Solar Pv panels and Feed -in -tariff

Ecotrician

I installed a PV system last week, once the customer informed the energy supplier that there meter was running backwards they were round like a shot to fit a smart meter, he informed them before install and they werent interested in changing meter, they also seem confused about the generation meter that the installer fits and thier own meter, its a new technology to them and this is probably coomon.

Terrylw1

Ecotrician wrote: »

I installed a PV system last week, once the customer informed the energy supplier that there meter was running backwards they were round like a shot to fit a smart meter, he informed them before install and they werent interested in changing meter, they also seem confused about the generation meter that the installer fits and thier own meter, its a new technology to them and this is probably coomon.

I agree with you. Supply staff don't understand the many differing types of metering out there anyway. So, would you expect them to understand Smart import/export and microgen?

To be able to even handle these meters they have to spend money on upgrading their billing systems. Which makes the 50% assumption a cheaper option since they can just dump 50% onto a bill a lot easier than they have handle managing import/export seperately to get it accurate.

But then, Ofgem are not big on rolling out an industry change...and then checking if actually got done. They just sit back and watch the complaints come in...and Suppliers know this.

gjpountain

Penrice wrote: »

Hi,
After just being about to change to an "online 19" tariff with NPower I checked to see whether that would still be OK for when we have Solar PV panels fitted and want to benefit from the "Feed in Tariff". I was then told that actually we would then have to change back to the standard tariff and pay 20 pounds for the privilege! This seems a bit contradictory to the scheme and dare I say it a way of the energy provider clawing back some of the tariff.
I don't know whether anyone has had a better experience with other energy providers?

Does anybody know of a provider who seems particularly up to speed with respect to the Feed in tariff? I have been told that "Good Energy" seem to know what they are doing.


Any advice before we commit to putting panels up is welcome.

Thanks

I am provided with Gas and Electric by OVO and they are not set up for FIT payments as they are a small company. They told me to register with British gas just for the FIT payments. This I have done and BG will now pay me the FIT payments independent of whoever supplies me with Gas and Electric.
Thought you might be interested
Graham

berryman_2

I am hoping for some good advice from MSE forum members. I have recently had a quotation from Solaressence for one of their dual solar water heating systems and a solar PV system.

I was told my roof [45 degree roof pitch, due south facing, no trees overhanging it, southern UK location] would support either a 1.4 kWp system or one of their 200 dual systems + a 1 kWp solar pv system. I was surprised that my roof on a four bedroom detached house would only support a 1.4 kWp system as I thought it would be big enough for at least 2+ if not more.

The 200 dual system (2,446 KW) was priced at £10,765, the 1 kWp system at £7,979 and the 1.4 kWp system at £10,698.

I was originally attracted to this company by an article by Tony Juniper in the Sunday Times and they seem to be the only company in the UK who currently offer a dual heating and hot water system.

The salesman that called was not pushy. He calculated that the FiT benefits for the 1 kWp system would produce savings of £406 per year and for the 1.4 kWp system £472 per year. He also indicated that the soon to be introduced Renewable Heat Initiative would produce something like £342 saving at an estimated (but not yet confirmed by the government) 14p per kW.

I thought that the best approach would be to install the 200 dual system and the 1 kWp solar pv system so that I would get maximum savings and the benefit of solar heating the hot water, my home and generate some power against my electric bills. However, with their quoted prices and current savings, the breakeven would seem to be 25 years at today's energy prices. After some negotiation, we then settled on £16,600, which would still only breakeven after 22 years.

I am not an expert in this area, which seems bedevilled with misinformation, wildly differing quotes for a range of panels of varying qualities and a lot of installers who use double glazing salesmen type sales tactics. I found MSE and one of their articles led me to Tesco site who are offering solar pv systems cheaper than Solaressence. So, would anyone like to help me through this minefield and give me their opinion on the company, equipment they install and the prices quoted please? Many thanks.

Mcfi5dhc

berryman wrote: »

I am hoping for some good advice from MSE forum members. I have recently had a quotation from Solaressence for one of their dual solar water heating systems and a solar PV system.

I was told my roof [45 degree roof pitch, due south facing, no trees overhanging it, southern UK location] would support either a 1.4 kWp system or one of their 200 dual systems + a 1 kWp solar pv system. I was surprised that my roof on a four bedroom detached house would only support a 1.4 kWp system as I thought it would be big enough for at least 2+ if not more.

The 200 dual system (2,446 KW) was priced at £10,765, the 1 kWp system at £7,979 and the 1.4 kWp system at £10,698.

Without the RHI, solar heating systems are not viable - you might save £50 to £100 a year on your hot water bill, most of which will be in summer. You'll get very little in winter.

