Free solar power system. Is it a scam?

K4blades

If Im replying to your post, how come I'm changing the subject. You really don't like anyone disagreeing with do you.

Doc_N

Cardew wrote: »

...........I will leave others to read and make up their own mind who is correct..............

Neither of you, simply for wasting everybody else's time on this thread with some kind of personal playground vendetta. Is neither of you prepared just to grow up and drop it?

K4blades

My apologies, Doc and everyone else. Its easy to get carried away and get too engrossed, which is why I tend not to come into forums too much. Or is it forum?

RecoveryTTA

I think to a point solar isnt a scam unless the package you buy wont pay for itself in a life time. I know some individuals that in the mid 80's had a solar panel added to there home which heats there water heater. They have informed me that it accually works and has saved them money, its already paid for it self.
Now as for buying enough solar panels for to say keep electricity to your whole house. Cants say if that is feasable due to such high costs for the system, around $7000.00- $12000.00. Will take a while before it even pays for it self in a regular 3 family home.
Now i have heard commercial use works very well. Frito Lay uses solar panels on there processing plants and works great. I have also heard of a art museum using the solar panels as a way to electricity. On these commercial properties, such large companies, supplies of solar panels. I have heard they accually make money, by selling the electricity back to the power companies.
Of course would take a lot of start up capital to do such, but in the end would make a hefty profit.
So i cant really say if solar panels is not worth it you can be the judge

Energy_Saving_Trust_company_representative

Hi,

we've lined up one of our experts to answer any questions related to saving or generating energy. This includes things like feed-in tariffs and the free solar panel schemes. It starts at 2pm today here - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2815438

Cheers...

pauldreed

Energy_Saving_Trust_company_representative wrote: »

Hi,

we've lined up one of our experts to answer any questions related to saving or generating energy. This includes things like feed-in tariffs and the free solar panel schemes. It starts at 2pm today here - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2815438

Cheers...

A little notice would have been good!
Posting it at 12.28pm for an event an hour and half later, no doubt most of us who susbscribe to this thread will have missed it.

TEssery

We saw an offer from Sky and have reached contract stage. We won't go ahead unless we're certain. We have two main concerns currently.

The surveyor has recommended the panels go on our west facing roof, rather than our south facing roof. I thought panels had to face precisely south.

We're also worried that it might make our house harder to sell if having a sub-let roof puts mortgage companies off.

I'd appreciate any views on these two points, as well as any ideas on where I could go for a low-cost green loan to fund the panels ourselves, as we're also considering that option.

We're motivated by emissions reduction rather than cost reduction, but we don't have the cash to spend.

Cardew

TEssery wrote: »

We saw an offer from Sky and have reached contract stage. We won't go ahead unless we're certain. We have two main concerns currently.

The surveyor has recommended the panels go on our west facing roof, rather than our south facing roof. I thought panels had to face precisely south.

We're also worried that it might make our house harder to sell if having a sub-let roof puts mortgage companies off.

I'd appreciate any views on these two points, as well as any ideas on where I could go for a low-cost green loan to fund the panels ourselves, as we're also considering that option.

We're motivated by emissions reduction rather than cost reduction, but we don't have the cash to spend.

Panels should face South or within a few degrees of due South. - The further away from South the lower the output.

The attractiveness of panels when it comes to selling a house with a 'free' PV system has been discussed on MSE. I suspect it will put off some people, whilst others will be attracted to the thought of some free electricity.

K4blades

I agree with all of that and would add that most mortgage companies don't see the "rent a roof" deals as being something detrimental to the mortgage. One or two have had concerns about the long term effect in the market place, but I have heard stories of people changing mortgage company to take advantage of free panels, so this might drive those companies to accept the schemes too.

Mcfi5dhc

TEssery wrote: »

The surveyor has recommended the panels go on our west facing roof, rather than our south facing roof. I thought panels had to face precisely south.

Having the free panels on the west roof may be good for you

If Sky put them on the west roof, that leaves the south roof free for you to put panels of your own on (maybe the hot water type when the RHI FIT starts next year?)

Obviously they have discounted it for some reason, maybe it is too small for their whole set to go on, but that is their loss, not yours