Current PV panel prices

Larry_Large

David_Aston wrote: »

Didn't know if I should just tack this onto an existing thread.
Really just a few comments on a home visit by Solatricity, a company selling PV technology. The guy arrives pretty much on time, and spends two and a half hours doing a very thorough pitch. In fact, by the time he got down to projected payback charts, I think he was as shattered as we were. His company uses Kyocera panels. A ten panel "self sufficiency" package would pay back in eight to ten years. A twenty panel, "Investment return" package, (the largest amount of panels we can get on our roof,) also paying back in the same time. Just short of thirteen grand for ten panels, and just short of twenty grand for twenty. There was a two grand reduction for being the "first postcode in the area" purchase, on both of these prices. He had a laminated sheet with the prices on which seems very straightforward. A twenty four panel system costs, neatly enough, twenty four grand. This being the largest setup qualifying for the FIT system.
We didn't purchase, my wife in particular felt we were too old to benefit.
However, I can't fault the salesman on his presentation.
Hope this info may help some prospective purchaser.

Solatricity was re-named thus after the company Ideal Home Group plc started getting negative press for their hard sell tactics. Currently their web site has transferred to a blog, I guess for similar bad reports about their activities. In fact I can't find a web site for them anywhere.

The Kyocera panels and Fronius inverter system supplied is ok, but a others have noted ITT the price is about 12 - 15% over the odds.

However that's not the main problem with them - it is that they are not, nor ever have been accepted into the REAl scheme due to their sales tactics, and for very good reason. The sales people are strictly commission-only, are paid 7% (NET) with performance bonuses on top. But - here's the kicker - if they don't sell ON THE DAY they get nothing, even if the customer calls in later to place an order. That puts incredible pressure on the salesperson, which of course gets transferred on to the customer. I know this as I was trained by them, and still have their training materials. My advice would be to shop around elsewhere.

matttaylor

I've recently had a visit from a Solatricity / Ideal Energy Ltd. surveyor.
Contrary to the previous post they do have a website.

I first bumped into them at the Ideal Home show late in 2011. They were guaranteeing installation before the tariff drop so gave them my details.
I had a few calls from them but got fed up with them first telling me they couldn't install on my type of property then on other occasions failing to get me an appointment and each me time having to give them the same details.

This Sunday I received a call from someone (not sure who they represented) trying to find out if I was interested in the free option where it would all be installed for nothing and they would take the feed in tariff money.
I explained I would be more interested buying the whole system and they arranged for a surveyor to visit the next day.

The chap that came was actually very nice and went through the details quite methodologically although the entire visit was and hour and a half, longer than I had anticipated and it did end with 'would you like to sign up and give a deposit' which I was told it would not over the phone.

For my SE facing 45 degree roof I've been offered a 16 panel 3.68 KW system comprising of:

• Trina Solar TSM-PC05 panels (15% efficency)
• Fronius Inverter
• Sunny Boy Isolator

which will apparently give me a FIT SAP of 2935 (0.8 x 3.68 x 997 x 1) The roof isn't shaded.
The total cost of this £10,195 after a promotional discount of £2000 has been applied for being the first in the area to install. ;-)

See here.

I don't know much about the parts but initial research shows they are fairly reputable.

Additionally they offer a fair warranty on the equipment, guarantee the SAP is achieved, remote monitoring for 1 year and a loyalty scheme that will pay you if you introduce others which all seems good to me so I've preliminarily signed up to it whilst doing a bit more research...

...I've seen some people have mentioned Solatricity in a negative way and my initial dealings with them were not great.
One person has mentioned they are not members of MCS or REAL which they are not, but Ideal Energy Ltd is.
I'm not sure why they are using a subsidiary company? All the paperwork is for the Ideal Home Group PLC.
I know Ideal Energy got some bad press about some hot water systems but that's not these PV systems, could it be that?

I've had dealings with 3 other companies so far but it seems they've all lost interest since the FIT dropped so now I'm just wanting to get it installed and out of the way.
Seems a company that's been around a while is a safer bet than one that has just sprung up to make money off the FIT and now risks disappearing as it drops.

Just putting this all down for a sanity check really before I hand over some cash!

All comments welcome.

Thanks, Matt

HalloweenJack

wholesale on the panels is at most £4k , invertor is £1k - that makes £5k , scafolding , wages and a few thousand on equipment prices profit ..... get some more quotes

zeupater

matttaylor wrote: »

I've recently had a visit from a Solatricity / Ideal Energy Ltd. surveyor ...

Hi Matt

At that price I'd have a look around again .... you'd likely be much better off going to the MCS website and looking for local installers, but if you want a national installer or just a price guide have a look at the Te5co offering (http://www.tescohomeefficiency.com/electricity-pricing/?gclid=CJ2LoaLj5q0CFQlpfAodl0sz9Q), but remember that they're not the cheapest as they also operate on a multi-level basis ... te5co, an installation management company (Still Enact ?), and then the actual installer .... so there must still be enough profit to be made out of you to split 3 ways and pay the clubcard points ...

Best to review some of the threads on this site regarding some of the questions you should ask if they've not been asked yet ...

HTH
Z

rogerblack

10195 is still fairly high for a 3.7kW system.
Many of the solar firms doing primarily rent-a-roof will have laid off many of their staff - last week about 900 installs had their paperwork completed - the peak this year was 27000.
It's not impossible that they are the only firm in your area, but in general, shopping around is a good idea.

It seems likely that if the 21p/kWh figure remains, the industry will moderately recover capacity, but it will remain way below this years peak.

HalloweenJack

equipment prices have allready fallen since march 2011 to cover the lower fit rate - something the RAR companies wont tell you

tlck9

HI there, if I could give out one piece of advice....

I was dealing with a company just before Christmas and having checked on REAL and confirmed they had the relevant insurances in place, I found this not to be the case.

I would ensure that you dont just check the website and the REAL website to see if they are registered but check with them to ensure they have the relevant insurances for workmanship, being a member of REA doesnt necessary mean they have insurance.

It became apparent when I realised their installer had gone bust and they were struggling to get a new installer - people on this forum had recommended them, but I bet they didnt realise they arent insured if anything goes wrong and they go out of business, which for me was a real possibility of not actually getting my money back.

I've now had another company from Cornwall install and so far so good, but its worth getting some actual customers references before committing

Prices seem to have come down after christmas as companies that bought up as many panels as they could are now trying to get rid of them

HalloweenJack

its more than that:

http://www.solarserver.com/service/pvx-spot-market-price-index-solar-pv-modules.html

german panels have had a 35% drop year on year allready - with chinese panels at a 45% drop in wholesale price.

Martyn1981

I'd add my opinion to the others, does sound a bit too high. 4kWp prices are approaching £8k, with more and more mentions of quotes / deals near this, so for 3.7kWp I'd reckon £8k is a fair target to try for. You never know ....

Mart.

moss1

i have had my solar system fitted since september i confirmed my meter can go backwards on my fit form to npower can anbody tell me if i have to contact them again or do just wait for npower to get in touch with me about the meter can any body help.