Free solar panel discussion

Equaliser123

JenR8 wrote: »

They talk about a 'straight line depreciation over 25 years'. I think you draw a graph and watch the price go down to zero at 25 years.

Yes but what is the start price?

HalloweenJack

i see post after post about `renting your roof for next to nothing` - , but isnt something better than nothing? unless you can afford the thousands and thousands needed for you own FIT install , then surely reducing your electric bill is a better option.

unless you can find a way for the companies to pay more?

Cardew

M4ximillion wrote: »

Im not offended I have a hide thicker than a rhinos. I just think you keep going on and on and on about it and weve all heard it and when someone goes on and on and on about something (like Cardew and his loophole thing) i cant help but think theres something bitter and twisted going on there and that theyre not doing it for any genuine reason other than their own agenda, whatever that may be.

I also feel that youre being condescending to folks like me who have signed up for it when you make out that we dont know what we're doing - yes we do fully understand that we ARE renting our roof for 25 years but as nobody else wants it then in my view it doesnt matter and Im allowed to say that because its my opinion. What really bothers me about this forum is that you usual suspects have a right dig at anyone who thinks its a good idea and end up hounding them off the forum - saying that we are 'mugs' is really rude in my view. Its as if we're not allowed to say anything positive about it. Thats why I keep coming back and haviing my opinion and saying its a good thing, to irritate Cardew;). I wont be bullied off, ive never submitted to bullying and never will:p

Of course if someone paid me £100 a year AND I got free leccy Id be delighted, but they wont because they have enough folk who want it without them paying rent.

A couple of general points.
Firstly, there are new people joining this forum every day. So the repetition of points is not for your benefit. Having elected for a ‘Rent a roof’ system, you are as fixed in your beliefs as us ‘usual suspects’.

Secondly, nobody has stated that anyone electing for the meagre(IMO) returns of a free system is a mug. However it is apparent that many people just do not understand how a PV system works and greatly over-estimate how much ‘free’ electricity they will be able to utilize and it appears that some installers encourage that false impression(not ASG). This is an extract from two posts in the last couple of days.

(on a 2.8kWp system)I recently had this company install my solar photovoltaic system in Redditch and i deem them as very commendable. I am noticing savings of around £15-£20 per month on my electricity as well as sending 20 ish units per day back to the national grid.
On my workings i calculate that to be 60p a day working out at around £180 per year plus a deduction of £180 - £240 per year of my electricity bill. All in all a sound £500 investment as my money will easily be re-couped within 24 months and then the next 23 years will be profitable.

We are probably at the low end of electricity users (when I have worked out our average use over the years it is 2200Kw) it will possibly be a bit more this year as we haven't been away as much. I will be happy if I can halve that amount. The figures I have been given for my system are that it should produce 2927kw per year, I should receive £1209 in FIT's & save £322 from my electricity usage.

I have posted figures of people(PV enthusiasts with 2-3 years experience) with very low 500kWh pa & 1,000kWh pa usage in their property, and there are other examples to be found. Indeed in discussions with Sarah from ASG some months ago, she didn’t dispute that savings of £100 a year would be typical.

If armed with that information, and the other disadvantages?(or advantages?) of renting your roof on a 25 year agreement, people go ahead, then of course that is their prerogative. Incidentally I have not seen a single independent organisation that shares your enthusiasm for the scheme.

Lastly, it contributes nothing to reasoned debate to act like some aggrieved and upset ‘keyboard warrior’ standing up to Cardew and the ‘usual suspects’ as if you are the champion of the downtrodden.

beedydad

REAL - whom are an interested independant body looking after this industry have put together a few pointers on "free" solar which may be of interest.

The intersting aspect is to find out a) the overall income that they will get from the FIT and 2) what is the true cost of the kit.

