grid electricity with low carbon solar electricity.

Savings on energy bills can be made if your solar array is accurately sized to meet your baseload demand and not overly sized. Installing a smaller solar array that meets your household’s electricity demand will pay back your investment more speedily than over-investing in a larger array that would take much longer to cover the higher installation and equipment costs by selling excess supplies back to the grid.

Heating and embedded generators (Solar PV, wind turbines, battery storage)

Embedded generators cannot be used with our low-cost, off-peak heating tariffs that are designed specifically for approved space and water heating.

If you are on a multiple-rate tariff, other than Economy 7 (E7), we recommend you size your array to meet your general lights and power load only. 

We will, of course, pay for any excess units via our Buy Back Tariff, but you will continue to be charged the normal rate for your consumption on your heating tariff.

You could install battery storage alongside your embedded generator.  So, when your generator is meeting the demand of your general lights and power load, any excess can be used to charge the battery to be used later to meet your general lights and power demand when you are not generating and without the need to buy units from us.

Another opportunity is to consider the installation of a solar diverter, which diverts spare generated electricity into your hot water tank before it exports to the grid.

An illustration of a two storey home with green and yellow rectangles behind it.

Export surplus energy back into the grid

If your solar PV system generates more than you can use or store. You can export any surplus electricity back to the grid, and we will pay you for it through our Buy Back Tariff.

But as there are no Government subsidies in Jersey, such as the Feed-In Tariffs (FITs) that used to exist in the UK, the rate you will receive off Buy Back is purely what the power is worth. This does not compare with the rate you pay for electricity because that unit price has all our network building and maintenance cost built into it. Solar panels will generate electricity, not money, in Jersey.

A third and important point before you go ahead is to check the size of your meter cupboard because we will have to fit another dedicated buy back meter to calculate how much electricity you do sell back to the grid, so it is essential you have room for this. See our meter cupboard specifications.

For further information visit our FAQs and or see our step-by-step guide to home installations.

More about our Buy Back tariff

Tell us about your installation

And please remember, you must notify Jersey Electricity in writing BEFORE you install solar PV panels or battery storage systems and within 30 days of energising the installation to comply with G83 and G59 requirements.

We call this type of equipment embedded generation, and you can find installation advice about it in our Trade area.

Your Customer Number

Your 5 character Customer Number can be found in the top right and bottom left corners of your bill.

Statement Customernumber

Daily Service Charge

The Daily Service Charge covers energy support services such as metering, billing, Customer Care, safety obligations and other energy support services.

Off-peak

Off-peak means not at the most popular time. Some of our tariffs provide discounted rates at off-peak times - for example, during certain periods at night.

Dedicated supply circuit

A dedicated supply circuit is an electrical circuit that is set aside for a specific purpose, such as powering a boiler. It will work with a single appliance only.

It will have its own circuit breaker in your fuse box, and no other device or appliance will be able to draw power from it. A dedicated supply circuit ensures that appliances can draw the current they need without overloading your system, blowing a fuse or tripping an electric circuit.

Invoice Number

This can be found on the top right corner of your bill here

Statement Invoicenumber

Premise Number

This can be found on the top right corner and bottom left corner of your bill.

Statement Premisenumber

Payment Slip

This can be found at the bottom of your bill here

Payment Slip Pop Up

Peak Load

Peak load or peak demand is a short period when the demand for electricity is at its highest.

Kilowatt Hours

Electricity consumption is usually measured in kilowatt hours, or kWh for short. Each kWh of electricity equates to 'one unit of electricity' for billing purposes. A 1kW (1,000 Watts) appliance in use for one hour = 1kWh (one unit). The cost per unit used depends on which tariff you are on.

Three phase

Residential homes are usually served by a single-phase power supply, while commercial and industrial facilities usually use a three-phase supply.

One difference between single-phase and three-phase is that a three-phase power supply better accommodates higher loads. Single-phase power supplies are most commonly used when typical loads are lighting or heating, rather than large electric motors.

Another important difference between 3-phase power and single phase power is the consistency of power delivery. Because of the variations in voltage, single-phase power supply does not offer the same consistency as a three-phase power supply. A three-phase power supply delivers power at a steady, constant rate.

kVA

A kVA is simply 1,000 volt-amps. A volt-amp, or ampere, (VA) is the voltage times the current feeding an electrical load.

Embedded generator

Embedded generators like wind turbines and solar panels are connected to your electricity supply and provide electricity for onsite use. They also have the capability to export back to the grid.

Smart Card Number

Your Smart Card Number is the 19-digit number displayed below the barcode on your Smart Card.

The Smart Card Number also contains your six-digit Meter Number that is also displayed on your meter. You need this to top up a Smart Pay As You Go Meter whether at a Payzone outlet or online.

Smart Card Number Copy

Smart Card

A Smart Card contains your unique Smart Card Number used when topping up a Smart Pay As You Go Meter.

Smart Card Dummy Copy

F-Credit

F-credit is a Pay As You Go meter display and means Friendly Credit. It is the period between 9pm and 8am. If the credit on your meter runs out during this period, your supply will remain on until 8am.

Decarbonise

The process of reducing carbon by replacing fossil fuels with fuel that is less harmful to the environment such as low-carbon electricity.

Regenerative braking

With conventional braking systems, the kinetic energy that was propelling the vehicle forward gets converted to unwanted and wasted heat by the friction of the brakes.

Regenerative braking recaptures much of the car's kinetic energy and converts it into electricity, so that it can be used to recharge the car's batteries.

In addition to improving the efficiency of a vehicle, regeneration can significantly extend the life of the braking system, as the mechanical parts will not wear out as quickly.

Power factor

Power factor is the ratio of useful power in kilowatts (kW) to apparent power, measured in kilovolt amperes (kVA). A perfect power factor would be 1.0, however in reality this is almost impossible to achieve. Office buildings are usually between 0.98 and 0.92. Bad power factor is anything below 0.85.

Electric flow boiler

Electric flow boilers are simple to install, quiet in operation, 100% efficient and integrate into most existing radiator or underfloor piped systems. Plus, with no flue or storage tank, an electric boiler is a space-saving option that can be installed almost anywhere in your home.

Approved heating system

A heating system, approved by Jersey Electricity, on a dedicated supply for use on one of our discounted heating tariffs.

To learn more about what's required for an approved heating system, view our current approved heating guidelines.

20-digit payment code

The 20-digit payment code is issued with your receipt for a Pay As You Go (PAYG) meter top-up. If your meter did not charge automatically, you can do it manually with the payment code. Press button A on your meter then key in your 20-digit payment confirmation code on the meter keypad, then press button B. Your meter will recognise the amount paid and charge accordingly.

Single phase

Single-phase power supplies are most commonly used when typical loads are lighting or heating, as in a domestic home, rather than large electric motors and higher loads. Single-phase power is a two-wire alternating current (AC) power circuit.