What to use - Oil v Gas (optional Solar Panels)

mohawk30_2

Hi Everyone,

We are new to this forum and we would be most grateful for some advice on domestic energy.

We (a family of 3) are about to move as I am disabled and a wheelchair user, in my 50’s and on DLA, and having to move to a bungalow in Cambs.

The issue we have is:

The bungalow is oil at present (boiler looks quite old and tank looks as if leaking somewhat)

No gas in bungalow but cost of laying it into property is £1400 plus we’d need to purchase a gas boiler etc.

We think there is a hidden fire grate in the lounge and a chimney, my wife would like an open log fire.

We would consider 4kw solar panels perhaps including hot water panels but cost as far as we know is around £18000. We would need to borrow the funds to pay for this, and need to calculate if this is cost effective. Using the £1500 income from the feed in tariffs to pay for them plus the free elec in the day.

We also need loft insulation and cavity wall insulation as a matter of urgency perhaps via a grant.

Our main concern is:

Is it worth spending £18000 on solar panels for the Feed in Tarrif & free daytime elec considering the cost of borrowing.

Does using an immersion heater in the daytime to boost temp of the hot water during periods of low sunlight work out economical, allowing us to use the oil or gas CH only in the cold months.

Should we move over to gas from oil? Either with solar panels or as sole energy source if we can’t install solar panels.

Essentially, we would be grateful for any advice or tips as to the most cost effective solution.

Many thank,

Mohawk :j

macman

Given the extra cost of oil, £1400 to get a gas supply would seem a bargain in the long run. And even more so if the oil boiler will require replacement or repair soon anyway. You can get both loft insulation and CW insulation subsidised via your energy company.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Firstly Solar panels!

The solar hot water panels are simply a very poor investment in money saving terms. There are lots of threads on these panels and despite the claims of some firms the savings are low - mainly in the summer.

Solar PV is an altogether different proposition because of the large susidies(FIT). However £18,000 is way too much. Again plenty of threads on this but the largest systems(4kWp) that attract the highest FIT are now costing around £12000 to £13000; and on a bungalow could be cheaper as the scaffolding cost will be less.

Personally I would look upon solar PV as a very long term investment and not confuse it with your future heating solutions. You will get a saving on your electricity costs - probably about £100 a year, but not something you can rely on for powering the immersion heater - again loads of threads on this issue.

If your oil boiler does need replacement, then personally I would go for installing gas.

Ben84

Mains gas is consistently the cheapest heat source. Typically much cheaper than oil per kWh and a much greater selection of suppliers too. It will cost a bit to install the gas pipes and a new boiler, but if the system is old and needs a new tank and possibly other expenditures then now is, if you're going to, the best time to swap. Spending money on the oil system will increasingly tie you in to using it, which is not so attractive when the oil cost a lot more per unit of heat. As the existing boiler is old too then there's less economic incentive to keep it, considering the years of life span left and the relative efficiency of older models compared to new ones.

Gas is also a versatile fuel, a lot of people prefer it to electric for cooking and it's a clean cheap fuel for fireplaces/room heaters. Compared to messy time consuming solid fuel, a gas fire is likely to be used and enjoyed a lot more often. Having mains gas is also rated high on many people's wish list when looking at new houses so it will help you a lot if you ever sell later.