Solar Panel Guide Discussion

jc27

Hi we've just had a solar pv system fitted and I'm curious if anyone has used storage heaters on them?
We're only looking at background heat which could lessen the gas usage of our central heating.:)

Xx

zeupater

jc27 wrote: »

Hi we've just had a solar pv system fitted and I'm curious if anyone has used storage heaters on them?
We're only looking at background heat which could lessen the gas usage of our central heating.:)

Xx

Hi

This gets raised every so often ... last time this was my reply ....

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

Very, very, very optimistic ....

The hardest part of what you would need to do is to stop the storage heater from utilising imported electricity at daytime (expensive) rates when there is not enough sun available to charge the heater .....

Let's assume that this isn't a problem, and to ensure that it isn't let's look at a simple 'off grid' system, without batteries to see how large an array you would need in order to charge 'a couple' of heaters ...

Firstly, let's assume that a full charge of a storage heater requires about 18kWh of electricity to be delivered over a standard 7 hours, so 2 heaters would require 36kWh.

In December, you will be very lucky to generate an average of 0.7kWh/kWp per day, with the majority of this being within the two hours each side of solar noon, so 0.175kW average generation per hour per kWp installed.

We now have a situation where storage heaters which are designed to fully charge over 7 hours cannot reach full charge because the solar array is only delivering power for 4 hours/day, so they would take a couple of days to fully charge ... but let's forget that and carry on ....

Against the 0.175kW/kWp of average production we have a 36kWh requirement over the four hours (if they could fully charge in four hours), which is 9kW ... this would result in a system requirement of around 51.5kWp (9000/175) which would cover around 400sqm, weigh over 5 tonnes and cost well in excess of £150k ......

It's simplistic I know, but the basics are correct without the complexity of describing the issues with trying to achieve this with a grid tied system. I therefore hope this helps to demonstrate that attempting to do this to provide Winter heat (when it's required) is a non-starter.

HTH
Z

HTH
Z

Don_McCarron

Returns are based on a 2.7kW system for £12,000 (£4,444 per kW.)

You can get a 3.84kW system fitted for £7,500. (£1,953 per kW.)

Foxy_Scott

Don_McCarron wrote: »

Returns are based on a 2.7kW system for £12,000 (£4,444 per kW.)

You can get a 3.84kW system fitted for £7,500. (£1,953 per kW.)

Who does a 3.84KW system for £7.5k installed?

zeupater

Don_McCarron wrote: »

Returns are based on a 2.7kW system for £12,000 (£4,444 per kW.)

You can get a 3.84kW system fitted for £7,500. (£1,953 per kW.)

Hi

Welcome to the forum .....

A good price in the UK is likely to be just around £3/Wp installed with some seeming to be offering systems as low as £2.75/Wp, but there's usually a catch involving unstandard wiring/scaffolding or something to push the price up a little.

I've seen a number of sites offering installation kits for the kind of price you mention, but these do not include labour, scaffolding, insurance, overheads and margin for the installer .... are you sure that the price you have seen is fully installed ?

HTH
Z

jc27

Thanks zeupater.

Would those kind of figures make things like panel heaters a 'no go' as well? 

Cardew

jc27 wrote: »

Thanks zeupater.

Would those kind of figures make things like panel heaters a 'no go' as well? 

There really is far too much emphasis on how to use more electricity in the house.

The EST say an average saving is £70 a year. By definition that means a lot will be saving less that £70 as well as those saving more.

In winter, when heating is required, the panel's output is low and unreliable and can be disregarded for heating purposes.

If you use the panel's output for an immersion heater and you have gas or oil, then your savings are at the gas or oil rate, not electricity. Also unless you are sitting by your PV meter all day and switching it on and off as clouds come over, you are likely to be spending extra not saving.

If you are all electric then any saving on the immersion heater is likely to be at the off-peak rate.

Don_McCarron

It's a buyers group. Members get a full 3.84kW installation, fully installed for £7,500. No extras.

Google YSBG.

Don_McCarron

I'm involved by the way, so I know it's kosher.

energysavingexp

Don_McCarron wrote: »

It's a buyers group. Members get a full 3.84kW installation, fully installed for £7,500. No extras.

Google YSBG.

what is the url ?

ysbg does not come up with anything



found it its http://ysbg.co.uk/


dont like the idea of paying all the money upfront with no insurance cover like the REAL scheme.

no mention of scaffolding cost either