EON and microgeneration

rhiwfield

Would an EON rep please advise. I intend to install a 2kw solar pv system which will result in surplus energy going back to the grid.

Please let me know whether EON currently buy back such electricity generated and the rate paid. If EON do not do this currently will they start when FITs commence.

E.ON_Company_Representative

Hi rhiwfield,

E.ON offer a product called Solarnet, this electricity product is designed for residential customers with solar panels (Photovoltaic panels). :cool:

If customers have solar PV panels installed, we will buy back the electricity they generate at times when the electricity is not used in the home.

There may be grants available to customers thinking of installing solar panels at their homes. Customers should contact the Energy Savings Trust for more help and information.

For further details about Solarnet and the related cost amounts call our dedicated Solarnet team on 0845 301 4928.

Any questions please give me a shout.

Brian

EcoEnvironments

At present the best companies to sell your electricity to are Scottish and Southern, and Good Energy. Once feed in tariffs come into effect all suppliers will be obliged to pay the full base rate (expected to be 36.5p per kwh for domestic installations), but there may be some that pay over the anticpated 5p per kwh paid for exported electricity once the FIT's come into effect.

Domestic grants of £2,500 are still available, but will end 31st March 2010, as the FIT's are implemented, so move fast!!!

fc123

I have had a quick google of solar panels and fit costs etc but can't seem to find out how much they actually cost to buy and install.

Sites like this for example mention the grant but, unless I am being v thick, I can't see any guides to price. I have no idea what they cost at all.

Does anyone know a rough price for a detached 60's type house? I guess we put the panels on the rear roof.

rhiwfield

This site will give you an idea of net costs post grant. The grant process is dead easy with instant notice of award but you need to first have a quote from an accredited installer using accredited products. You also need to get your local planning dept to advise that they are a permitted development and, for your own sake, get building control to advise that they are in line with building regs (that will depend on roof structure and loading). In my case planners were pretty so-so but building control were very helpful and gave instant response by phone.

http://www.ardenhamenergy.co.uk/domestic_pricelist.php


EDIT: To check whether your location and roof position will generate the expected kwh try this site. I used it to rough check the installers geeneration estimate: http://sunbird.jrc.it/pvgis/apps/pvest.php?europe=

Cardew

fc123 wrote: »

I have had a quick google of solar panels and fit costs etc but can't seem to find out how much they actually cost to buy and install.

Sites like this for example mention the grant but, unless I am being v thick, I can't see any guides to price. I have no idea what they cost at all.

Does anyone know a rough price for a detached 60's type house? I guess we put the panels on the rear roof.

There are threads abour solar PV in the Green forum.

The cost of solar PV panels is around £5000 per kWp plus £2,000 fixed costs. So a typical system that will produce around 2,000kWh will cost approx £12,000. If you get it installed before 01 April 2010 you should get a £2,500 grant.(the grant ceases in April)

From April the proposed Feed In Tariff(FIT) will pay 36.5p for every kWh you generate, regardless if you use it in your house or not.

It is important to remember that these grants and FITs can only be obtained if you use an accredited installer - so forget any ideas of a cheap DIY job.

There are many considerations to take into account - you need a South facing roof free of shade from trees etc for best output.

The further South in UK the higher the output.

The biggest consideration in calculating pay back time is the cost of borrowing the capital to pay for the installation of the system. If you need to borrow £10,000 at say 6% that is £600 a year interest.

If you have money in the bank you can get 4% after tax for long term savings - so £400 loss of interest.

There is nothing to go wrong with the panels so they tend to have very long guarantee, but the system usually a 2 year guarantee.

What will maintenance costs be?

Panels to need to be cleaned - particularly in urban environments. Some say that the rain will achieve cleaning, others disagree.

There is no doubt that the new FITs make solar PV a much better proposition than previously. If it is worthwhile from a money saving perspective is open to discussion.

rhiwfield

Cardew, without going in to too much detail the expected rate of return on my system is 11.06% pa and circa £4000 per 1000kw (after grant deduction). Thats taking into account FIT, home usage and export.

Cardew

rhiwfield wrote: »

Cardew, without going in to too much detail the expected rate of return on my system is 11.06% pa and circa £4000 per 1000kw (after grant deduction). Thats taking into account FIT, home usage and export.

£4000 per kWp after grant deduction I won't quible about - the general figure I gave £5000 per kWp and £2000 fixed would bring that down to £4,750 after grant for a 2000kW system.

I would be interested to see your figures and assumptions in detail on how you predict an 11.06% return on your investment. How do you calculate pay back time?

Readers should be aware that older PV systems(before July 09?) do not qualify for the FIT and the installation grant finishes in on 01 April 2010.

rhiwfield

Cardew wrote: »

£4000 per kWp after grant deduction I won't quible about - the general figure I gave £5000 per kWp and £2000 fixed would bring that down to £4,750 after grant for a 2000kW system.

I would be interested to see your figures and assumptions in detail on how you predict an 11.06% return on your investment. How do you calculate pay back time?

Readers should be aware that older PV systems(before July 09?) do not qualify for the FIT and the installation grant finishes in on 01 April 2010.

Cardew
assumptions are 1499 kwh pa produced pa (bit smaller system than originally planned), FIT 36.5p, 60% home used at 10p, 40% exported at 5p. In fact I had added £100 to capital cost for unquoted work, excluding this gives an annual return of 11.24% on actual pv system. Total income £667.06 pa giving 11.24% annual return on net spend of just under £6,000.

I accept that we are currently in a window where returns are increased by the grant available, it was one of the factors that decided me to act now. There is a very slight chance that the assumed returns will be lower if govt tweaks FIT in January but I'll risk it. Anyone installing Feb & March will have certainty, but equally grant pot may run out before April. BTW I understand that FIT payments will be untaxed.

fc123

Thanks so much both of you.
Snag; the roof is East or West and we have high trees around us (as in woodland but on a hill) so, summer suns disapears behind trees @ 7.30pm say.

It's just that I was reading an article on Russia and gas etc yesterday and, as we are moving back into our owned house soon and about to do some work, wondered if solar panels would a good thing (over the longterm...like 15 years).
Our house is a pig ugly house anyway (bought for the location rather than looks and character), so the panels appearance doesn't bother me at all.

I do understand the sums of not recouping the cost back of the panels compared to the £££ saved but I like the idea of them.

Also, are they not currently overcharged by £2500 to mop up the grant?
That is, if I waited until Sept, will fit/supply prices just drop by that amount? Had experience of that type of thing before (but was to do with shopfits and regeneration grants).

Cardew

fc123 wrote: »

Also, are they not currently overcharged by £2500 to mop up the grant?
That is, if I waited until Sept, will fit/supply prices just drop by that amount? Had experience of that type of thing before (but was to do with shopfits and regeneration grants).

Nobody can answer your questions I am afraid.

PV panels have got cheaper and every indication that prices will not increase and indeed could further reduce as technology advances and mass production kicks in - particularly from China. How much is anyone's guess.

If the past history of the solar 'industry' is any indication, they are not going to' kill the golden goose' and reduce their profits.

Whilst I understand rhiwfield's calculations, my gut feeling is he is being a little optimistic in his assumptions(in the sense that it is a best case scenario) - but it will take a long while to prove that one way or another.

Over a 15 year period, I suspect it could be cost neutral.