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

don0301

@jackieblack

i think digitaltoast IS a Guardian reporter for PV Solar panels going by his post

orrery

wuthton wrote: »

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

Not according to the BBC this last week. Putting oil into the equation only brings Scotland up to the same level as the rest of the UK (as measured by the government borrowing requirement per head). With the north sea oil past its peak, now is the right time to cut Scotland loose.

wuthton

orrery wrote: »

Not according to the BBC this last week. Putting oil into the equation only brings Scotland up to the same level as the rest of the UK (as measured by the government borrowing requirement per head). With the north sea oil past its peak, now is the right time to cut Scotland loose.

I think my sarcastic undertone may have been missed. An independent Yorkshire is what I'd like to see. Admittedly the Rhubarb and Pork pie proceeds would only go so far but just think of the value for money we'd get in public spending. The FIT would be on thin ice though.

jackieblack

wuthton wrote: »

An independent Yorkshire is what I'd like to see.

Not alot of opposition to that idea I'd have thought

penrhyn

wuthton wrote: »

I think my sarcastic undertone may have been missed. An independent Yorkshire is what I'd like to see. Admittedly the Rhubarb and Pork pie proceeds would only go so far but just think of the value for money we'd get in public spending. The FIT would be on thin ice though.

Wot no Pontefract Cakes?

A thought we could repatriate all those professional Yorkshire bores, Parkinson, Clarkson Boycott et al.

wuthton

penrhyn wrote: »

Wot no Pontefract Cakes?

A thought we could repatriate all those professional Yorkshire bores, Parkinson, Clarkson Boycott et al.

You'll be sorry when the Yorkshire Pudding taxes start to bite.

digitaltoast

jackieblack wrote: »

Oh well, if it's printed in The Guardian that must make it true then!

Not really. But when the author is an environmental campaigner and fanatical greeny who heavily references his article with footnotes and links to government white papers, peer reviewed journals, the New Scientist etc, then I'd say:

"OK, take any three points he makes, and prove him wrong".

Oh, and I mean using REAL world numbers and science, not press releases from industry lobby groups based on equatorial latitudes...

Martyn1981

Digitaltoast, this site is pretty good if you want to compare potential generation across various locations and scenarios. You can enter a lot of variables.

http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/apps4/pvest.php#

The approx difference between north and south, Aberdeen and Plymouth is about 20%.

Mart.

digitaltoast

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Digitaltoast, this site is pretty good if you want to compare potential generation across various locations and scenarios. You can enter a lot of variables.

http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/apps4/pvest.php#

The approx difference between north and south, Aberdeen and Plymouth is about 20%.

Mart.

Interesting, and you're right. I'm surprised. Good post - I like stuff like that.

What it also shows is that a 3.9kw system in Scotland might produce 2810 kWh in an average year. If we say a wholesale unit price of... 4p?
Unless I've stuff up my calculations somewhere, that means it would produce electricity worth £112 per year. So I'm still struggling to see where the value is in paying people over a £1000 extra per year for it. Where are my economics failing me?

Solar radiation database used: PVGIS-classic 

Nominal power of the PV system: 3.9 kW (crystalline silicon)
Estimated losses due to temperature: 8.4% (using local ambient temperature)
Estimated loss due to angular reflectance effects: 3.1%
Other losses (cables, inverter etc.): 14.0%
Combined PV system losses: 23.7%

Fixed system: inclination=35°, orientation=0°
Month	Ed	Em	Hd	Hm
Jan	0.45	14.1	0.23	7.24
Feb	4.43	124	1.44	40.2
Mar	8.11	251	2.60	80.5
Apr	12.10	362	3.95	119
May	14.50	448	4.87	151
Jun	13.80	413	4.74	142
Jul	12.50	387	4.31	134
Aug	10.90	338	3.70	115
Sep	8.59	258	2.85	85.6
Oct	5.30	164	1.72	53.4
Nov	1.44	43.2	0.52	15.7
Dec	0.31	9.67	0.17	5.12
Yearly average	7.71	234	2.60	79.0
Total for year	 2810	 948

Ed: Average daily electricity production from the given system (kWh)
Em: Average monthly electricity production from the given system (kWh)
Hd: Average daily sum of global irradiation per square meter received by the modules of the given system (kWh/m2)
Hm: Average sum of global irradiation per square meter received by the modules of the given system (kWh/m2)

don0301

@digitaltoast

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feed-in_tariff

this might help you