United Kingdom is the windiest country in Europe, so much so that we could power our country several times over. 
What to consider before going solar
Out of all the renewable energy technologies, solar panels are the most popular, with the majority of the public opting to research solar panels when looking for alternative energy sources. Throughout this article we will discuss what should be considered before choosing solar panels as a source of energy.
Amount of sunlight – to make the most of solar panels ensure you install them on a roof or wall that is well exposed to sunlight. The best place to use solar panels is on your roof, within 90 degrees of south and, ideally, isn’t obstructed by obstacles such as tall trees or buildings. Also east and west facing roofs should not be discounted. The less solar panel systems are exposed to sunlight the less energy they will produce.
Your roof – solar panel systems are heavy depending on how many panels you use and the bracing system used, so your roof must be strong enough to withstand the extra weight. Most roofs will be strong enough, but some may not. This will be determined when a solar survey is undertaken by a supplier/installer of solar panels.
Type of system – there are two main types of solar panel system, hot water solar panels or electricity generating solar panels i.e. PV panels. The choice you make depends on what energy bill you want to reduce (gas or electricity) and whether you want to connect to the national grid. Connecting to the national grid, with a feed-in tariff to a local energy supplier, will allow you to earn money from the electricity you are generating.
Solar panel quality – good quality systems should last 30 years+, cheaper systems would have a reduced lifetime and produce less energy, so it’s in your interest to use top quality solar panels.
Costs - a good solar system can vary a lot and then there is the installation costs. In general the more energy the solar panels generate the more they cost and solar panels that are built into the roof, rather than on top of it, are also more expensive. See the Energy Saving Trust for more information.
Planning permission UK/Scotland – planning permission is not usually an issue when installing solar panels, unless the property is a listed building.
There are further considerations that need to be taken into account, such as upgrading your hot water tank, when using hot water solar panels, to allow the system to work more efficiently.
Finally before looking at purchasing solar panels look at cheaper alternatives to saving energy, see simple energy saving measures for more information. If you implement any of these cheaper ways of reducing your energy bills and also go ahead with solar panels, your electricity produced from the panels will go much further.