Free solar power system. Is it a scam?

Jon_Tiffany

DonSwan wrote: »

Here?

Whoever said the House of Lords was a bunch of dinosoars and should be abolished - it sounds as though there are some pretty sharp people in there. (I nearly wrote "switched-on", but that would have been inviting trouble ...)

Yes, agree, it actually worth taking 5mins to read it all in context, here are a few highlights:

"For years we have relied on the bounty of North Sea oil and not invested in the new energy sources that we will need in the future, or invested the proceeds of North Sea oil to meet our future demands. That must change, and we need to get on with it fast."

"We have the highest tidal reach, 40 per cent of Europe's wind and 11,000 miles of coastline to take advantage of. That is why we committed £200 million in funding for low-carbon technologies, including offshore wind technology."

"Europe currently produces more than 10 per cent of its energy from renewables. In the UK, the figure is just 3 per cent. This country must continue and intensify the progress initiated by the previous Administration. We must push forward to reach the accepted targets and press on with policies to get us there. The coalition Government have confirmed a commitment to 15 per cent renewables by 2020, but this is still behind the EU-wide target of 20 per cent, with several countries exceeding the target, most notably Sweden, which shortly will hit 50 per cent. The coalition Government will have to seriously consider raising their game if they are to earn the title of the greenest Government ever."

Cardew

Jon_Tiffany wrote: »

The coalition Government have confirmed a commitment to 15 per cent renewables by 2020, but this is still behind the EU-wide target of 20 per cent, with several countries exceeding the target, most notably Sweden, which shortly will hit 50 per cent.

However that figure includes Hydro Electric generation.

Other points raised during the debate were that often the coldest days in UK can occur when there is no wind - and wind generation is the highest proportion of our renewables.

That means that power from conventional power stations will have to be available, on a highly inefficient basis, to meet peak demand, regardless of how much renewable capacity is installed in the country, so the system bears the cost of capacity twice over.

Surely the whole point is that if we have to meet a commitment for renewable generation, it should be done as efficiently(cheaply) as possible.

I turn to the impact of these policies on individuals. They will of course be hit by rising prices of goods and services, which will come as high energy costs hit producers. Individuals will also bear direct hits in their energy bills from the costs that the energy companies pick up. As I noted, these could rise by 33 per cent by 2020, and that is without any other real energy price effects in the economy.

However we pay a subsidy at an absurd rate of 41.3p/kWh to those who own a suitable roof(paid for by all of us) and to add insult to injury, allow firms to collect that level of subsidy.

Optimist

M4ximillion wrote: »

Sorry love, load of rubbish, I reckon you are simply out to give ASG as bad name like some others are on this thread. You can get a copy of the paperwork at any stage, just like I did - in my case before I even applied. Interesting that further on down the line you say you can't produce a copy of this contract you are talking about cause you binned it. How convenient. (As I said I got a copy of it before I even applied and it isnt a contract its a lease). Also interesting that your daughter happens to be a barrister:cool:. Not been on thread for ages, too busy but just had a few mins this morning and had to say Im surprised your post is still there cause its simply lies and I thought ASG still followed this thread Im going to tell ASG what youre saying cause its bull. In fact I reckon youve not even seen any paperwork otherwise youd know it was a lease. I reckon youre making it all up.

They dont take a charge out at the land registry and if your daughter is a barrister she'd know the difference between a charge and what ASG register at the Land Registry. ASG have an in house solicitor, she told me all about it. They register their lease thats all, thats to ensure that anyone buying the property doesnt have to start signing contracts to take on the panels, they just buy the house with the lease in place and get the same rights to the use of the panels as initial homeowner. Im getting a system from ASG in the new year. As I said, I got a copy of the lease before I even applied, most sensible folk would and ive been through it all with one of their home visit team.

I think its poor that people are using this forum to try and dirty ASGs name with lies, once again hidden agendas here its unfair that a forum like this can be used this way. I have my own little business doing ironing and id be really upset if people came on here and told lies about my business.

I have no idea about the actualities of the lease/contract but they certainly wouldn't let me see it beforehand

I was accepted but wanted to peruse the contract at my leisure before I signed up but they wouldn't send it to me just wanted to send someone around to discuss it, at which point I pulled out.

If they are now letting you read it beforehand and without one of their representatives there at the time then they have changed tactics

M4ximillion

Optimist wrote: »

I have no idea about the actualities of the lease/contract but they certainly wouldn't let me see it beforehand

I was accepted but wanted to peruse the contract at my leisure before I signed up but they wouldn't send it to me just wanted to send someone around to discuss it, at which point I pulled out.

If they are now letting you read it beforehand and without one of their representatives there at the time then they have changed tactics

I got it by email within a couple of hours of me asking, and so did my neighbour when i told her about it too. I had it well before i even applied, maybe they did things differently then but its nothing like this person is saying theyre just trying to stir it for them like a lot of folk on this thread, they probably sell panels for a living;)

pauldreed

M4ximillion wrote: »

I got it by email within a couple of hours of me asking, and so did my neighbour when i told her about it too. I had it well before i even applied, maybe they did things differently then but its nothing like this person is saying theyre just trying to stir it for them like a lot of folk on this thread, they probably sell panels for a living;)

Me too, you only have to ask ASG. They emailed me the info within minutes.
I can post it, if people are interested... I don't think ASG would mind, as they have nothing to hide, and have already released it to the media for inspection.

