Free solar panel discussion

aprilshower

Hi Everybody

I was looking at the eon offer yesterday and was thinking of filling the form in.

Has anybody looked at the eon offer and is it a good deal as I really do not know much about solar power but would love to have it installed.

Thanks in advance

Aprilshower

suecoo66

Gizmosmum wrote: »

Blame Google Earth for that - that's how they do their first assessment. if they get the wrong property (which they often do) then their orientation can be miles out.

But when you go on the company websites you have to pick your own property from google earth. I even had to mark the ridge line of my roof when I applied with Ecovision.
I'm still having problems waiting for Tendring DC to say I DON'T need planning permission. They don't seem to be replying to any emails at the moment and I've been emailing since 21st April. I've also yet to speak to More Than to see if they're happy with my roof having the panels on.

Pincher

Hold your horses, moneysavers.


http://www.ridgeblade.com/

This was featured in the Sunday Times yesterday.
They are talking 2000kWh a year, which should attract Feed In Tariff once Microgeneration certification is approved.

The current cost estimate is £5,000 for a typical system, which is supposed to generate 2,000kWh a year. Assume FIT of 41p per kWh, that's £820 a year, a break even of six years.

I am hoping the mechanically simple nature of this set up means the cost comes down to £3,000 in two years time, including the inverter.
This will mean that I can pay for the turbine system myself, and keep the FIT all to myself.

This is an interesting turn of events, as the Ridgeblade does not require a south facing roof, which I haven't got anyway.

furndire

That looks promising - only one possible drawback, could it be noisy - although they say it isn't.
Gets around the problem of little/no solar generation of electric in winter - combination of the the 2 could work really well.

When I was out today, I spotted a structure spinning round like made a sort of carosel - a bit like a combine harvester blade, but on its side - looked really interesting - I presume it was some sort of wind turbine.

schubertdog

Just had my response from A Shade Greener, apparently my due south facing roof with no overlooking buildings, detached, 5m x 5m roof area is not suitable for their PV.
How much more suitable could it get!

furndire

When I originally thought about the free panels, they refused mine, so I emailed them, told them the details I knew, and asked them why they had refused. I got a very polite email back saying they would look into it, and it transpired that they thought our roof was part of a terrace, as it was so long.
Give it a go and email them.

PeterZ_2

Pincher wrote: »

Hold your horses, moneysavers.


http://www.ridgeblade.com/

This was featured in the Sunday Times yesterday.
They are talking 2000kWh a year, which should attract Feed In Tariff once Microgeneration certification is approved.

The current cost estimate is £5,000 for a typical system, which is supposed to generate 2,000kWh a year. Assume FIT of 41p per kWh, that's £820 a year, a break even of six years.

I am hoping the mechanically simple nature of this set up means the cost comes down to £3,000 in two years time, including the inverter.
This will mean that I can pay for the turbine system myself, and keep the FIT all to myself.

This is an interesting turn of events, as the Ridgeblade does not require a south facing roof, which I haven't got anyway.

Wind turbines only get 28p (assuming 1.5kw - 15kW range).

That website has no technical data, I wouldn't invest my money in it. Bleeding edge technology.... Stick to more proven designs.

I'll bet it will make a right racket in the house on a windy night when you are trying to get some sleep.

John_Pierpoint

Pincher wrote: »

Hold your horses, moneysavers.


http://www.ridgeblade.com/

Raising the height of the roof ridge is something that tends to give the planning department of the local council apoplexy - might get away with it no questions asked on a farm's barn though.

[If anyone has chimneys - the sort intended for smoke - beware of messing about with ridge heights and thus causing down draughts.]

Pincher

fundire, you probably saw a Secret Energy Turbine, a James Caan (Dragon's Den) investment. The least said the better on that one.
Search for VAWT aerofoil designs, and you'll wonder what on earth he could patent.

The Ridgeblade is a Savonis design on its side,
to take advantage of the wind scoop effect of the roof,
so has more chance of getting some useful energy.
The low profile has more chance of getting planning permission than the more efficient propeller design which sticks out like a sore thumb.

All Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT) suffer from power loss when the blade goes against the wind. The propeller does not.

furndire

The thing I was similar to the chimney pot thing, but on the ground - could have been about 10 ft high, difficult to judge, as it was a couple of miles away - it was in a field, near to a farm

All this renewable energy stuff fascinates me, though I don't know much about it re all the technical problems - I'm not one of the green people, just someone who feels that its looming up where energy needs to be renewable to a degree although hopefully not in my lifetime.

When people start talking too techy my brain just doesn't compute & switches off. I vaguely understand how a propeller works, so do understand why they are going more down that route.

I suppose because of the FiTs being paid out, it is encouraging people to try these things - I know I wouldn't have touched solar without them - but hopefully it means that its worthwhile for companies to keep pursuing the renewable energy pathways. All that is needed is "the silicon chip" of energy discovery.