Unfortunantly, you don't know if the solar hotwater system you are being offered will be compliant with the RHI, or even if it will be paid for pioneers (the government didn't pay solar PV pioneers the same rate as the new uptake).

So, that leaves the Solar PV which will maximise your revenue at the moment. Though, as you seem to have noticed, the quotes are huge. My 1.44kwp system was £7950 two years ago, and you can get it cheaper than that now.

HTH

PS, my house is a small 3 bed-semi, unless your 4 bed detatched is tiny, I would have thought you could get more on there - do you know how big the roof size is?

ninjaryder

I have had a nightmare with my suppliers getting the FIT..firstly SSE didn't have a clue ..i since changed suppliers to N power..the phone is constantly engaged i had sent off all details via email and left messgaes when the phone was not engaged..still nothing after 4 weeks..so rang BG today and you dont have to be a customer to get the tarrif so will be filled out the forms etc today and hopefully getting my money !

Mcfi5dhc

ninjaryder wrote: »

I have had a nightmare with my suppliers getting the FIT..firstly SSE didn't have a clue ..i since changed suppliers to N power..the phone is constantly engaged i had sent off all details via email and left messgaes when the phone was not engaged..still nothing after 4 weeks..so rang BG today and you dont have to be a customer to get the tarrif so will be filled out the forms etc today and hopefully getting my money !

I had a similar problem - I was with SSE and moved to npower, but was struggling to get through to them. After a little perserverence though, I have made contact (and money!). I have stayed with SSE for my FIT payments.

I think the problem is they have been absolutely inundated - there used to be two people in the microgeneration team*, who could easily handle all the queries. SInce FIT, it has gone ballistic there, and they have bene caught on the hop. They now have more staff on board, but maybe need another 10 or so.

PM me if you want any further details.

HTH

*I miss a few things about my first year or so with solar panels. One of the great things was the Harrods-like service from SSE microgeneration. You would phone up and they would ask for your name with no waiting. Immediately they would have all your details on hand in front of them. No messing, no pressing one for this, two for that. No hard to understand foriegn call centres.

Cardew

Berryman,

Mcfi5dhc is spot on about solar hot water. Wait and see what happens about the RHI proposals and particularly timescales for installation. Without RHI solar HW is just a joke in money saving terms.

As regards solar PV, Tesco are installing a 4kWp system for about £15k.

berryman_2

Thanks Mcfi5dhc. I probably haven't factored into the equation that my house rear has a L extension so the available south facing portion is limiting the panel space. The house is just under 1300 sq ft in size, so its a pretty small 4 bedroom house anyway. I think that the usuable roof space is probably just under 200 sq ft.

daytona600_2

rough guide on installed pv systems
£3-5k per installed kilowatt from dti website
depending on high quality european/japan or cheaper asian stuff

if you want solar pv & solar thermal on your roof
you could look at solar PV-T
pv electric & pv thermal both units in one
new on the market

berryman wrote: »

I am hoping for some good advice from MSE forum members. I have recently had a quotation from Solaressence for one of their dual solar water heating systems and a solar PV system.

I was told my roof [45 degree roof pitch, due south facing, no trees overhanging it, southern UK location] would support either a 1.4 kWp system or one of their 200 dual systems + a 1 kWp solar pv system. I was surprised that my roof on a four bedroom detached house would only support a 1.4 kWp system as I thought it would be big enough for at least 2+ if not more.

The 200 dual system (2,446 KW) was priced at £10,765, the 1 kWp system at £7,979 and the 1.4 kWp system at £10,698.

I was originally attracted to this company by an article by Tony Juniper in the Sunday Times and they seem to be the only company in the UK who currently offer a dual heating and hot water system.

The salesman that called was not pushy. He calculated that the FiT benefits for the 1 kWp system would produce savings of £406 per year and for the 1.4 kWp system £472 per year. He also indicated that the soon to be introduced Renewable Heat Initiative would produce something like £342 saving at an estimated (but not yet confirmed by the government) 14p per kW.

I thought that the best approach would be to install the 200 dual system and the 1 kWp solar pv system so that I would get maximum savings and the benefit of solar heating the hot water, my home and generate some power against my electric bills. However, with their quoted prices and current savings, the breakeven would seem to be 25 years at today's energy prices. After some negotiation, we then settled on £16,600, which would still only breakeven after 22 years.

I am not an expert in this area, which seems bedevilled with misinformation, wildly differing quotes for a range of panels of varying qualities and a lot of installers who use double glazing salesmen type sales tactics. I found MSE and one of their articles led me to Tesco site who are offering solar pv systems cheaper than Solaressence. So, would anyone like to help me through this minefield and give me their opinion on the company, equipment they install and the prices quoted please? Many thanks.