Mitsubishi Electric’s photovoltaics (PV) are now available in the UK to help organisations and individuals meet their environmental and energy saving objectives. Since the beginning of the decade high-efficiency Mitsubishi Electric PV modules have been deployed across a huge variety of projects in Asia, the US and continental Europe; whether in small off-grid deployments in remote areas of Indonesia, as part of power purchase agreements in the US agricultural sector, or within utility-scale projects in Germany.

Here in the UK, Mitsubishi Electric’s photovoltaics are being made available through the Living Environmental Systems (LES) division, alongside our established air-handling and heating products. This ensures the level of service and support that our customers expect, with all the supply chain advantages and product and performance warranties associated with this.

Technology

Photovoltaic modules utilise light energy - not heat - to generate DC current. This is converted to AC current by an inverter, making it available for use within the building or to export if surplus energy is generated. With no moving parts a PV system runs silently and reliably, with the likely lifetime of the modules being 30 years or more.

UK Feed-in Tariff for Low Carbon Electricity

In February 2010 the Government confirmed the rates available under the Feed-in Tariff for low carbon electricity. Feed-in Tariff policies have been very successful in other European countries at encouraging the installation of PV systems. Feed-in Tariffs offer a generous ongoing income to system owners, based on the output of the system. This additional income reduces payback times and creates opportunities for system owners to profit from the system. In the UK, the Feed-in Tariff mandates payments to owners of PV systems from their electricity supplier. There are two components to the payment; the generation tariff, paid on the total generated and the export tariff, paid on the amount of unused electricity that is exported to the grid.

CO2 Strategy

A key benefit of photovoltaics is that they displace carbon-heavy electricity, so are particularly effective in helping clients to meet CO2 targets. As such, they are part of a suite of products that includes the Lossnay fresh air heat recovery unit and Ecodan air source heat pumps. When combined, these products are particularly effective at reducing overall CO2 emissions from a building and are being used with increasing frequency in the residential new build sector, where developers are seeking economical ways of meeting their obligations under the Code for Sustainable Homes. Mitsubishi Electric is committed to reducing CO2 emissions, both through the Environmental Vision 2021 statement, which embodies Mitsubishi Electric’s long-term environmental management vision and through the Green Gateway Initiative which focuses on the heating and cooling market in the UK.

Taken from the article titled Photovoltaic Systems from Mitsubishi Electric - click here for full brochure