Cardew

I dislike the principle of the ‘free’ PV panel scheme for several reasons.

However there have been hundreds of posts on MSE about ASG and they have overwhelmingly been positive about the firm from all aspects; both prior to, and after, the installation. One contributor ran everything by his solicitor before signing on the dotted line.

Certainly Sarah from ASG(before some idiot complained and she was banned) was remarkably frank and honest in her responses; so I would be very surprised if there were any ‘legal’ problems.

Whilst the understandable assumption seems to be Localweb was referring to ASG, he/she didn’t actually state that ASG were the firm in question; could it have been one of the others?

joolsleeds

I had my ASG system installed in June this year.

I had a copy of the lease emailed to me about 2 weeks prior to signing up.

Never any pressure, never anything remotely underhand. BTW, my wife works at a solicitors, and had the lease checked over - all above board. Oh, and no charge on my property either!!

K4blades

Cardew wrote: »

I dislike the principle of the ‘free’ PV panel scheme for several reasons.

However there have been hundreds of posts on MSE about ASG and they have overwhelmingly been positive about the firm from all aspects; both prior to, and after, the installation. One contributor ran everything by his solicitor before signing on the dotted line.

Certainly Sarah from ASG(before some idiot complained and she was banned) was remarkably frank and honest in her responses; so I would be very surprised if there were any ‘legal’ problems.

Whilst the understandable assumption seems to be Localweb was referring to ASG, he/she didn’t actually state that ASG were the firm in question; could it have been one of the others?

Thank you Cardew for a very fair post.

What people should realise is that when people are knocking ASG, or the other rent-a reef schemes, its not usually the company that they are knocking, but that they have other principles getting in the way. At least Cardew is honest enough to admit that, even if others aren't.


And as for the people constantly going on about how we are all paying for it......WAKEY WAKEY.
We will all be paying a lot more for our electric in the future, irrespective of the likes of ASG, either that or we will have power shortages. This country has suffered from massive under-investment for many years, and now the Govt. is talking about CCcoal, new nuclear, tidal, off-shore wind, new grid issues, etc, etc. Who do you think is going to pay for all that if its not done through the bills, implying that bills would be less if it weren't for FITs is nonsense, the money would simply be spent on something else, or given out in dividends to BG / EDF, etc share-holders.

beedydad

K4blades wrote: »

Thank you Cardew for a very fair post.

What people should realise is that when people are knocking ASG, or the other rent-a reef schemes, its not usually the company that they are knocking, but that they have other principles getting in the way. At least Cardew is honest enough to admit that, even if others aren't.


And as for the people constantly going on about how we are all paying for it......WAKEY WAKEY.
We will all be paying a lot more for our electric in the future, irrespective of the likes of ASG, either that or we will have power shortages. This country has suffered from massive under-investment for many years, and now the Govt. is talking about CCcoal, new nuclear, tidal, off-shore wind, new grid issues, etc, etc. Who do you think is going to pay for all that if its not done through the bills, implying that bills would be less if it weren't for FITs is nonsense, the money would simply be spent on something else, or given out in dividends to BG / EDF, etc share-holders.

However, the levy that the utility companies will be collecting from all of us, has, at present to be used and identified for the Feed in Tariff under the present terms.

There may well be a review in 2012/13 that may alter the FIT from the very high level relative to keep the investment yield at neaer 7% - 8% rather than the more likely level of @10% people are getting now. Ie becuase the cost of the solar PV kits are coming down!
But in the future it maybe that the levy will be utilised for other "renewable" purposes not specifically for solarPV ie because it maybe too succesful - such as if the "rent a roof" schemes oversupply! -or alternative demands raise up the agenda as you quite rightly point out.

Jon_Tiffany

K4blades wrote: »

Thank you Cardew for a very fair post.

What people should realise is that when people are knocking ASG, or the other rent-a reef schemes, its not usually the company that they are knocking, but that they have other principles getting in the way. At least Cardew is honest enough to admit that, even if others aren't.


And as for the people constantly going on about how we are all paying for it......WAKEY WAKEY.
We will all be paying a lot more for our electric in the future, irrespective of the likes of ASG, either that or we will have power shortages. This country has suffered from massive under-investment for many years, and now the Govt. is talking about CCcoal, new nuclear, tidal, off-shore wind, new grid issues, etc, etc. Who do you think is going to pay for all that if its not done through the bills, implying that bills would be less if it weren't for FITs is nonsense, the money would simply be spent on something else, or given out in dividends to BG / EDF, etc share-holders.

I heard a couple of weeks back that Ofgem have allowed operators to pass on the costs of work needed to the national grid network. I'll see if I can find the details.

We have been very lucky over the last 30 years to have energy independance due to the north sea. Now that we are at a time when energy costs are rising the oil and gas in the north sea is in decline.

We used to be a net exporter of energy, we now have to import to meet our needs. I wonder how much money the UK loses in this way to forgien companies?

The price of oil is stubbernly high, despite many countries being in recession, what will happen when the global economy heats up again? Oil prices will soar, along with our fuel/energy bills and everything else.

We need to be making the investment now to be ready for the future. Solar pv, wind, tidal, nuclear, clean coal - I think the current strategy of having a 'mix' is the correct way to go.

The days of cheap and easy energy are gone.