Free solar power system. Is it a scam?

EricMears

Hartismere wrote: »

The only solution is to use self-cleaning glass, that which bears a microscopically thin film of titanium dioxide

Our SPs are supposed to have a similar coating. However, so have our conservatory roof panels and I'm afraid they're totally useless.

Luckily (for both sets of 'self cleaning' panels) they are reasonably easy to clean with a long handled soft brush.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Hartismere wrote: »

The politics and payments is beyond me,

Fair enough. Welcome to MSE :hello:

Hartismere wrote: »

but I do know that rain does not clean glass.

Not really the point of this thread but thanks for the confirmation.

Hartismere wrote: »

Despite only one person responding the the original post,

Only one? Yours is post 1240 in the thread!

Hartismere wrote: »

it really is most important.

Maybe better to start a new thread to highlight your thoughts, rather than letting them get lost in this one?

wuthton

Our solar panels are ground mounted so would be easy to clean. I asked our installer about cleaning and was told not to bother unless they got extremely dirty after a long dry period and regular cleaning was likely to do more harm than good.

They have been installed a year now and are still spotless without any cleaning required. Rain washes off the bird poo easily.

Doc_N

I'd go along with the 'don't clean them' brigade.

Ours have been up for a couple of years now, they look completely clean, and the energy being produced doesn't seem to have reduced at all over that period.

teakbank12

I arrived at this post after researching ashadegreener as my neighbours had a survey done & had a few cards to hand out quoting £50 cashback for him & myself once the units are fitted.
I was going for the Eon deal until they pulled the plug (scuse the pun) on their offers previously of free fit of a rentaroof scheme to existing customers.
Still unsure of going ahead even tough i'm mortgage free as i'm thinking into the future & that better more efficient systems will become available.
Even purchasing outright in the future as prices reduce seems a better option.

DonSwan

Barnsley house now sold. Original asking price £204,500, then reduced to £199,500, then £189,950, now sold for £187,500.

Cardew

Doc_N wrote: »

I'd go along with the 'don't clean them' brigade.

Ours have been up for a couple of years now, they look completely clean, and the energy being produced doesn't seem to have reduced at all over that period.

I live in a rural area - so no industrial polution - and we have had some torrential rain in the past couple of weeks.

I have 5 velux type windows that were cleaned today. The grime on them was quite substantial. It is easy to see the difference cleaning makes when you can view from the inside.

There seems to be divided opinions on how much(or if) cleaning of panels is important. Subjectively I would have thought it necessary.

tech2_2

So do I take it that as its a government incentive does that mean in effect that we the tax payer are actually paying for them?

So should we not all get them if we are tax payers that is those with jobs?? South facing or not as they generate electricity no matter which way they are facing but not as much as if they where south facing,

Would like to see what they say as in my area now and door knocking..... :rotfl:

Cardew

tech2 wrote: »

So do I take it that as its a government incentive does that mean in effect that we the tax payer are actually paying for them?

So should we not all get them if we are tax payers that is those with jobs?? South facing or not as they generate electricity no matter which way they are facing but not as much as if they where south facing,

Would like to see what they say as in my area now and door knocking..... :rotfl:

No it is not funded by the Government(i.e. from tax revenue) FIT is paid for by a levy on all electricity consumers.

John_Pierpoint

The "green" surcharge on your electricity bill is a "compulsory unmitigated payment" (ie the only way for you to avoid the charge is to sit in the dark with a candle). So the OECD has defined this charge as a TAX.
That is probably the major motivation in the government reducing the FiT, as in the international country accounts, it adds to the governments share of our GDP, which if you add up all the taxes and deficit spending is near 50% of the country's economy.

I expect the OECD is as fed up as I am with all the stealth taxes, being introduced by governments running out of spending power.