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

ASavvyBuyer

ASavvyBuyer wrote: »

Have been looking at our electric & gas bills to see if it is worth switching suppliers at the end of March, when we practically stop using gas heating and the solar panels start producing the majority of the electricity we use. Looks like switching to a supplier with low or zero standing charges for the summer would be worthwhile, and then switch back again in October to one with low unit charges when we start using more gas and electricity from the grid. Anyone else done this Any problems with switching every 6 months?

Did some calculations using the cheap energy club comparisons to pick our the best value tariffs for the summer & winter. Turns out with our usage it only saves about £10 a year; mainly because of the high unit charges for electricity, from companies with no or low standing charges, that we need to top up with during the summer (at night and when using more than generated by the panels). Therefore, not really worth the bother every 6 months. However, from doing the comparisons found that separate tariffs for electricity & gas would save about £50 a year, rather than just staying with one company for supplying both.

Lifes_Grand_Plan

rhiwfield wrote: »

it makes sense to use your own (free) electricity rather than paying to import from the grid at 10p per kWh.

Sorry for a stupid newbie question:

I get paid for generating electricity through my Solar PV.

If I use electricity from my panels when they are generating, do I still get paid for that generation? And do I then pay for that electricity as I have used it....?

Surely I don't get to use electricity I generate for free and then get paid for it too?!?

As I say, apologies for a total newb question - I inherited my solar pv system so know very little!

Rheumatoid

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

Sorry for a stupid newbie question:

I get paid for generating electricity through my Solar PV.

If I use electricity from my panels when they are generating, do I still get paid for that generation? And do I then pay for that electricity as I have used it....?

Surely I don't get to use electricity I generate for free and then get paid for it too?!?

As I say, apologies for a total newb question - I inherited my solar pv system so know very little!

You do if you don't have a smart meter which is unlikely. You get paid for what you generate even if you use it all yourself - so that's what you should be trying to do to maximise returns.

Lifes_Grand_Plan

Rheumatoid wrote: »

You do if you don't have a smart meter which is unlikely. You get paid for what you generate even if you use it all yourself - so that's what you should be trying to do to maximise returns.

Really? Wow thats amazing. So when my wife was baking and the oven was on at the weekend, but the sun was beating down on the panels and my energy meter was showing 0.00 then we were using our oven for free AND getting paid too?

Ditto for the washing machine load we were running?

Right, so in future I need to have my washing machine on timer to run during the daytime?

Rheumatoid

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

Really? Wow thats amazing. So when my wife was baking and the oven was on at the weekend, but the sun was beating down on the panels and my energy meter was showing 0.00 then we were using our oven for free AND getting paid too?

Ditto for the washing machine load we were running?

Right, so in future I need to have my washing machine on timer to run during the daytime?

Yes, all sorts of strategies to best use generated power if you plough through this thread.

Martyn1981

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

Sorry for a stupid newbie question:

I get paid for generating electricity through my Solar PV.

If I use electricity from my panels when they are generating, do I still get paid for that generation? And do I then pay for that electricity as I have used it....?

Surely I don't get to use electricity I generate for free and then get paid for it too?!?

As I say, apologies for a total newb question - I inherited my solar pv system so know very little!

No such thing as a stupid question ...... have I set a challenge?

Assuming you own the panels, and they're not a rent a roof install, there are 3 main incomes from PV:-

1. The feed in tariff (FIT). This is a subsidy paid on all generation, and you claim it by sending in the readings from your TGM (total generation meter). Since the grid benefits either from export or offset (reduced demand) it's based on all generation, regardless of what you use.

2. Export payments, these are much smaller and whilst technically relate to export, it is simply deemed to be 50% of what you generate (unless you have a smart meter that's being used). Most folk without any kind of diversion switch (to heat water tank) will probably export around 60% to 70% of what they generate.

3. Leccy savings, your consumer unit will use generation before import, so anytime your generating leccy, you'll be importing less (or none) therefore if you use 1kWh of PV generation, then you'll not buy 1kWh from your supplier, and save that amount off your bill (10p to 15p?).

As you've realised, it's best to try to use leccy items when the sun is shining, as that will reduce import and save more money.

[Edit: Important tip, try to spread out the use of leccy items so that PV can cover, or contribute to all of it. If you switch everything on at the same time, when the sun comes out, then you'll be importing whatever the PV can't cover. M.]

Have fun.

Mart.

EricMears

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

Right, so in future I need to have my washing machine on timer to run during the daytime?

That can be a bit dodgy - especially if you're on Economy7 !

If you're running something at a fixed time you may find that you're running it for nothing but if sun hides behind a cloud then you'll be paying full price for it.

If you haven't got E7 then it's not a major problem : you needed to do washing some time so are probably prepared to pay for it (though it would have been nicer to wait an hour or so till sun was shining again).

If you do have E7 then it gets a bit more complicated in that you have to decide whether the electricity you'll use for washer (some free, but some paid for) has an average price greater or less than the E7 night rate. Then decide whether to wash now anyway or postpone till 1am (or even hope that tomorrow will be better).

Lifes_Grand_Plan

EricMears wrote: »

That can be a bit dodgy - especially if you're on Economy7 !

If you're running something at a fixed time you may find that you're running it for nothing but if sun hides behind a cloud then you'll be paying full price for it.

If you haven't got E7 then it's not a major problem : you needed to do washing some time so are probably prepared to pay for it (though it would have been nicer to wait an hour or so till sun was shining again).

If you do have E7 then it gets a bit more complicated in that you have to decide whether the electricity you'll use for washer (some free, but some paid for) has an average price greater or less than the E7 night rate. Then decide whether to wash now anyway or postpone till 1am (or even hope that tomorrow will be better).

No E7 at our house.

So I suppose the only risk is if the washer comes on and the shun isn't out in which case we pay for it, but to be honest if we need to do the wash anyway then its a bonus if its a "free" wash rather than if we do our washing when we get home from work and its dark = guaranteed we'll pay for it.

orrery

Rheumatoid wrote: »

You do if you don't have a smart meter...

I have a smart meter and I still get paid on deemed export or 50%

Rheumatoid

orrery wrote: »

I have a smart meter and I still get paid on deemed export or 50%

Some might not that's why i mentioned it, although I appreciate most will hang on to deemed for grim death even if they have one