Solar Panel Guide Discussion

zeupater

Cardew wrote: »

Hi,
I take it that you are aware that 4kWp is the maximum size system for receiving the highest rate of FIT? i.e. if you enlarge the system to 6kWp all generated output will get the lower rate of FIT.

Hi

As I understand the process ....

If you extend your system within the first 12 months this would be the case, but as the OP has a system over 12 months old any expansion will be classified as a separate install for FiT purposes, the existing capacity continuing to attract the existing tariff, with the expansion attracting whatever tariff which would be applicable at the time of installation, which in this case would mean two sub 4kWp FiT installations ......

HTH
Z

mpn226

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

As I understand the process ....

If you extend your system within the first 12 months this would be the case, but as the OP has a system over 12 months old any expansion will be classified as a separate install for FiT purposes, the existing capacity continuing to attract the existing tariff, with the expansion attracting whatever tariff which would be applicable at the time of installation, which in this case would mean two sub 4kWp FiT installations ......

HTH
Z

hi many thanks for info, did not know this, will do futher investigations, was basing my projected figures on moving to lower FiT of 37.8p cheers fred:T

Doc_N

That's very interesting.

So if I were to add another system to my roof (the first one's nearly a year old) before April 2012 I could potentially get another 43.3p per kWh produced?

Must look into that - there's still a fair amount of free roof space.

albyota

zorber wrote: »

Just had my quote come through

They have also stated that i will need

Upgrade/install Main Equipotential bonding to 10mm2 (gas and water as Applicable) at a cost of £160.

Now my point is as my house is 10 years old why does it need this upgrade, if this upgrade is really needed then it would be needed by most installs, so why is it not part of the package price already.

It just smells like a con!!

Mmm, according to the NICEIC a PV system is deemed outside of the equipotential zone for earthing purposes, as long as the panels, cables, connectors are class 2 double insulated and the inverter is fitted with an isolating transformer, even my transformerless inverter SMA 3000TL does not require that the panels need earthing, and the whole system was checked by an NICEIC MCS inspector......I think you should have a word with them and ask for confirmation as to why they think your earthing needs upgrading.....especially on a 10 yr old house which, should have a 16mm main CPC and 10mm gas/water bond anyway.

good luck

slammeddeluxe_2

Hello people - I thought I would just give you some figures from our recently fitted PV system. It was fitted on the 1st July 2011. It is a 4 kwh system.

Here are our readings up till the 24th July 2011- this is for 24 days

Meter reading at the 1st July 22793 - meter reading as at 24th July 22909

Amount generated from PV = 351KWH

My question is this - I know we get paid 43.3pence per KWH for what we generate and dont use. BUT - does anyone know how you work out (on the above figures) what we 'save' on what we have used ?

Many thanks - Paul

p.s. - Our system cost £10200 and uses canadian solar new PV panels

Dave_Fowler

slammeddeluxe wrote: »

Hello people - I thought I would just give you some figures from our recently fitted PV system. It was fitted on the 1st July 2011. It is a 4 kwh system.

Here are our readings up till the 24th July 2011- this is for 24 days

Meter reading at the 1st July 22793 - meter reading as at 24th July 22909

Amount generated from PV = 351KWH

My question is this - I know we get paid 43.3pence per KWH for what we generate and dont use. BUT - does anyone know how you work out (on the above figures) what we 'save' on what we have used ?

Many thanks - Paul

p.s. - Our system cost £10200 and uses canadian solar new PV panels

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the forum.

The FITs system works for most people like this:

Since April this year you get paid 43.3p per kWh generated whether or not you use it in your house. You get a further 3.1p per kWh you export. Most people don't have an export meter, so the energy company consider that you have used 50% of the total generated. At this time of the year it is highly unlikely you will use 50% of the generated power, but during the winter you are likely to use a much higher percentage. Most people have a 'base-line' consumption of around 300 - 500W which makes up most of the power you use during the day and will give you a good guide-line as to what you have saved.

There are quite a few 'energy monitors' which you can purchase for around £20 - some power companies give them away for free - and you can clip these to your electric meter to give you an idea of the amount of power you are using in the house.

Dave F

slammeddeluxe_2

Hi Dave F - thanks for the info - one quick question ?

How do I know what I have exported ? Is it as simple as generated say 250KWH minus 100KWH used = 150KWH exported ?

Or is it not that simple ?

Or meter is about 2 years old and is the digital type

thanks

Paul

Cardew

slammeddeluxe wrote: »

Hi Dave F - thanks for the info - one quick question ?

How do I know what I have exported ? Is it as simple as generated say 250KWH minus 100KWH used = 150KWH exported ?

Or is it not that simple ?

Or meter is about 2 years old and is the digital type

thanks

Paul

Yes you are correct in the example you give. However the difficulty is you have no way of knowing how much you have used in your house. i.e. the 100kWh

So for the 'equation' you gave you have to measure how much you have exported, and that can only be achieved by an additional meter actually measuring the amount you export.

slammeddeluxe_2

Hi Cardew - here is my earlier quote....below...so I should be able to work this out ? ....

22909 minus 22793 = 116 KWH used
351KWH generated
351 minus 116 = 235KWH exported ?

So 43.3p x 351 = £151.98 plus 235x3.1p for exported £7.28 = £159.26 ? For exported plus generated ? Is this correct ?


thanks

Paul

slammeddeluxe wrote: »

Hello people - I thought I would just give you some figures from our recently fitted PV system. It was fitted on the 1st July 2011. It is a 4 kwh system.

Here are our readings up till the 24th July 2011- this is for 24 days

Meter reading at the 1st July 22793 - meter reading as at 24th July 22909

Amount generated from PV = 351KWH

My question is this - I know we get paid 43.3pence per KWH for what we generate and dont use. BUT - does anyone know how you work out (on the above figures) what we 'save' on what we have used ?

Many thanks - Paul

p.s. - Our system cost £10200 and uses canadian solar new PV panels

KevinG

slammeddeluxe wrote: »

Hi Cardew - here is my earlier quote....below...so I should be able to work this out ? ....

22909 minus 22793 = 116 KWH used
351KWH generated
351 minus 116 = 235KWH exported ?

So 43.3p x 351 = £151.98 plus 235x3.1p for exported £7.28 = £159.26 ? For exported plus generated ? Is this correct ?


thanks

Paul

No. You cannot work out how much you have exported by looking at your consumption meter. As Dave F and Cardew explained, unless you have a separate export meter, it is assumed that you have exported 50% of all you have generated, in your case 175.5kWh. If the 50% figure is roughly correct, this means that you have also saved paying for 175.5kWh of electricity by using half of what you have generated. If you have a separate export meter, then the export tariff is paid based on this reading and, similarly, you can work out how much generated electricity you have used by subtracting the amount exported from the amount generated.