Solar Panel Guide Discussion

lanstrom

Doc_N wrote: »

My only regret is that prices are lower now, but that's life. Tesco, for example, will discount their prices by 20% at the moment, and I would guess that £11,000 - £12,000 is nearer the mark for a competitive 4 kWp system now.

Yup. I just had a quote for a 4kWp system for £11,500.

The installer recons a repayment period of 5.5 years but I think thats a bit quick ? Whodda you guys recon ?

digitaltoast

lanstrom wrote: »

Yup. I just had a quote for a 4kWp system for £11,500.

The installer recons a repayment period of 5.5 years but I think thats a bit quick ? Whodda you guys recon ?

Well, paste the figures he's given you, including usage calculations, maintenance, FiT payments etc, and we'll do the sums.

While I'm here, we've mentioned Monbiot and people said he was "wrong" about the payments being a transfer from poor to rich.
I think those people might want to listen to this section of yesterday's You and Yours: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012fs6k#p00j5mlh

You might also want to watch this debate with Monbiot at the Royal Society of Chemistry: http://www.thereaction.net/explore/The-Nuclear-Debate/ It's a little "dry", but the opening statements are worth a watch - unfortunately, there are the usual shouty fruitcakes in the audience for the questions, including Gordon Taylor from http://energypolicy.webulator.net/ - I know his site was called that because he kept shouting it...

Although the debate was about nuclear, alternative energy such as solar is mentioned enough to make it relevant.

lanstrom

digitaltoast wrote: »

Well, paste the figures he's given you, including usage calculations, maintenance, FiT payments etc, and we'll do the sums.

[FONT=&quot]3.91 kwp PV system consisting of :[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

17 x [/FONT][FONT=&quot]230 watt REW Premium Plus panels ([/FONT]30 year performance guarantee for a power output of 85%).

We will be using the SMA, Power One or Fronius inverters as they have up to a 96.3% efficiency and offer a 5 year guarantee with optional 10/15/20/and25 year extended guarantees.

This system will create a combination of income and savings of approximately £2071.00 per annum.

The cost for this system to be supplied and installed is £11,500.00 including v.a.t. Therefore this system will take approximately 5.5 years to recoup the installation costs. This gives a yield on investment of 18% per annum.

The system will create a combination of income and savings of £51,775.00 over a 25 year period index related.

He says that he used the software on the SMA website to calculate the savings. Also, Both myself and wife work away from home and there is no-way we could use 50% of the generated energy.

I think my installation would be close to that of Andys (UkSolarCaseStudy) so a return of £1600 a year sounds more plausable unless I have missed something. He hasn't factored in any maintainance charges either.

Also, I have just signed up for a fixed price energy deal but it has a standing charge. Do you think I should have got a deal without standing charge (but higher kWh rate) so my solar savings will be higher ?

Go easy with me. I am not good with figures

Thanks.

thenudeone

Polesdenite wrote: »

a lot of people seem to be trying to show how clever they are but do any of them have panels?

Fitted 3.995kW system a few weeks ago.
Very pleased.
Generated 320kWh (£140 FIT) in 3 weeks. Obviously output will fall considerably during autumn and winter but it's looking good so far.

zeupater

Polesdenite wrote: »

I came on this forum to try to find some unbiased opinions about fitting Solar PV panels, a lot of people seem to be trying to show how clever they are but do any of them have panels? Is there enyone on this site that actually has them fitted, if so may I ask , if they work, do they generate the return claimed ? are they a good idea ? Even the Guardian blog, which is basically against the idea, says we would be crazy not to take it up , provided we can afford the outlay. So help me out here , don't drown me in jargon or political ideology just a straight answer please.

Hi

I have panels and try to post on an unbiased basis (unless the bias is towards the truth and against misinformation ) .... my deductions ....

Yes, they work.
Yes , so far they've outperformed SAP & PVGIS & SMA generation prediction.
No, they've not saved imported energy inline with the SAP usage calculation, however, for owned systems this is a relatively minor issue, but will effect the payback calculation.
Yes, they should pay for themselves as long as the FiT scheme isn't withdrawn.

