Free solar panel discussion

zeupater

PeterZ wrote: »

If index linked it should retain its buying power.

However, money today is still worth more than money tomorrow, regardless. You also need to consider opportunity loss and also your own mortality!

No point being the richest man in the graveyard!

Hi

That's exactly the way that many look at solar pv ..... effectively seeing it as purchasing a form of annuity as opposed to an investment. This gives those who take this approach an opportunity to have an income stream which is likely to be greater than that provided through standard savings investment ...... it's no use retaining buying power if you never intend to buy anything, it's also likely that saving money instead of purchasing your pv system would be considered as an 'opportunity loss' by many.

It all depends on which way you look at the issue .....

Z

furndire

I'm using mine as an annuity. Also unlike an annuity, my family will benefit from the money I have invested if I don't see the next 25 years out.

Doc_N

furndire wrote: »

I'm using mine as an annuity. Also unlike an annuity, my family will benefit from the money I have invested if I don't see the next 25 years out.

Same thinking here. The downside is, of course, the maintenance cost - probably fairly low, apart from the cost of a couple of inverters - but the upside is the continuing index-linked income stream after the 'break-even' point round about year 10 (+/-) which will dwarf any repair costs.

grahamc2003

Doc_N wrote: »

Same thinking here. The downside is, of course, the maintenance cost - probably fairly low, apart from the cost of a couple of inverters - but the upside is the continuing index-linked income stream after the 'break-even' point round about year 10 (+/-) which will dwarf any repair costs.

Except the repair costs will also rise at the same rate as inflation too. So if an inverter costs 1 year of fits today, it will still cost 1 year of fits in 10 and 20 years time (roughly speaking).

After the fits are exhausted in 25 years, any inverter failure will probably make the whole system scrap, the payback from the usable generated power being too low to justify the expense.

One of the problems with very large subsidies is that when they are withdrawn, any perceived advantage (less co2, more 'clean' energy etc), simply disappear too.

PeterZ_2

Doc_N wrote: »

Same thinking here. The downside is, of course, the maintenance cost - probably fairly low, apart from the cost of a couple of inverters - but the upside is the continuing index-linked income stream after the 'break-even' point round about year 10 (+/-) which will dwarf any repair costs.

Dont forget that the output will decline over the years as well.

I'll also bet that after a few years there will be a deep build up of dirt and grime that will reduce performance.

This is like any other investment, pros and cons, there is no easy answer.

John_Pierpoint

It will be like my greenhouse - a mixture of diesel soot, seagull and green slime?

Anyone got a recipe for cleaning the panels - screen wash?

(I think it does matter as I remember watching a programme about the increase in commercial tomato growing from regularly washing the glass outside.)

Pincher

Pimp my solar panel for keeping up with Mr. Green:

Aftermarket Clip-on windscreen wiper for the solar panel,
and organic bio-degradable screen wash.

John_Pierpoint

Bungalow!
Long handled mop and bucket?
Seriously though as they are meant to last 25 years - I wouldn't want to use something too aggressive!

furndire

Our panels had there first wash about 6 weeks ago, just before all this brilliant sunshine.

Cardew

It will be interesting to see if panels need washing to remove the grime and bird droppings.

Some people on the internet say it is essential, whilst I understand ASG believe(hope?) that the rain will suffice. It would be a huge task for them to clean thousands of systems - health and safety and all that!!!

I live in the country far away from any industry and the velux windows have got absolutely filthy over these last weeks without any rain.