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- Who are freeVolt?
- Freevolt Technologies Ltd (C40311), branded under the name freeVolt, is a dynamic Maltese company aimed at providing the best in renewable energy. Our team of professionals will ensure that your renewable energy product will be installed with the least inconvenience possible and more importantly that you will be proud of your new investment.
- Which products are offered by freeVolt?
- freeVolt is always looking forward to the incorporation of avante garde green technologies to its selection, bringing to our clientele a better quality of products. At the moment our main renewable energy products focus on Photovoltaics, Solar Heating, Energy Efficient Lightning and Innovative solutions
- How can I verify that the products offered by freeVolt are suited for the Maltese islands?
- freeVolt was formed on the basis of a requirement for an alternative renewable energy supplier within Malta, who would be able to give the client a tailor-made option for his needs. Hence we deal with and install only products which are of the highest quality grade possible, and are privately and locally tested before they are supplied to our own clients.
- What services does freeVolt offer?
- freeVolt is the company which will help you choose your best green option, with tips to save energy, save electricity and save money. We provide our customers with a personalised and complete solution to their scenario, including free consultation and a pre-installation visual design.
- What does 'PV' mean?
- PV is shorthand for Photovoltaic. This is the technology that allows sunlight to be converted into electricity via solar panels. These panels use wafers of silicon to convert the photons of sunlight that hit it into Direct Current (DC) electricity. This DC electricity then runs through the wiring and into an inverter, where it is converted into Alternating Current (AC) which can be then used in your house.
- Are PV systems expensive?
- Systems of any kind that safely produce electricity are expensive. When you buy a PV system, you are effectively buying electricity for the next 30 years or more up-front, avoiding future electricity price volatility. Solar electricity is also a premium grade of electricity because it is generated without giving off any pollutants. This makes it more valuable and more expensive than standard utility electricity.
- I have an unusual roof, am I able to attach a PV system to it?
- Mounting systems have been devised for practically every type of roof surface, be it standard concrete, sloped clay tiles (tegole) or membranne finished or other sloped surface.
- Will a PV system cause my roof to leak?
- Most flat roof installations do not require penetrations, and therefore do not increase the chance of leaks. A PV system can actually protect a flat roof beneath it from ultraviolet rays and leaks. A pitched roof installation will require penetrations, but each hole is protected by standard roof insulation and the chance of a leak is not increased.
- Do the solar panels have to stick out from my roof so much?
- The reason that many solar arrays are so prominent is that the owner is determined to get every last photon out of the sunlight that hits the roof. If you are not concerned with absolute optimal performance, the panels can be attached flush to your roof. This is a much more subtle means of attachment and is preferred by people who want to keep the aesthetic line of their roof, or who want to not advertise the fact that they have a solar array.
- How much roof space do I need for a PV system?
- A typical PV system requires about 7 square metres for every kilowatt installed. PV systems should be installed facing True South for maximum electricity production.
- Do I have to select certain appliances to be powered by the PV system?
- No, the solar electricity is fed through your main electrical DB and can be used by any lights and appliances just like electricity from your local utility.
- How long does a PV system last for?
- The component of a PV system has been refined over decades now with durability and longevity as a primary focus. As a result, solar panels are usually guaranteed for 20 years, and have an assumed working life of 24 years. Inverters are more delicate than the panels, and many are guaranteed for around 5 years. Free Volt Technologies Ltd however only installs Mitsubishi® Panels which are guaranteed for 25 years and have an operating lifetime of 30 years at a minimum of 80% efficiency, and Mitsubishi® Inverters over which a warranty of 10 years is applicable.
- What is the difference between AC and DC electricity?
- Alternating current (AC) electricity is the type of electricity that runs off the power lines and grid and is used by everything in your house. The voltage of this electricity is constantly alternating. PV systems, however, produce direct current (DC) electricity, which has a constant voltage. This electricity has to be converted to AC by a piece of equipment called an INVERTER in order for it to be used by the appliances in your house. The wires and inverter causes a slight loss of energy, so the AC output is about 85% of the DC electricity generated.
