Free solar panel discussion

zeupater

cradbent wrote: »

A valid, but pessimistic estimate. I hadn't included the cost of ownership in my "expected savings" but even with Zeupater's amortisation of my £500 I'm not out of pocket (I'm not in it to make a profit, but hope I will). How about some more optimistic estimates, based on an annual cost of ownership of £100.

I've got an unshaded, 3.6 kW system, in a SE orientation in East Anglia. Not close enough for HomeSun's free install but not the worst case. I'm on a green electricity tariff - 12p a unit - a shocking admission to moneysavingexperts!

I've found data from half a dozen people around the UK. Using their figures on what they've generated, I should get between 2500 to 5000 kW per annum. Say I can use 50% of that at 12p a unit, I could save £150 to £300 a year. That’s £50 to £200 saved per annum.

How about basing it on average daily insolation levels (energy from the sun) at my rough location courtesy of NASA. Assuming 20% efficiency of my system, and 50% use, that gives me £275 a year and £175 saved.

I’ve only had my panels for 1 week (and what a grey week that has been). 15.6 kWh generated and nearly all used by me. That would give me £97 worth of electricity a year, so nothing saved. I’m confident I will generate, use and hence save more than that.

All in all I hope this shows how imprecise all this estimating is. There’s a risk that my real savings will be nothing, if you allow for cost of ownership, but I will reduce my carbon footprint. For a one off outlay of £500 and £5 a month, that’s a risk I’m prepared to take.

I have the best intentions to keep posting as I get more real data. And apologies for any mistakes in my maths.

Hi

My pv roof plane is SW ..... 16 Zen220W panels with a very good transformerless sma inverter would generate less than 2800kWh/year according to the sma modelling software with standard sma inverters producing considerably less (the Zen panels seem to produce power at a particularly low voltage) .... you would be better off ignoring anyone who says 5000kWh is possible from your system as they obviously either have no idea what they're talking about or they're employed in solar pv sales .......

HTH
Z

grahamc2003

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

My pv roof plane is SW ..... 16 Zen220W panels with a very good transformerless sma inverter would generate less than 2800kWh/year according to the sma modelling software with standard sma inverters producing considerably less (the Zen panels seem to produce power at a particularly low voltage) .... you would be better off ignoring anyone who says 5000kWh is possible from your system as they obviously either have no idea what they're talking about or they're employed in solar pv sales .......

HTH
Z

And ignore them even more if they say 5000kW is possible (as they did) ... proves they have even less idea than someone with no idea who thinks 5000kWh is possible.

free_juice?

I live in the SE corner of England where the sun hasn't been seen for more than an hour or two since 2010. I investigated Homesun's 'free solar' offer but they decided that it was only available for £500 + £5 a month. I bought my own 3.3kW system instead.

If I have used 100% of the electricity generated this month, which would not be impossible, the £5 fee would have caused me to make a loss.

Will the gloom descended on SE England ever end?

zeupater

free_juice? wrote: »

I live in the SE corner of England where the sun hasn't been seen for more than an hour or two since 2010. I investigated Homesun's 'free solar' offer but they decided that it was only available for £500 + £5 a month. I bought my own 3.3kW system instead.

If I have used 100% of the electricity generated this month, which would not be impossible, the £5 fee would have caused me to make a loss.

Will the gloom descended on SE England ever end?

Hi

Welcome to the forum ....

Agree .... it's not been that good here either .... probably enough to just about cover the baseload and that's about it .....

With 3.3kWp being around the same size as the 'rent-a-roof' providers standard offering can you provide details and keep us informed on your generation performance.

Z

zeupater

grahamc2003 wrote: »

And ignore them even more if they say 5000kW is possible (as they did) ... proves they have even less idea than someone with no idea who thinks 5000kWh is possible.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I'd love to be able to generate 5000kW ..... bet the DNO would have something to say about it though, especially after they found that I've fried their network ..... shame is, it wouldn't qualify for FiTs, but I suppose that I could exploit a loophole in the system to fit arrays on all of the properties for miles around for free and make separate FiT claims and allow the householders to insure my capital investment for me and even help with the installation costs in exchange for allowing them to use what I can tell them is 'free power' and the value of the saving could be double what they currently pay for their electricity ..... wonder if that's been thought of before ???


Z

BrummyGit

zeupater wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I'd love to be able to generate 5000kW ..... bet the DNO would have something to say about it though, especially after they found that I've fried their network ..... shame is, it wouldn't qualify for FiTs, but I suppose that I could exploit a loophole in the system to fit arrays on all of the properties for miles around for free and make separate FiT claims and allow the householders to insure my capital investment for me and even help with the installation costs in exchange for allowing them to use what I can tell them is 'free power' and the value of the saving could be double what they currently pay for their electricity ..... wonder if that's been thought of before ???


Z

You seem to have a bee in your bonnet about insurance on rent-a-roof schemes. I can only speak for the HomeSun system I have ordered, but they quote on their website:

With HomeSun SolarShare, we include insurance, so that if panels are stolen or damaged they will be replaced or repaired at no cost to you (though intentional or accidental damage by the homeowner is not covered).

My contract also has the following clause:

The Tenant is to insure the PV System at its own cost such insurance to include public liability cover

I have no plan to go wandering on my roof, and if I damage someone else's property I expect to pay for it. So where's your beef?

free_juice?

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

Welcome to the forum ....

Agree .... it's not been that good here either .... probably enough to just about cover the baseload and that's about it .....

With 3.3kWp being around the same size as the 'rent-a-roof' providers standard offering can you provide details and keep us informed on your generation performance.

Z

Thank you.

In an effort to spread the knowledge I have posted some info to my website but this forum doesn't allow me to let you know where it is. However if I tell you my name is malcolmknight (one word) and if you add the usual co uk plus /solar suffix you may be able to find it.

My system has generated 85% of predicted daily average January output this month, and it got that high only because of a very few bright intervals. Some days it has been as low as 10%. The cloud cover has been almost unremittingly dense.

There are some spread sheets there and I hope to add more when I become more expert at Excel! You can also look directly at the inverter's output.

Did you hear the feature on solar panels on Radio 4's Money Box programme today? Someone said that few mortgage providers would provide a loan on properties with leased roofs.

espresso

free_juice? wrote: »

In an effort to spread the knowledge I have posted some info to my website

Website here

zeupater

BrummyGit wrote: »

You seem to have a bee in your bonnet about insurance on rent-a-roof schemes. I can only speak for the HomeSun system I have ordered, but they quote on their website:



My contract also has the following clause:


I have no plan to go wandering on my roof, and if I damage someone else's property I expect to pay for it. So where's your beef?

Hi

I don't have a bee in my bonnet ... I am well versed in negotiating major contracts and read all clauses carefully in order to understand their meaning and possible consequences.

Take for example your quoted text ...
"With HomeSun SolarShare, we include insurance, so that if panels are stolen or damaged they will be replaced or repaired at no cost to you (though intentional or accidental damage by the homeowner is not covered)."
.... the important element of this clause to the homeowner is contained in brackets. If the panels were to be accidentally damaged by a football or cricket ball, or the inverter, the wiring or any other element of the installation were to be accidentally damaged by whatever cause, or there was damage to or total loss of the system by intentional or accidental fire and the root cause of the accident was traced to the homeowner, the claim would be against the homeowner's own insurance ... in these example cases the liability for provision of insurance is potentially with the homeowner ..... I therefore maintain that my original posting of "and allow the householders to insure my capital investment" should be considered as having been supported by the quoted contract clause ......

HTH
Z

Gizmosmum_2

Looks good freejuice is it rude to ask how much