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  • NigeWick
    NigeWick Posts: 2,714
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    Saw this in a newsletter I get. I wonder how long it will take to make the system commercially viable.

    http://buff.ly/2lpstTw
    The mind of the bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract.
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  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    France promotes:

    France ramped up solar ambitions after PV ‘overshot expectations’
    France has sought to increase its ambitions for solar PV in the country after the technology “overshot expectations”, a government representative has said.
    Dutertre’s comments come just weeks after the European Commission approved French solar schemes to support the development of 2.6GW of small and large-scale plants as the country continues to make progress towards its target of 23% renewable generation by 2030.


    Britain taxes:

    Schools to be hit by almost £2 million annual bill from solar tax hike
    Schools in England and Wales could face an annual bill of almost £2 million if the government goes ahead with the planned introduction of business rates on small solar installations, according to the Green Party.

    Jenny Jones, the party’s member of the House of Lords, obtained information through Freedom of Information requests from 74 education authorities, responsible for 821 schools with almost 14MW of installed solar capacity.

    The Greens have argued that when scaled up to all 174 education authorities, the proposed removal of the exemption for non-domestic solar installations below 50kWp would result in a total business rates bill in the region of £1.8 million per year.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • NigeWick
    NigeWick Posts: 2,714
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    Written to my MP complaining about trying to tax school, hospitals & etc too.
    The mind of the bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract.
    Oliver Wendell Holmes
  • Exiled_Tyke
    Exiled_Tyke Posts: 1,185
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    NigeWick wrote: »
    Written to my MP complaining about trying to tax school, hospitals & etc too.

    Just had a reply back from my MP who said he would be happy to take it up and fight against it.
    Install 28th Nov 15, 3.3kW, (11x300LG), SolarEdge, SW. W Yorks.
    Install 2: Sept 19, 600W SSE
    Solax 6.3kWh battery
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    Just copied this of a weekly carbon commentary newsletter:
    At a lecture in Oxford, leading perovskite scientist Henry Snaith said that his university spinout was talking to a major silicon manufacturer about adding a perovskite layer on top of PV cells to increase light-capturing efficiency. He said it would increase yields of the best PV cells from 22% to 30%. Professor Snaith also said that trials of perovskite cells were showing good durability in the face of humidity and high temperatures. This has been a major concern of observers. Separately, a US/French study showed impressive performance from extremely thin layers of perovskite materials, increasing the possibility that these cheap and light materials will one day become the lowest cost source of PV modules.

    To place this in context we could be seeing almost a doubling of the efficiency of rooftop PV in the short to medium term ...... doubling of annual generation from the same roofspace. Nice.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Exiled_Tyke
    Exiled_Tyke Posts: 1,185
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    Just copied this of a weekly carbon commentary newsletter:



    To place this in context we could be seeing almost a doubling of the efficiency of rooftop PV in the short to medium term ...... doubling of annual generation from the same roofspace. Nice.

    But do you think we will ever get anything that will be affordable and can be added to existing panels? Personally I'd be particularly keen to get something on my low pitched panels which are on a single storey roof I can climb on to it.
    Install 28th Nov 15, 3.3kW, (11x300LG), SolarEdge, SW. W Yorks.
    Install 2: Sept 19, 600W SSE
    Solax 6.3kWh battery
  • EricMears
    EricMears Posts: 3,230
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    But do you think we will ever get anything that will be affordable and can be added to existing panels? Personally I'd be particularly keen to get something on my low pitched panels which are on a single storey roof I can climb on to it.
    For similar reasons I too would be interested in such a product. Just a tad worried that the operation might be classed as changing the panels and losing FIT entitlement though.

    IF something ever comes onto the DIY market I'll make a point of enquiring of my FIT providers before I rush out to buy it.
    NE Derbyshire.4kWp S Facing 17.5deg slope (dormer roof).24kWh of Pylontech batteries with Lux controller BEV : Hyundai Ioniq5
  • Exiled_Tyke
    Exiled_Tyke Posts: 1,185
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    EricMears wrote: »
    For similar reasons I too would be interested in such a product. Just a tad worried that the operation might be classed as changing the panels and losing FIT entitlement though.

    IF something ever comes onto the DIY market I'll make a point of enquiring of my FIT providers before I rush out to buy it.

    I'd hope that it could be argued that it's the same panel doing the same job. It's just the light that's going to it which is being worked with.
    Install 28th Nov 15, 3.3kW, (11x300LG), SolarEdge, SW. W Yorks.
    Install 2: Sept 19, 600W SSE
    Solax 6.3kWh battery
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,713
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    I'd hope that it could be argued that it's the same panel doing the same job. It's just the light that's going to it which is being worked with.

    Brain still whirring on this, so it might not make sense, but if you increased the efficiency, you would increase the Wp rating of the panel*, so ..... it would be an upgrade or extension, which would be apportioned off by the FiT provider ....... I think?

    *Eg a 240Wp panel 1m by 1.6m of 14% or an identical sized panel of 17.5% efficiency giving off 285Wp. So same space, higher efficiency, higher Wp too.

    Long term though (or should that be short-medium term) the thought of generating perhaps 6,000kWh-10,000kWh from a domestic roof in the UK each year is staggering. Gonna need a bigger battery!
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW)

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Exiled_Tyke
    Exiled_Tyke Posts: 1,185
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    Brain still whirring on this, so it might not make sense, but if you increased the efficiency, you would increase the Wp rating of the panel*, so ..... it would be an upgrade or extension, which would be apportioned off by the FiT provider ....... I think?

    *Eg a 240Wp panel 1m by 1.6m of 14% or an identical sized panel of 17.5% efficiency giving off 285Wp. So same space, higher efficiency, higher Wp too.

    Long term though (or should that be short-medium term) the thought of generating perhaps 6,000kWh-10,000kWh from a domestic roof in the UK each year is staggering. Gonna need a bigger battery!


    Ah but - the efficiency of the panel itself is not increasing? The same cells are doing exactly the same job they were doing before. But the light they are receiving allows them to perform better - or have I got this wrong?

    Oh, and any affordable (i.e. cost efficient) battery would be great right now no matter what the size.
    Install 28th Nov 15, 3.3kW, (11x300LG), SolarEdge, SW. W Yorks.
    Install 2: Sept 19, 600W SSE
    Solax 6.3kWh battery
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