Free solar panel discussion

Cardew

Solargain wrote: »

http://www.reuk.co.uk/REUK-Feed-In-Tariff-Calculator.htm

My calculations produced a total payback (allowing for interest lost) within around 10 years, with clear 'profit' after that. Different for everybody, of course, but the calculator might be helpful.

Whilst it is a nice Calculator(been used in the 'Green' board for months), being semantic it is your predictions(assumptions) that produce the 'calculations'.

For the calculations to be accurate it is neccessary to know the interest rates, fuel inflation and RPI inflation for the next 25 years

The calculator also makes no allowance for repairs and replacements(an inverter costs say £1,500 + fitting)

Some installations will require cleaning of bird droppings and grime, some websites say this is essential.

Roof repairs?

Also degredation of the panel's output with age. Some manufacturers quote 80% output after ? years

All the indications are that the panels will turn out to be a very good long term investment, but there are some rose coloured glasses about!!!

Gizmosmum_2

Cardew wrote: »

Whilst it is a nice Calculator(been used in the 'Green' board for months), being semantic it is your predictions(assumptions) that produce the 'calculations'.

For the calculations to be accurate it is neccessary to know the interest rates, fuel inflation and RPI inflation for the next 25 years

The calculator also makes no allowance for repairs and replacements(an inverter costs say £1,500 + fitting)

Also degredation of the panel's output with age. Some manufacturers quote 80% output after ? years

All the indications are that the panels will turn out to be a very good long term investment, but there are some rose coloured glasses about!!!

Sod the rose coloured specs - I've got a crystal ball!! :rotfl:

FYI 80% guaranteed until panels are 25 years old and inverters are expensive now but by the time they need relaced it'll be the same as replacing a heating pump on your central heating and if you really want to you can extend the warranty on the inverter in 5 year chunks in advance (not that I'd be doing that)

This lucky people in the south who get more sun than us northerners can spend the extra Fit cleaning the panels - we get it done foc courtesy of mother nature!

bryanalvasolar

GeeBeeEl wrote: »

Sorry Poosmate, but you are mistaken.
It comes from the taxpayer ( via the Government )
It is a Government incentive.

I work with a company supplying solar panels with the feed-in tariff scheme. It definately is the energy companies that pay these tariffs. if you go on the energy companies own websites they will confirm this. It is simply a Government legislation that forces them to do this!!

laurence_2

It definately is the energy companies that pay these tariffs.

And where do they get the money from? Us poor suckers who have to pay more for our electricity.

I wonder what we would be paying if there were no green taxes, no FITs, no windmills and they had built nuclear power stations in the sixties?

They would probably be paying us to use the electricity.

John_Pierpoint

Dream on! We still have to pay for demolishing those "mothballed" 1950/60 bomb factories.

rayhall1

has anyone been accepted by ISIS for free solar panels, i ve just had an email turning my property down, they have change the roof size for acceptance from 24 square meters to 30, they must think everyone lives in a mansion, thats one hell of a roof size:(

barneygumble

We had the surveyor from ASG round yesterday and he said everything looked fine, panels should be fitted in November.

Gizmosmum_2

barneygumble wrote: »

We had the surveyor from ASG round yesterday and he said everything looked fine, panels should be fitted in November.

Out of interest, how long did it take the surveyor to do his part of the job and did you have to sign a contract before they would come and survey?

M4ximillion

Larnsky wrote: »

Am I the only person who likes the look of solar panels on roofs? I've always loved the idea of generating my own electricity from the sun especially, in fact when I brought my house I did make sure I had a south facing roof for a time when I might be able to get some panels.

I've been accepted by British Gas to have a system installed on my roof on the 'rent-a-roof' scheme, I was contemplating buying the panels myself, but from my calculations I figured out that after 25 years I wouldn't be that much better off then if I had just kept the money in an ISA.

Up until reading these forums I saw no downside to getting the panels through the scheme at all as everyone I talk to likes the look of them, but after seeing the negative reaction on these forums I'm quite surprised, do people really dislike them that much to avoid buying a house because of them. I know that if I was looking at two adjacent houses, and one had panels and the other didn't, I would personally go for the one with panels, even if it is only a small reduction in your electricity bill (at the current tariff) because you're also doing 'your bit'.

But there are only a few regular voices on here Larnsky and they've got downers on these free solar panels companies - up here where ASG are installing like mad loads of people are really into them - there's a whole street of them in Barnsley. I live in notts and there are quite a few takeers here too. I think they look great!:)

M4ximillion

Gizmosmum wrote: »

Out of interest, how long did it take the surveyor to do his part of the job and did you have to sign a contract before they would come and survey?

Im having a survey on 15thOctober and notheing was mentioned about me signing a contract or anything (anyway its a lease i got a copy of it beffore i even applied), from what i gathered from the info i got back (i sent them a list of questions that the energy saving trust suggested i asked) thats not signed until they accept your roof and theyve got the structural engineers report back. Correct me if im wrong barneygrumble