Solar Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal

There's two types of Solar 'Energy' systems: one which generates electricity (called Solar Photovoltaic) and one which heats water (called Solar Thermal). The two technologies work in completely different ways and shouldn't be confused with one another. Let us explain...
 

Utilising the suns natural energy Solar Thermal is essentially a 'plumbing' based system. There are a number of Solar Thermal types, but ultimately the end product is the heating of water, for example most systems feed into your hot water cylinder and/or a boiler. The system heats the water which is enroute to the hot water cylinder. By preheating the water before it reaches the cylinder, in most cases the boiler won't need to operate to raise the water temperature, thus reducing the energy your boiler needs. The Solar Thermal system will work year round, but the best efficient is reached in the summer months when the suns power is stronger. We've seen Solar Thermal systems in the UK heat the water to 30-40^oC in winter months, and 60^oC in summer months. In fact, during these summer months a thermal system would be expected to provide arounnd 90-95% of your hot water without utilising the boiler. 

Solar Photovoltaic (often shortened to Solar PV) is an 'electricity' based system, which means that it generates electricity which can be used for any use. The PV panels feed into the main distribution board of your home, via an Inverter. This power is then utilised around the home as if it had been generated by the power stations and National Grid. There's no need to store the power in batteries, as any excess energy is fed back into the National Grid for which you will receive payment.
Solar Photovoltaic systems utilise the radiation from the Sun, rather than requiring direct sunlight, and so is ideal for the UK climate. 

Solar Thermal tends to be the cheaper of the two technologies, due to lower equipment and installation costs. Grants are available to homeowners for both technologies from various sources. Please check the fuding guide (here) to find out what is available to you.