So now I have a solar PV system how do I make the most of it???

digitaltoast

albyota wrote: »

And for a south facing 45 degree 3kWp system fitted in the Midlands, 2281 kWh's to date 8.5 months (May 2011) £1,023 so far.....

so I would expect 'bris' 3.9kWp system to generate at least £1,500 even in central Scotland

I keep forgetting that, of course, being a "poor to rich" money-swindling scheme, that actual generation has nothing to do with it, and it wouldn't matter if it was put on a north facing roof in the darkest part of the most northerly point in Europe - the feed in bribe will still be paid.

The more I think about what a complete squandering of £billions the scheme is, the more depressing it is...

SallyKing

digitaltoast wrote: »

I keep forgetting that, of course, being a "poor to rich" money-swindling scheme, that actual generation has nothing to do with it, and it wouldn't matter if it was put on a north facing roof in the darkest part of the most northerly point in Europe - the feed in bribe will still be paid.

The more I think about what a complete squandering of £billions the scheme is, the more depressing it is...

Firstly, the scheme is not squandering billions.

Secondly, the FITs add around £8 a year to bills. £45 is added for efficiency measures, such as free boilers and insulation for old, poor people. Just to put things in perspective...

There must be lots of 'rich' people in my town, I know so because they all have solar PV on their houses. Funny though, because they all look like normal everyday houses, not the mansions some would have us believe.

wuthton

digitaltoast wrote: »

I keep forgetting that, of course, being a "poor to rich" money-swindling scheme, that actual generation has nothing to do with it, and it wouldn't matter if it was put on a north facing roof in the darkest part of the most northerly point in Europe - the feed in bribe will still be paid.

The more I think about what a complete squandering of £billions the scheme is, the more depressing it is...

But in that situation the "feed in bribe" would be about hundred quid per annum which would hardly be £10,000 well spent by the home owner.

Cardew

albyota wrote: »

And for a south facing 45 degree 3kWp system fitted in the Midlands, 2281 kWh's to date 8.5 months (May 2011) £1,023 so far.....

so I would expect 'bris' 3.9kWp system to generate at least £1,500 even in central Scotland

HTH

AL

Isn't that a bit on the high side for Central Scotland and for a system not facing due south.? - especially the 'At Least' bit.

To generate electricity worth £1,500 at 43.3p/kWh + 1.55p/kWh for exported electricity, you would need to generate 3344kWh pa which is 858kWh per kWp.

Bris, of course, should be more worried that along with all his compatriots, he could lose his FIT altogether when the SNP have their Tartan Republic;)

digitaltoast

SallyKing wrote: »

Firstly, the scheme is not squandering billions.

£8.2bn for a tiny, tiny, tiny insignificant amount of electricity which won't reduce a single fossil fueled power station or generate 1 single watt when it's most needed. That £8.2bn would be almost 400x more effective at keeping people warm and reducing carbon if spent on almost any other kind of measure.
I'll post this yet again... http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/01/solar-panel-feed-in-tariff

SallyKing wrote: »

There must be lots of 'rich' people in my town, I know so because they all have solar PV on their houses. Funny though, because they all look like normal everyday houses, not the mansions some would have us believe.

By definition, these will be people who own their own houses. And it's quite possible they've naively joined a rent-a-roof [STRIKE]scam [/STRIKE]scheme, whoring their roof out to massive companies with heinous contracts and putting the value of their own house at risk.

wuthton wrote: »

But in that situation the "feed in bribe" would be about hundred quid per annum which would hardly be £10,000 well spent by the home owner.

Exactly, and we wouldn't be in this lunatic situation in the first place!
If someone paid you £100 a day to burn piles of old tyres, would you say "fantastic scheme!"?

Cardew wrote: »

To generate electricity worth £1,500 at 43.3p/kWh + 1.55p/kWh for exported electricity, you would need to generate 3344kWh pa which is 858kWh per kWp.

Quite. But it doesn't seem to be anything to do with electricity generated.

Using a 3.9.kW unit and http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Solar-panels-PV/Solar-Energy-Calculator let's put in one of the sunniest most southerly locations: The isle of Wight: PO31 7AR

Annual income (first year) £1,653
Income from Feed-in Tariff: £1,512
Money saved on bill: £89
Income from grid export: £52
Total £1,653

And now, officially the darkets least sunny place in the UK, Loch Maree: IV22 2HL, which receives half the solar radiation of the Isle of Wight in summer, and less than a third in winter, and yet look at the numbers:

Annual income (first year) £1,385
Income from Feed-in Tariff: £1,259
Money saved on bill: £83
Income from grid export: £44
Total £1,385

How does that work?!?

wuthton

Cardew wrote: »

Bris, of course, should be more worried that along with all his compatriots, he could lose his FIT altogether when the SNP have their Tartan Republic;)

But surely Scotland would be rolling in money when they have the proceeds from North Sea oil and gas all to themselves?

jackieblack

digitaltoast wrote: »

Using a 3.9.kW unit and http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Solar-panels-PV/Solar-Energy-Calculator let's put in one of the sunniest most southerly locations: The isle of Wight: PO31 7AR

Annual income (first year) £1,653
Income from Feed-in Tariff: £1,512
Money saved on bill: £89
Income from grid export: £52
Total £1,653

And now, officially the darkets least sunny place in the UK, Loch Maree: IV22 2HL, which receives half the solar radiation of the Isle of Wight in summer, and less than a third in winter, and yet look at the numbers:

Annual income (first year) £1,385
Income from Feed-in Tariff: £1,259
Money saved on bill: £83
Income from grid export: £44
Total £1,385

How does that work?!?

Well, I've just input my system's details into that website and the results were way off so personally I'd neither rely on it being accurate nor use the results it gives for the basis or any argument

grahamc2003

digitaltoast wrote: »

.

The more I think about what a complete squandering of £billions the scheme is, the more depressing it is...

If I could offer a suggestion so you don't become too depressed DT.

I think you are up against one of the basic unforeseen problems the designers of the schemes never envisaged, and that is people thinking. Why not do what the politicians, designers, lobbyists, solar companies, purchasers, renters and almost all the populations do, and not think?

I'm not sure what you career aspirations are, but you won't get anywhere these days if you insist on thinking. Just go with the flow, (and perhaps buy a little Honda generator and keep plenty of petrol safely stored away).

HalloweenJack

wuthton wrote: »

But surely Scotland would be rolling in money when they have the proceeds from North Sea oil and gas all to themselves?

shetland islanders have allready said they will declare independance from scotland the day scotland break out of the union - and the brent pipeline goes to shetland (who want close ties with the faroes and thus denmark)

edit:

also , like libya are finding out now - are water tight and internationally legal contracts ; the oil companies alleady have those , so any SNP run scotland cannot simply tear them up and start again.

jackieblack

digitaltoast wrote: »

£8.2bn for a tiny, tiny, tiny insignificant amount of electricity which won't reduce a single fossil fueled power station or generate 1 single watt when it's most needed. That £8.2bn would be almost 400x more effective at keeping people warm and reducing carbon if spent on almost any other kind of measure.
I'll post this yet again... http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/01/solar-panel-feed-in-tariff

Oh well, if it's printed in The Guardian that must make it true then! :rotfl:
No possibility the author has an axe to grind? (or a book to sell?)