Solar Panel Megathread

[AlexAtkin]

Then there is the more important issue IMO, the cost of having the panels fitted.

 

If you have that amount of money going spare its STILL going to take x number of years to make that money back in energy savings and the feed in tariff. If you have to get a loan or other credit to buy them, there is no guarantees you will EVER make your money back.

 

On the other hand if you can get them for free at the cost of losing the feed in money, you immediately benefit by savings on your electricity bill at no cost whatsoever. Its just a bummer there is zero chance of THAT happening in social/council housing.

[Cyclone]

It is more beneficial to use the electricity being generated than allowing it to be 'sold' back to the grid because you buy in electricity at between 7-13p per kWh but you will only get paid 4.5p by selling/exporting it to your provider.

Yes, but that wasn't the suggestion I was replying to.

Alex seemed to be suggesting that using the power was better than selling it back, even if you didn't really need to use the power (hence his suggestion of an aircon unit I assume). Maybe I just misunderstood.

 

Plus, until every home is installed with an incoming 'smart meter' which is due to start in 2013, your provider doesn't know how much you of the generated electricity you are using and how much you are exporting back to them. So at the moment they will assume that 50% of what you generate gets used and 50% will be exported. This is of course great for those homes that would use over 50% because they get an extra, bit of cash!

 

We recommend all our customers to get as many appliances on timers as possible to come on at certain points during the day, that way they are utilising as much of the free electricity as possible.

How much of an average households load comes from the washing machine though? That's one of the few things that can really be scheduled to come on, everything else, lights, cooking, TV, computers, need to be on when you want to use them...

[solarlady]

Yes, but that wasn't the suggestion I was replying to.

 

How much of an average households load comes from the washing machine though? That's one of the few things that can really be scheduled to come on, everything else, lights, cooking, TV, computers, need to be on when you want to use them...

 

 

True, which is why many households will not benefit greatly on electricity savings alone unless they change their habits and use more electricity during the day. But we all know that this is not possible for people who work a 9-5 - that is why the feed in tariff was introduced to provide an incentive to create demand.

 

Houses that are occupied during the day will benefit from reduced bills, those houses with immersion heaters for example can greatly benefit as there are devices on the market which divert unused electricity generated by the solar PV array to heat water in the tank which can be stored to be used in the evening.

 

The main drivers to buying solar for your home (or business) are if you have large daytime bills that you want to reduce, or if you are looking for an investment opportunity provided by the tax free (domestic only), index linked feed in tariff.

[solarlady]

On electricity savings alone, unless you have very high day time bills it will take a long time for a system to pay for itself, which is why the feed in tariff was introduced. Free solar is a good option for those who don't want to/can't afford to buy their own.

 

Typically systems will payback between 7-10 years (depending on quality of materials used). On a 4kw, South-facing system the feed in tariff is worth approx £550 a year. This is with the current tariff of 16p, plus there is electricity usage and export (at 4.5p per kWh) on top of that, for 20 years.

 

If you get a loan this shouldn't put any more than 1 - 1.5 years on the payback term, but this depends on the loan terms.

[solarlady]

 

The FIT has been significantly reduced as well now and the estimated pay back is normally estimated for 'optimum' conditions, rather than realistic ones.

 

 

Any solar installer who is MCS accredited should be working out their estimate yield following the SAP 2005 PV calculation which estimates yield at 80% of the systems potential performance. Any company not doing this in in breach of the MCS rules and REAL consumer protection scheme.

[solar energy]

Now it's been approx 2,3 years since people have been having solar panels fitted.

Are they really saving you money and are they generating as promised.

Are they working today? With the snow

[gnvqsos]

Best seek advice from government,or CATT

[Cyclone]

Can the government give you an anecdotal response from someone who had them installed 2 to 3 years ago, like the OP is asking for?

[solar energy]

. Asking from people- from the horses mouth and for information from sheffield or South Yorkshire folk whom have had them fitted. Are you getting the quarterly payments , refunds as promised

[andrejuan]

The people who had them fitted free will not get refunds. Those installations just get free electricity when the panels are working.

 

If you buy the whole setup, and fit enough of them you will reap a reward

which is dependent on how many panels you have.

 

I know that's not what you were asking but, if you get replies from people who have them, it will depend on how many they have and in what direction they are facing.

Hope that helps.