Free solar panel discussion

Poosmate

Cardew wrote: »

So we switch our heating on full at 12 Noon on a sunny June day;)

Sadly, as domestic consumption still accounts for the majority of UK's consumption, there is no way that peak demand will be other than on a winters evening - lights on, cooking, heating, TV and people on MSE forums!!

Oh Cardy! Stop being so pedantic! None of us need to be scientists to realise that solar energy isn't going to save the world (or the grid) on a winter's night.

What solar energy will do however, is change people's habits. Once people start using their "free" electric to run their appliances during the day (those who are at home and making full use of it) it will become part of their daily/weekly routine, even if their panels don't generate all of the electric to use their washing machines during the day, they will part fund the useage (on sunny wintery days). This in turn will put a little less pressure on the grid at those peak times. Ok, I know it's only a little less pressure but it's better than doing nothing.

Also, there are plenty of other measures that can be taken to reduce "peak" time draw and some of these measures are being taken also, i.e. intelligent lighting systems in office blocks (those that turn themselves off if no movement is detected within 15 mins). There's already talk of turning off certain streetlights. Then there are motorways - lit up like christmas trees. Part of my journey home from work is on an unlit motorway - it's no big deal.

Lots of little things all add up. Public awareness of our impending doom and gloom could play a big part. Maybe it's coming to time that the Government made a public information advert regarding this matter and monitored the response by checking if the draw reduced at all. If not, they then have a choice to run mini blackouts, maybe taking out the streetlamps for 5 minutes for a start, escalating it to domestic supplies should the message not get through.

Hosepipe bans and fines (or the threat of them) for people using hosepipes during a ban is working for water useage in times of shortage. Many more people think about thier water usage and have water butts fitted - granted it's taken time but it's a tactic that's worked to an extent.

Being very frugal with my gas and electric consumption, I do wonder sometimes how much electric is wasted in households up and down the land especially at peak times. And it p155e5 me off that my electricity supply could be disrupted because others are so wasteful.

Jon_Tiffany

Cardew wrote: »

So we switch our heating on full at 12 Noon on a sunny June day;)

Sadly, as domestic consumption still accounts for the majority of UK's consumption, there is no way that peak demand will be other than on a winters evening - lights on, cooking, heating, TV and people on MSE forums!!

The link that you posted the other day shows that domestic consumption is 32% while commericial and industry account for 45%

Again you are ignoring the inout from wind generation which is much larger than solar and will be peaking on that cold winters evening. Solar is just part of the mix.

Nang

I know chaps like to discuss the ins and outs of whether is good and bad for the future, whether its economically viable etc. But its 9:30 am ish and I'm making 2.49kw as we speak, and already produced 2.25 KW h today (equates to £1.02).

1.5 KW is going back on the grid at the mo (best get the dishwasher on).

It feels pretty good from where I am sitting.

Andy..

Cardew

Jon_Tiffany wrote: »

The link that you posted the other day shows that domestic consumption is 32% while commericial and industry account for 45%

Again you are ignoring the inout from wind generation which is much larger than solar and will be peaking on that cold winters evening. Solar is just part of the mix.

That is overal consumption in kWh - not load in kW at peak times(early evening in winter - when people get home from work and put on heating, start cooking etc)

Maximum demand in the UK during the winter of 2009/2010 occurred in January 2010. At 60,231 MW, this was 0.1 per cent lower than the previous winter’s maximum in January 2009. In 2009/10 the maximum load in Great Britain occurred on 7 January 2010 at the half hour period ending 17:30 (58,510 MW).

However, in Northern Ireland the maximum load occurred on 12 January 2010 at
the period ending 17:30 (1,721 MW), which was 1.0 per cent below that of the previous winter. In Great Britain the highest ever load met was 60,118 MW on 10 December 2002.

I am not ignoring wind or any other generating medium. I was merely making the point that solar has no effect on the required generating capacity of UK ltd.

Gizmosmum_2

Perry525 wrote: »

====================================
The offer is not about you creating enough power for all your equipment, although you could do that if you had a large enough roof or garden, it is about lowering our import bill and enabling the power generators to charge more money for providing less energy. They will boost their profits by not having to chase the tails every year as demand goes up, they will not have to provide new capacity at vast expense, they will merely take the power you generate for them and sell it on at a nice profit, while you fund their output, what a nice scam.
This idea was proposed in 1982 and it has taken a while to sink in in this country, although to be fair it has already happened in other industries, where we get less at higher prices.
Think petrol.

It's win, win really - if you get the system free the new home owner gets the benefit of free electric for the remaining term of the agreement. If you buy the system you take the FIT with you when you move. but don't get the benefit of the free electric. You can still get a decent return for the intial investment. On a recent solar pv training session some Rightmove employees attended and and they are valuing properties with solar pv at 6% higher than the equivelant property without pv.

furndire

Nang wrote: »

).

1.5 KW is going back on the grid at the mo (best get the dishwasher on).

snap:T only difference, I put the washer on.

beedydad

Jon_Tiffany wrote: »

Unless the introduction of smart meters meant that leccy was very cheap at 12 noon and very expensive at 12 midnight, moving the peak demand to 12 noon when the solar panels are producing max output...

How on earth are you going to change the whole nation to change habits of their lifetimes to make "peak" demand to lunchtime??

As I think Cardew has stated on many occasions, you will not be able to change the max/peak from the middle of winter from 5 - 6pm thru say 7 - 9 pm when people return from work (if they have some!) or college/school and want to sit in front of TV or computer and eat their, propable main meal of the day + cup of coffee/tea- in a centrally heated room with their lights on!!!
Therefore no doubt peak would continue to be around for some time in such a way and solar PV would not in any way impact on this.

Regards

PK49

Gizmosmum wrote: »

It's win, win really - if you get the system free the new home owner gets the benefit of free electric for the remaining term of the agreement. If you buy the system you take the FIT with you when you move. but don't get the benefit of the free electric. You can still get a decent return for the intial investment. On a recent solar pv training session some Rightmove employees attended and and they are valuing properties with solar pv at 6% higher than the equivelant property without pv.

"If you buy the system, you take the FIT with you when you move....." how does that work?....

Gizmosmum_2

The Fit is tied to the person not the property. That's how the companies that are providing it free are getting their income over the next 25 years. You can if you want transfer the fit to the new owner but I'd only do that as a last resort and at an additional cost.

Nang

Gizmosmum wrote: »

The Fit is tied to the person not the property. That's how the companies that are providing it free are getting their income over the next 25 years. You can if you want transfer the fit to the new owner but I'd only do that as a last resort and at an additional cost.

Err... not sure how this can work in practice. Currently the power company send me letter each quarter for my generation meter reading. I go in my garage and Write it down and mail it back to them.

Could be a bit tricky if I don't live here.

Andy..