Free solar panel discussion

Jon_Tiffany

mickess wrote: »

Jon the Feed in Tariff is set at the time you have the system installed. Thus a system installed today will get 41.3p inflation proofed for the next 25 years but a system installed up to 31/3/21 2021 will get 18p only for 4 years. But the 18p is todays price and will be increased each year by inflation until 2021. The incentive is therefore to get a system installed before 2012 when the tariff starts reducing.
For full information on the tariffs and inflation proofing and regression over the period see Fitariffs.co.uk this will explain all.

Yes, that was what I meant, but didn't explain as fully as you have. The point being that the generation tariff falls over time for new installs - hence removing the desire to wait for newer tech.

The only part of your post I am not sure about is the example of the 2021 18p going up with inflation. If I installed a system today, my rate of 41.3p would be fixed and indexed linked. If I install in 2021 my understanding is that the rate would still be 18p?

jamesperrett

Mcfi5dhc wrote: »

Which invertor is it? Mine is silent, all the ones I have ever seen have been silent as well

A bit late coming back to this, but the inverter in question is a Platinum 4.6kW model. I was very surprised at the amount of noise it made.

James.

suntechsolar

Unlike many new companies jumping into the latest money making business, I educated myself 18 years ago haveing reconised then that £5,000 for a solar water heating system installed was a total rip off which led me to design and manufacture my own which uses the existing hot water tank. Price installed from £2,000 + 5% vat

I installed my first solar PV system on my shed roof 10 years ago as a battery storage stand alone system that guranteed me the electricty i needed to power my rain water harvesting pumps.
The next year I installed a second solar charging battery system on the front of my roof to give me a back up 3,000 watt supply to keep my gas boiler and solar thermal heating hot water system going during a power cut in winter.

Haveing lived for ten years with all the micro technologies being offered around as the be all to all our problems, the fact remains that during a power cut which now looks possible from year 2013 onwards, it does not matter how many solar panels you have on your roof to offset your electricty, when a power cut hits, your power from solar is also cut off, leaving you and your familiy with no heat or light.

suntechsolar

Jon_Tiffany wrote: »

Yes, that was what I meant, but didn't explain as fully as you have. The point being that the generation tariff falls over time for new installs - hence removing the desire to wait for newer tech.

The only part of your post I am not sure about is the example of the 2021 18p going up with inflation. If I installed a system today, my rate of 41.3p would be fixed and indexed linked. If I install in 2021 my understanding is that the rate would still be 18p?

Yes this is correct as from 2021 the rate paid is £0.18p for the balance of the period of 25 years

rgannon4

I got offered free solar panels from Wirral Council because my home is in a regeneration area but when I told them I had a combi boiler they were not interested and told me solar panels can not be fitted with a combination boiler!

Does anyone know if this is true?

Spies

Are you not storing the energy by pushing it back into the grid though?

mickess

Jon_Tiffany wrote: »

Yes, that was what I meant, but didn't explain as fully as you have. The point being that the generation tariff falls over time for new installs - hence removing the desire to wait for newer tech.

The only part of your post I am not sure about is the example of the 2021 18p going up with inflation. If I installed a system today, my rate of 41.3p would be fixed and indexed linked. If I install in 2021 my understanding is that the rate would still be 18p?

If you look up the Fitariffs web site and look for regression you will see a table of the payments. It has anote which covers my point saying that tariffs will be inflated annually. Hope that explains it.
I'd post the link but this forum won't allow me to.

Jon_Tiffany

digitaltoast wrote: »

if people really are still making a tidy packet out of transferring money from old people's bank accounts (which is what FiT is).

Monbiot is just voicing his opinion, doesn't mean that he is right though does it? Monbiot complains that the poor people will not be able to afford the solar panels - with offers like ASG and ISIS, you dont need the money to benefit.

Transferring money out of old peoples bank accounts? What on earth are you talking about? What complete rubbish. Those same old people can get a free boiler and insulation to reduce their bills - and guess who pays for that?

suntechsolar

Having lived with Solar Photovoltaic none grid tied for 10 years and also solar thermal (evacuated tube heat pipe collectors) supporting hot water and heating, I can say with hand on my heart, no flat surface panel, PV or thermal will produce anything on a rainy overcast day as we are haveing today Friday.
My solar thermal collector controller at 2.30 pm shows 52c where my Solar PV system is genarating nothing

beedydad

Hi Mark333333333333333

Your comments at post 212 are absolutely spot on.

People should wake up and smell the coffee!!

Companies are not giving the solar PV for free - they make money and the householders will hardly make a huge amount.

If the same people actually worked out buying, even by way of a loan they will actually find that they will be better off and be in profit within 10 years!

Rent the roof space to them - my suggestion is you should actually rent your roof space at say at least £100 per annum in addition to the free energy you will use - that seems are far more equitable method and will gaurantee the householder some real income rather relying on the vageries of how much energy you generate and actually use.

The solar industry is important but allowing these schemes run by a few companies will potentially ruin the industry before it has really got established in the domestic market!!

We do not know what will happen to these same companies if they go bust - who picks up the pieces? will the creditors take back the kits? or will they charge you for it? What is it worth at a later stage? One company has a linear discount value on the kits over the 25 years - which should give some idea.

Finally, this is like the umbrella given out in summer!! Most of the kits have been installed since end March - weather on average has been pretty good (with some exceptions) - so many early customers are happy - what about any experiances over 2 - 3 years showing historic average production and record of actual useage and also any electricity exported (if it is actually is exported - would need a good scientist/electrcian to explain power flow thru the grid!)

Everyone seems happy to state they have kept their utility bills going back to year dot and can monitor whether they have done something "green" and cut carbon emissions by being sensible around the home.
Challenge - however, no one I think - or rather i will lay down a challenge for any existing solar PV users who have had a full working system installed over the last 2 - 3 years can proudly set out there energy production. Obviusly these would be people prior to FIT's but may have benefited from ROC or at least taken advantage of the £2,500 grant. It would have to be able to show at least 2 full years of energy cycle to be valid.

Regards