We’ve always taken the issue of global warming very seriously and felt that we needed to do our bit as individuals. We’re also conscious that as a family of 5, we probably have a fairly large carbon footprint. We live in London so don’t rely on our car much – we walk, cycle or use public transport for day to day life – but we wanted to do more than just put in a few energy-saving light bulbs, leave the recycling out once a week and buy our electricity from Good Energy.

We’d toyed with the idea of installing solar panels for some time, but the plethora of companies selling and installing solar PV panels was daunting. For such a huge investment, we couldn’t afford to make a mistake and I felt bewildered by the entire process. I had gleaned enough from my research, though, to know that our roof – south-facing; not overshadowed by any buildings or trees; the right pitch and not in a conservation area – was  ideally suited to the new technology.

So when Good Energy emailed with the news that they’d paired up with Sundog and streamlined the entire process (including applying for a government grant) I was immediately won over. The whole process was very easy – essentially online based and involving answering a few questions by email. I put in one phone-call to Southwark Council just to double-check that there weren’t any planning issues. There weren’t, so late last summer we went ahead.

The technology certainly don’t come cheap. For our installation (8 panels), we were quoted £10,500 and had to find additional cash for scaffolding and an electrician. However, we had knew we’d be in receipt of a £2,500 grant (not paid till after the job is completed – understandable, but annoying) and we had £1,000 wedding present money. Nonetheless, the project did involve increasing our mortgage by £8000.

The whole installation took only a couple of days and was of no inconvenience to us. Once finished, we were sent a folder full of all the necessary technical information and certified paperwork required to claim our grant, so it was just a question of signing and sending off. The money came in a matter of days. The panels themselves can’t be seen unless you’re really quite a long way back from the house and as they’re black, they really aren’t an eyesore on our black roof. As far as I’m aware, there is no upkeep necessary.

Don’t be over-optimistic about what your installation will achieve. It was a surprise to me to realise that even on the hottest sunny morning when our panels are at their full generating capacity of 1.44 kWh (in itself quite rare), they can’t even power the kettle. But what you soon see – and it’s quite easy to become obsessed with watching the energy production meter (ours is in the  coat cupboard!) – is that they are constantly producing a steady trickle which over time adds up to a lot of units.

The government tariff was complete news to me and played no part in our decision making, though of course it’s a huge bonus to feel that we’re being rewarded for our sacrifice. It may well encourage more people to take the plunge, and who knows, we may even recover the cost of our outlay within our lifetime. What infuriates me, though, is that we live in a new-build estate with two rows of townhouses just like ours. Think how much would have been saved if the entire complex had been built with solar PV in the first place. I believe the government should force developers, by law, to use more of this new technology at the build stage – what a boost that would give the renewables industry. As a mother of three, the carrot and stick approach suits me just fine!