Look up their website

Information to be provided to consumers regarding free solar PV systems
[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]Where members are offering to provide the small-scale electricity generator free of charge in return for the consumer assigning their right to the Feed-in Tariff benefits they must give the consumer full information in writing about the value and conditions of the arrangement before the consumer signs a contract. The contract should comply with this Code in all respects. The additional information members must provide to consumers is set out below:
the full value of the expected Feed-in Tariff income over 25 years
the up-front cost of the system if purchased outright
the up-front cost of the system if purchased with a loan
any additional charges
in the case of a hire purchase agreement, details of the consumer credit licence
whether the consumer will receive the ‘export premium’
whether the consumer will receive the Feed-in Tariff income once the capital cost of the system has been repaid
legal ownership of the system
arrangements for maintaining and insuring the system
the status of the relevant manufacturers’ and installers’ guarantees
implications for the consumer’s existing or future mortgage or other loans
whether the consumer can opt to purchase the system at a later date
whether the consumer can add to the system at a later date
who will be responsible for removing the system at the end of its useful life
arrangements for assigning the arrangement if the property changes hands
arrangements for terminating the agreement.
[/FONT][/FONT]

Cardew

HalloweenJack wrote: »

i see post after post about `renting your roof for next to nothing` - , but isnt something better than nothing? unless you can afford the thousands and thousands needed for you own FIT install , then surely reducing your electric bill is a better option.

unless you can find a way for the companies to pay more?

How about if the 'something' were £1 a year? that is better than nothing.

£2? £10?

We all have a price that would tempt us!

It is up to the individual to decide on an acceptable figure.

HalloweenJack

well whats your idea then?

Cardew

HalloweenJack wrote: »

well whats your idea then?

Not really thought about it, I suppose 50% of the FIT would be reasonable if I were interested.

So for an ASG system that generates around 3,000kWh pa that would mean the householder getting £600+ and the £100 or so saving on your bill.

At the moment(assuming 3,000kWh pa) ASG get £1,284 pa and you get £100.

I seriously cannot imagine that in any other circumstance people would contemplate a proposition where a firm ties you up in a legal agreement(binding on subsequent owners) on your house for 25 years for those sort of figures i.e. ASG get 92.7% of the spoils and the house owner gets 7.3%!!!

Equaliser123

HalloweenJack wrote: »

well whats your idea then?

Does it matter? As Cardew has said, there is a cost/benefit analysis to be conducted in each case.

I see the 'free' schemes as having an enormous cost in terms of committing to stick panels on your roof for 25 years.

I actually hope my panels (being paid for) will benefit the price of our property as it is an investment. I repeat my earlier comment that I would be massively put off buying a house with 'someone else's' panels on the roof. I am not alone.

energysavingexp

Cardew wrote: »

Not really thought about it, I suppose 50% of the FIT would be reasonable if I were interested.

So for an ASG system that generates around 3,000kWh pa that would mean the householder getting £600+ and the £100 or so saving on your bill.

At the moment(assuming 3,000kWh pa) ASG get £1,284 pa and you get £100.

I seriously cannot imagine that in any other circumstance people would contemplate a proposition where a firm ties you up in a legal agreement(binding on subsequent owners) on your house for 25 years for those sort of figures i.e. ASG get 92.7% of the spoils and the house owner gets 7.3%!!!

if you got 50% of the FIT. the panels would not make a good enough
profit for the company after installation costs of £19000

Jon_Tiffany

Cardew wrote: »

ASG get 92.7% of the spoils and the house owner gets 7.3%!!!

I allow EDF to supply me with leccy. They take a whopping 100% of the spoils! They rent a space on the side of my house to keep their meter, its in a rather ugly box and I'm worried it may devalue the house. I dont get paid anything for letting them put their meter on my house, and even worse they expect me to pay for the box its kept in!

I was thinking it would be much more reasonable if they gave me 50% of the profit they make. Why should a private company profit from taxpayers money? I'm a taxpayer and have no choice but to buy leccy, why are EDF allowed to make a profit! All that money being paid to shareholders - why should they get money for nothing, they didn't do much did they?

I'm thinking of charging EDF £100 a year rent for allowing them to put their meter on my house, what do others think?

:):):):)