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

Exiled_Tyke

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

Returning to iBoost. This becomes valueless in April when my VAT inclusive gas usage is charged at £0.0244 per kWh.

iBoost was metered at 825 kWh of diversion last year. At 50% boiler efficiency this would save 825 * 2 * 0.244 = £40.26 per annum.

Alternatively, I could trash the iBoost and earn in metered export 825 * 0.485 = £40.01 per annum.

With metered export and low gas charges the iBoost hardly covers the cost of its own battery.

I think you may have confirmed what I was thinking: that is it's not worth going down the immersion heater diverter route. Should I just ask my electric company for a smart meter for export instead? Perhaps batteries will become a worthwhile investment soon?

Rheumatoid

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

Returning to iBoost. This becomes valueless in April when my VAT inclusive gas usage is charged at £0.0244 per kWh.

iBoost was metered at 825 kWh of diversion last year. At 50% boiler efficiency this would save 825 * 2 * 0.244 = £40.26 per annum.

Alternatively, I could trash the iBoost and earn in metered export 825 * 0.485 = £40.01 per annum.

With metered export and low gas charges the iBoost hardly covers the cost of its own battery.

Interesting, thanks

orrery

Exiled_Tyke wrote: »

Should I just ask my electric company for a smart meter for export instead? Perhaps batteries will become a worthwhile investment soon?

You can try, but the situation is a complete shambles.

I had mine installed and then asked for economy 7, but they don't know how to switch it over.

I moved my electric and gas to an eco supplier, and they can't support this model of smart meter at all so we are back to reading the meter.

Sterlingtimes

Once you have a Smart Meter (that will be capable of reading export), you lose your right to 50% deemed export. At that time the value of the iBoost becomes marginal. With cheap gas, 24.4 pence per kWh the iBoost achieves nothing. Even if I had the immersion installed at the base of the cylinder rather than there would be no advantage. Things might change if gas become far more costly.

zeupater

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

Once you have a Smart Meter (that will be capable of reading export), you lose your right to 50% deemed export. At that time the value of the iBoost becomes marginal. With cheap gas, 24.4 pence per kWh the iBoost achieves nothing. Even if I had the immersion installed at the base of the cylinder rather than there would be no advantage. Things might change if gas become far more costly.

? ... should that be 2.44p/kWh ... ? ... although for us and other very low gas users it's cheaper to pay a much higher unit price and no standing charge - within the cost/benefit calculation it's all down to what you actually pay, not the published unit price.


HTH
Z

[Deleted User]

Hi all.... me again.

It seems to be a long shot, but does anyone know of a website that just shows the unit price for electricity from the major companies?

In looking at our solar pv quote, I'm comparing the "savings" figure with what we presently pay, but when I looked at our present supplier's website (SSE) the unit figure now is much higher than our present "deal". (13.47p/kWh, 14.8p/day standing charge, compared to our present deal of 9.2pkWh, 23.49p/day standing charge).

EDIT - should have said - that new figure is for "elec only" not "gas+elec" but it's all I can find!!

There are bound to be good deals for switching but I'm getting really irritated by the lack of transparency - all I'm looking for is a list of unit prices, as that's what will help me decide, but SSE is the only one I can find with that info on their website.

The figures on the SSE website may well be very high, and nobody might actually pay that, (unless they have never switched, maybe?) but given the amount that households spend on energy, it REALLY shouldn't be so hard to compare prices.:mad:

Anyone know of something a bit more useful? My recollection is that if you go through the switching websites, you are given info about the annual cost in cash and you don't see the unit price detail until you have switched and the paperwork comes through.... and it's the unit prices I want to look at. If there is such a site or page on the web, I can't find it.

Sorry, turned into a bit of a rant - it wasn't meant to be!

WR

Sterlingtimes

zeupater wrote: »

? ... should that be 2.44p/kWh ... ? ... although for us and other very low gas users it's cheaper to pay a much higher unit price and no standing charge - within the cost/benefit calculation it's all down to what you actually pay, not the published unit price.


HTH
Z

Yes, my mistake Z. I slipped the decimal point. I appreciate your observation and I had not thought about tariff from that angle. Too late now because I have committed to Ovo for a further year with the hope that they will sort out Smart Gateway that is pretty much non-functional at present.

EricMears

Wild_Rover wrote: »

It seems to be a long shot, but does anyone know of a website that just shows the unit price for electricity from the major companies?
. . . . .

There are bound to be good deals for switching but I'm getting really irritated by the lack of transparency - all I'm looking for is a list of unit prices, as that's what will help me decide, but SSE is the only one I can find with that info on their website.
. . . . .

Anyone know of something a bit more useful? My recollection is that if you go through the switching websites, you are given info about the annual cost in cash and you don't see the unit price detail until you have switched and the paperwork comes through.... and it's the unit prices I want to look at. If there is such a site or page on the web, I can't find it.

You don't usually see the full info on Uswitch or similar websites, but you CAN find out all about it before entering into any binding commitment (indeed, you could even accept an alternative deal and reject it again before the cooling off period expires).

From the comparison site just click on <Further Details> and you'll be moved to the supplier's own website where they'll lay out a full quotation long before they ask for your payment details. I've only ever tried Uswitch so can't really speak for their competitors but if one of them really does expect you to confirm acceptance before you've seen all you want, then just quit their site and go directly to the actual website of the supplier(s). If the switching site is offering you a 'sweetener' then you can always go through the process again when you've made your decision. But what I generally do is to use a switching site to identify the most likely contender then see if that particular company is offering an even better deal through Quidco or TopCashBack.

Exiled_Tyke

EricMears wrote: »

You don't usually see the full info on Uswitch or similar websites, but you CAN find out all about it before entering into any binding commitment (indeed, you could even accept an alternative deal and reject it again before the cooling off period expires).

From the comparison site just click on <Further Details> and you'll be moved to the supplier's own website where they'll lay out a full quotation long before they ask for your payment details. I've only ever tried Uswitch so can't really speak for their competitors but if one of them really does expect you to confirm acceptance before you've seen all you want, then just quit their site and go directly to the actual website of the supplier(s). If the switching site is offering you a 'sweetener' then you can always go through the process again when you've made your decision. But what I generally do is to use a switching site to identify the most likely contender then see if that particular company is offering an even better deal through Quidco or TopCashBack.

Doesn't the MSE comparison service provide full break downs of costs. I was pretty sure I was able to do this last time I looked as I was looking for a tariff that suited my post PV installation use.

EricMears

Exiled_Tyke wrote: »

Doesn't the MSE comparison service provide full break downs of costs. I was pretty sure I was able to do this last time I looked as I was looking for a tariff that suited my post PV installation use.

I expect all price comparison sites would (eventually) give the full breakdown of costs. However, Uswitch in particular and others I've glanced at like to present you with their 'best buys' ranked on order of the savings they think you'll make and put a description on a link that should be labelled <Get full details> which gives impression you're 'choosing this one' (when all you're choosing is the chance to see exactly what they're offering).

No price comparison site can create a binding contract for you; you're always free to stay with your present company or choose a completely different one providing you cancel the proposed new one within a cooling off period.