Free solar panel discussion

John_Pierpoint

http://www.clayridgeroofing.co.uk/

Yes Home Counties Surrey semi's are probably not typical of the country as a whole :rotfl:

I expect "Clayridge" have in mind re-foofing a nice big Edwardian semi with failing "Rosemary" clay tiles (and multiple 45 degree slopes)?

DancingBadger

It's a Hampshire semi... (must fill in some personal details).

I'll report back with progress...or not.

Poosmate

contribute_good_news wrote: »

As the world is our home we need to take care of it.Green technology and solar energy is one of the means to protect Earth and benefit from free sources of energy.Great resources for learning more on use of solar energy are:Science Daily on solar energy SolarEnergy.org and show Green Technology at Supreme Master Television.

Definily solar energy on long term basis brings benefit even in financial way!

I noticed you hadn't been thanked so I wanted to be the first.

Poosmate

Homesun knocked me back a couple of days ago and I had asked about the Solarshare system. As my roof is not shaded and is south west facing (the back is anyway) I guess it must be too small.

Oh well, maybe the panels will get smaller and more efficient and cheaper sooner rather than later.

Poo

ETA: Here's the link to the list of accredited MCS companies:

http://www.microgenerationcertification.org/Home+and+Business+Owners/Microgeneration+Installers/Solar+Photovoltaic

John_Pierpoint

gehngus wrote: »

Hi all.


Im just extending (upwards) and turning our detached bungalow into a 4 bedroom two story house.

there will be approx 70 square meters of south west facing roof.

we are on top of a mountain so no obstructions, shadows etc.

I was thinking about having solar panels & solar heaters at some point & thought best to see what is available before i slate the roof.

Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) with its amazingly subsidised feed in tariff (FiT) is crowding out Solar Thermal as the amount you can save generating, mainly summer, hot water is limited. It probably makes more sense to dump the "spare" PV electricity into your hot water tank than to sell it to the grid for 0.03 GBP per unit. Unfortunately automatic equipment to detect when your house is exporting and switch on a heat sink (hot water, freeze, etc), is not yet available at an economic cost.

I also want a wind turbine (like i say.. on top of a mountain & by the coast so lots of sun & wind

This technology requires a tower to get up into the undisturbed air flow. If the turbine is near the ground (like those nifty little ones you see on BP filling stations) you risk funny ground effects that might reduce your output especially when the wind refuses to blow from the usual South West. [The BBC monitored some pioneer "white settler" type who tried it on the West Coast of Scotland and got disappointing results]. You would be taking a risk beware of cowboys.

does anyone know:

1. do these things go over the slate or is the slate removed (like a velux)

The retrofits tend to stand on brackets (Ali) that slide under an existing tile.

2. can you have more than one system for free. some advertise solar elec & some advertise water heaters (for the 2011 RH scheme)

PV: Probably not as the subsidised rate drops according to the maximum installed output per building.

RHI (Renewble Heat Initiative/Incentive) does not start until next April, so beware of the cut backs due on 20th October. It will depend on you having tone the insulate, insulate, insulate, bit first an extra 300 GBP on insulation makes far more sense than an extra 3,000 GBP on a larger heat pump.

is there a scheme for wind?

Yes but see above.

many thanks in advance

I hope the above helps a bit.
The problem with this "green" technology is that it is unreliable and produces a trickle of output. Modern computer technology probably allows us to have the "heuristics" to control and utilise it but it is not a plug and go technology with simple rules of thumb like gas central heating.

ninjaryder

juinthemoney wrote: »

be very careful with this free offer!
firstly as others have said, they will 'own' your roof for 25 years
they will get all the main benefit of these panels, the FIT payment
selling your house with a contract like this in place is going to cause probelms
finally ask yourself, how much electricity are you using on the bright summer days, when the highest energy output is available, as the energy can't be stored
you do get 3p/unit by selling the electricity not used back to the grid but the amount of money you get back is small. In fact it's not measured unless you have the correct meter so it's assumed that 50% of your electricity output will be fed to the grid and the 3p/unit will be based on your projected annual output based on your system size.
The main benefit to these systems is the FIT payment making a 10 year return on your investment (8_10% tax free but no capital return).
sorry to be a party pooper but think very carefully before committing yourself to something you may well regret, in particular as the price of panels will come down and the systems will be more affordable in the future when you may be in a position to buy the system yourself and benefit from the FIT payments
incidently, the current FIT rate is fixed for 20+years and will increase with inflation, the lower FIT rate will be introduced in april 2012 and will be paid only on systems installed after that date
It's the FIT payment that is the main driver to making PV panels attractive not the small saving you would make on your electricity bill

This man talks sense!!

ninjaryder

If I was to get an installer to supply and fit all the gear for £15000 of solar panels, would I be correct in thinking there would be enough energy generated by the panels to power the storeage heaters and other equipment even in the worst of winters and still be able to export an excess of electricity ?

Tim[/QUOTE]

No mate i have storage heaters and have just had a 2.3kw system fitted..the storage heaters are filled twice with leccy/heat in 12 hours(on my settings) and these would be at times of dark/low light when the panels wouldnt be generating much at all.

ninjaryder

grahamc2003 wrote: »

Because the £12,000 is a retail cost to you. The company pays the wholesale costs or manufactures them themselves, so the cost to the company is closer to £2000 rather than £12,000 imo.

£800pa for a £2000 investment multiplied by hundreds/thousands is a worthwhile business. That's why car salemen are moving from the forecourts to selling these things.

£2000 cost for a £12000 system? ill have 10 at this price please where do you buy them?

Gizmosmum_2

Me too! My mate is working with a company buying in 000's of these things and the unit cost without installation and vat is about 8k for 2kw system and that's after a drop of 30% this year.

Pincher

If this frenzy carries on, the Un-FIT customers will be subsidising the FIT big time.

What if the energy companies introduce a FIT-surcharge?
I predict an an increase in the number of units in Tier 1 tariff.