HTH
Z

zeupater

lanstrom wrote: »

[FONT=&quot]3.91 kwp PV system consisting of :[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]17 x [/FONT][FONT=&quot]230 watt REW Premium Plus panels ([/FONT]30 year performance guarantee for a power output of 85%).

We will be using the SMA, Power One or Fronius inverters as they have up to a 96.3% efficiency and offer a 5 year guarantee with optional 10/15/20/and25 year extended guarantees.

This system will create a combination of income and savings of approximately £2071.00 per annum.

The cost for this system to be supplied and installed is £11,500.00 including v.a.t. Therefore this system will take approximately 5.5 years to recoup the installation costs. This gives a yield on investment of 18% per annum.

The system will create a combination of income and savings of £51,775.00 over a 25 year period index related.

He says that he used the software on the SMA website to calculate the savings. Also, Both myself and wife work away from home and there is no-way we could use 50% of the generated energy.

I think my installation would be close to that of Andys (UkSolarCaseStudy) so a return of £1600 a year sounds more plausable unless I have missed something. He hasn't factored in any maintainance charges either.

Also, I have just signed up for a fixed price energy deal but it has a standing charge. Do you think I should have got a deal without standing charge (but higher kWh rate) so my solar savings will be higher ?

Go easy with me. I am not good with figures

Thanks.

Hi

You are probably correct to assume that the figures are a little inflated. An installer should quote savings in line with the SAP calculation and not inflate potential savings. The £1600 saving you raise is likely to be a more realistic average figure.

If you post your roof angle and orientation along with an idea of where you are in the country, I'm sure that someone will churn your figures through the SMA SunnyDesign software for you and provide a more reasonable savings estimate ...

HTH
Z

## Note : I've run a REW220 panel through the SMA system and the figures are very interesting ... they're either very good in low light conditions relative to their test ratings ... or .... there's something wrong with the specs as entered into the SMA software, which looks likely when there seem to be obvious discrepancies (eg 30V/8.1A v 47.6V/5.4A) between the manufacturers spec sheet (http://www.rewsolar.de/uploads/media/Datenblatt_REW_215-240-_Premium_Plus_UM_96_EN.pdf) and the SMA database ....

lanstrom

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

If you post your roof angle and orientation along with an idea of where you are in the country, I'm sure that someone will churn your figures through the SMA SunnyDesign software for you and provide a more reasonable savings estimate ...

HTH
Z

## Note : I've run a REW220 panel through the SMA system and the figures are very interesting ... they're either very good in low light conditions relative to their test ratings ... or .... there's something wrong with the specs as entered into the SMA software, which looks likely when there seem to be obvious discrepancies (eg 30V/8.1A v 47.6V/5.4A) between the manufacturers spec sheet (http://www.rewsolar.de/uploads/media/Datenblatt_REW_215-240-_Premium_Plus_UM_96_EN.pdf) and the SMA database ....

Thanks.

Roof angle is about 30 degs. House is 177 deg south.

I am in north east Birmingham.

Also the voltage on the PDF he attached says 30.7v RPP220 UM60 not UM96.

Greenfingers3

I have been looking at getting Solar PV panels installed on our home. I was wondering about having some of the panels on an outbuilding and some on the roof of the house. This would mean there would be two generation meters. Can anyone see any pitfalls in having two generation meters?

Thanks for your help.

zorber

Greenfingers3 wrote: »

I have been looking at getting Solar PV panels installed on our home. I was wondering about having some of the panels on an outbuilding and some on the roof of the house. This would mean there would be two generation meters. Can anyone see any pitfalls in having two generation meters?

Thanks for your help.

Only one meter qualifying for fits???

Greenfingers3

zorber wrote: »

Only one meter qualifying for fits???

Thank you. This is what I was wondering, do you know if that is definitely the case, that only one meter qualifies?