- What percentage of my electricity will my PV system generate?
- That depends on how much electricity you use in a year. You can calculate this by adding the kilowatt-hours (kWh) found on your monthly electricity bills during the past year. Or, you can call your electricity provider for a history of your electricity consumption. Once you have that number, divide the expected annual output of the PV system by your annual consumption. In most cases, PV systems are designed to be supplementary sources of power.
- What do the terms watts, kilowatts and kilowatt-hours represent?
- A watt is a unit of power. A kilowatt is one thousand watts and a megawatt is one million watts. A watt-hour is a unit of energy, or power multiplied by time. A kilowatt-hour is one thousand watt-hours and a megawatt is one million watt-hours. The electricity you purchase from the utility is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Most family homes with 3 individuals use roughly 20 kWh or more per day.
- How much electricity do PV systems generate?
- The capacity of a PV system is stated in terms of the number of watts, kilowatts, or megawatts it can produce in standard sunlight conditions, and depending on the angle and direction at which the panels are mounted.
- Can I Use PV to heat water of space heating ?
- No. Photovoltaics converts the sun’s energy into DC electricity at a relatively low efficiency level (14-16%), so trying to operate a high power electric heating element from PV would be very inefficient and expensive. Solar thermal (or passive solar) is the direct heating of air or water from the heat of the sun and is much more efficient for heating applications than Photovoltaics.
- What type of Solar Mounting Structure should I use?
- There are four basic types of mount structures: roof/ground, top-of pole, side-of-pole and tracking mounts, each having their own pros and cons. For example roof mount structures typically keep the wire run distances between the solar array and battery bank or grid-tie inverter to a minimum, which is good. But some due sloping roofing may also require roof penetrations in multiple locations. On the other hand, ground mounted solar arrays require fairly precise foundation setup, are more susceptible to theft/vandalism. Next are top-of-pole mounts which are relatively easy to install (you sink a 2-6 inch diameter SCH40 steel pole up to 4-6 feet in the ground with concrete).Make sure that the pole is plumb and mount the solar modules and rack on top of the pole. Top-of-pole mounts reduce the risk of theft/vandalism (as compared to a ground mount), and are mostly used in cold climates because snow slides off easily. Side of pole mounts are easy to install, but are typically used for small numbers of solar modules (1-4) for remote lighting systems where there already is an existing pole to attach them to. Last but not least are the trackers, which increase the daily number of full sun hours and are usually used for solar water pumping applications. Trackers are extremely effective in the summer time when water is needed the most. However with the increase in moving parts comes the increase in possible mechanical faults and stress related failures, over and above the fact that MEPA permission has to be sought prior to installation. Having said so the most efficient and maintenance free solution for any roof owner would be the fixed roof mounted structure.
- Are my Panels facing the right way?
- Generally speaking all solar modules in Malta are installed facing the Magnetic South, however for maximisation of daily output your modules should be facing azimuth South. At Free Volt Technologies this magnetic declination calculation is standard practice.
- Does shade affect my PV Panels?
- PV modules are very sensitive to shading, unlike a solar thermal panel which can tolerate some shading, many brands of PV modules cannot even be shaded by the branch of a leafless tree. Shading obstructions can be defined as soft or hard sources. If a tree branch, roof vent, chimney or other item is shading from a distance, the shadow is diffuse or dispersed. These soft sources significantly reduce the amount of light reaching the cell(s) of a module. Hard sources are defined as those that stop light from reaching the cell(s), such as a blanket, tree branch, bird dropping, or the like, sitting directly on top of the glass. If even one cell is hard shaded the voltage of that module will drop to half of its unshaded value in order to protect itself. If enough cells are hard shaded, the module will not convert any energy and will, in fact, become a tiny drain of energy on the entire system. Our Mitsubishi® panels have a factory installed bypass diode which minimises power decrease caused by partial shade application on cells.