
Why solar panels are not worth it for all homeowners1. Your roof isn’t suitable for solar panels Home solar panel systems are nearly always placed on the roof. Most roofs possess the two necessary ingredients for solar panels: lots of sunlight and a surface to mount them on. . 2. There’s nowhere else to put solar panels . 3. Your electricity costs are already low . 4. You plan to move or sell your home . [pdf]
Any panels that go on your roof are limited by the roof’s design. For instance, your roof may run east to west instead of north to south. This means you don’t have a south-facing surface to use when you install. As a result, you can’t take advantage of the maximum amount of sunlight.
Luckily, you don’t have to choose between a bulky rooftop solar installation or nothing at all. Homeowners have several options to make use of the sun’s energy, from backyard solar panels to solar pergolas and beyond. Many of the best unique solar panel placement ideas integrate seamlessly into a home’s exterior. Ready to dive in?
It’s much easier to get rooftop solar panels installed if you have a loft space. This way, installers can look at the underside of your roof beforehand to check its structure and pinpoint where the rafters are, then look afterwards to make sure the felt isn’t torn and the bolts have gone straight into the rafters.
Thanks to recent changes to permitted development rules, most installations on flat roofs won’t need solar panel planning permission. So long as the panels aren’t visible from the street and don’t exceed 200mm above the roof, they should be covered under permitted development rights.
The common perception is that solar panels are only suitable for a classic south facing pitched roof, but if the roof of your home doesn’t have the right orientation, can the flat roof of a garage or rear extension be just as effective? In short, the answer is yes, but there are a number of different variables to get right.
You might find solar panels look more natural when mounted to a shed or garage instead. Sheds and garages tend to have a more utilitarian feel than a home. If your shed or garage is located behind your home, you can easily install panels there so they have very little effect on your home’s profile from the road.

If your end goal is to become an MCS-accredited installer, you’ll need to sign up for one of the MCS-approved training courses, which include:Solar photovoltaic (NOS mapped) – Provided by the BPECLevel 3 Award in the Installation of Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Systems – Provided by the Specialist Awarding Organisation for Engineering and Manufacturing (EAL)Level 3 Award in the Installation and Maintenance of Small Scale Solar Photovoltaic Systems (IMSSSPV) – Provided by the LCL Awards [pdf]
Also, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has advised that, as a minimum to avoid the risk of a property being ineligible for a mortgage, both new and existing Solar PV installations must be MCS certified. All renewable energy products are examined by certification bodies against MCS manufacturing and testing standards.
Gain a nationally recognised qualification from LCL Awards in installing & maintaining small-scale solar PV systems. Course meets MCS registration requirements.
Ofgem states that anyone installing solar PV, wind, and micro-CHP installations up to 50 kW needs to demonstrate that the installation and installer are ‘suitably certified’. It also states:
In summary, while MCS certification is not a legal requirement for solar installations in the UK, it is highly recommended. MCS certification not only ensures that your installation meets the highest standards of quality and safety but also allows you to access valuable government incentives.
Therefore, it would appear that a compliance certificate will still be a requirement in instances where solar power is used. Furthermore, the prescribed certificate of compliance as provided in the Regulations generally include solar panel installations. Obtain a certificate of compliance for your alternative energy installation
Unlike the Gas Safe Register, solar panel installers and suppliers are not required by law to be MCS accredited. Instead, the scheme rewards suppliers, installers, and products with a certificate if they meet a certain standard – reassuring customers that the product and service they’re investing in will be of a good quality.

On 15 October 2024, a fuel tanker exploded in Majiya, Jigawa State, Nigeria, killing 209 people and injuring 124 others. The involved tanker came from Kano and had driven around 110 kilometers on its way to Yobe State on 15 October. While traveling on an expressway near the town of Majiya in Jigawa State, the tanker. . 167 families were affected by the explosion and the property damage cost millions of Naira. Haruna Mairiga, the head of the Emergency Management Agency in Jigawa State, said that a. . • • • [pdf]
(AP Photo/Sani Maikatanga) ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian authorities have announced measures to correct lapses that resulted in the deaths of more than 140 people in an explosion on Wednesday as they were trying to scoop up fuel from an overturned fuel tanker in one of the deadliest road accidents ever in the West African nation.
At least 70 people were killed and more injured in northern Nigeria on Saturday when a petrol tanker truck overturned, spilling fuel that exploded, the country's national emergency agency said.
Survivors and relatives try to find peace after 170 mostly young people died after a tanker exploded in Jigawa State. People prepare bodies for burial on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 following a tanker explosion in Majia town, Nigeria [Sani Maikatanga/AP Photo]
Fuel tanker explosions are not unusual in Africa’s most populous country, where oil supplies are frequently dispatched by road. Previous fires have led to multiple casualties. In 2020, more than 500 people lost their lives in more than 1,500 fuel tanker accidents recorded that year, according to Nigeria’s road safety agency.
REUTERS/Tife Owolabi Acquire Licensing Rights WARRI, Nigeria/LONDON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - An oil vessel used for storage that exploded off the coast of Nigeria this week had not been maintained for sometime and had technical issues, two sources and an environmental group said on Friday, as its wreckage lay in the sea after the fire was put out.
People gather near the remains of a fuel tanker that exploded in Majia, Nigeria [Ali Rabiu Ali/Al Jazeera] “Those that were injured are being taken care of in various hospitals across the state and neighbouring state,” Abdullahi said, thankful to those who provided help.
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