Solar panels - Deborah Meaden

westy22

Forget solar, I think I'll just connect my house up to this thread - should be enough hot air to heat my water for weeks!

greenman2

alun4 wrote: »

To me they are very unsightly and I wonder if they would put someone off buying the house (so a possible reduction in value?)

I would think that the frightening pace in the rise of the cost of living, especially energy, would make solar panels/energy a big selling point...together with our lovely island getting warmer and warmer if all the stats are to be believed...
I think the way 4 of the dragons were so keen to invest, and started fighting amongst themselves, shows that these shrewd investors also know that it has huge potential.

edinburgher

together with our lovely island getting warmer and warmer if all the stats are to be believed...

But global warming has nothing to do with increased amounts (or intensity) of sunlight, so is completely unrelated to do with whether or not solar panels are a good idea :rotfl:

lanstrom

So what-ever happened to this invention anyway ? ...

Solar energy technology is enjoying its day in the sun with the advent of innovations from flexible photovoltaic (PV) materials to thermal power plants that concentrate the sun's heat to drive turbines. But even the best system converts only about 30 percent of received solar energy into electricity—making solar more expensive than burning coal or oil. That will change if Lonnie Johnson's invention works. The Atlanta-based independent inventor of the Super Soaker squirt gun (a true technological milestone) says he can achieve a conversion efficiency rate that tops 60 percent with a new solid-state heat engine. It represents a breakthrough new way to turn heat into power.

Read more: Super Soaker Inventor Aims to Cut Solar Costs in Half - Popular Mechanics

anselld

jennifernil wrote: »

We are in Glasgow.

Bear in mind that despite being S facing your yeild will be reduced by being (a) further north and (b) in a wetter part of the Country.

So any predictions you get with quotes might be optimistic as they are usually based on a standard UK average.

You can calculate your own local yeild forecast here ...
http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis/apps4/pvest.php?lang=en&map=europe

John_Pierpoint

What was the name of company of the ex body builder who caught the eye of Deborah Meaden?

They might find the market is getting increasingly competitive;
the "Tesco - Mark group" joint venture is going to take some beating. I can see the price of panels and inverters being driven down by that purchasing power.

Now that the initial "gold rush" has been going for nearly 18 months Tesco are discounting by 10%

anselld

soozy wrote: »

I'd rather leave my money in savings & lock it into long term fixed rate ISA.
£12,000 in 5 year fixed rate cash ISA paying 5% interest returns £15,315 after 5 years. If I can keep this rate going the Motley Fool compound interest calculator shows a return of £40,636 after 25 years!
Plus I'll be able to move house without leaving my investment behind.

Total returns from that size solar should exceed that over 25y depending what assumptions you make on future RPI and energy prices.

However it is not a fair comparison. In the ISA scenario your money remains in the bank until the end of the £25y, whereas solar provides both an income and cost saving through its entire life.

The correct investment calculation would be to calculate IRR over 25 years which would be more like ..
ISA 5%
Solar 15%
(on a like for like basis including return of capital sum)

This still depends on what assumptions you make on future RPI (because FITS are RPI linked) and energy savings (because you save energy costs through life).

In the long term it is a *far* better investment than ISA; the one unavoidable drawback is you can't cash it in.

almondsalty

darkpool wrote: »

going slightly off topic

!!!!!!! deborah has her own website dedicated to herself! how much of an ego must you have to do that.

anyone else think that new dragon looks like a man in drag?

Yes but she's absolutely hilarious and great TV . That's why she's there.

Although Hilary and Deborah combined are not good eye candy, they are like super sour candy.

greenman2

edinburgher wrote: »

But global warming has nothing to do with increased amounts (or intensity) of sunlight, so is completely unrelated to do with whether or not solar panels are a good idea :rotfl:

Point taken!

John_Pierpoint

anselld wrote: »

Total returns from that size solar should exceed that over 25y depending what assumptions you make on future RPI and energy prices.

However it is not a fair comparison. In the ISA scenario your money remains in the bank until the end of the £25y, whereas solar provides both an income and cost saving through its entire life.

The correct investment calculation would be to calculate IRR over 25 years which would be more like ..
ISA 5%
Solar 15%
(on a like for like basis including return of capital sum)

This still depends on what assumptions you make on future RPI (because FITS are RPI linked) and energy savings (because you save energy costs through life).

In the long term it is a *far* better investment than ISA; the one unavoidable drawback is you can't cash it in.

Yes you are buying an annuity - a pension for a life of 25 years - or owning a gold mine where the ore will run out in about a quarter of a century.
BUT you must be clear about your assumptions.
You don't have to be an expert on discounted cash flow as most pocket calculators will allow you to put in a guestimated percentage (ie 0.10 = 10%) and then just press the multiply or equals key 25 times to see what happens!
For what it is worth, I've done my calculations on the assumption that general inflation (devaluation) of Sterling will be 4% and the electricity price increase will average 8%; partly because there are "compulsory unmitigated payments" (that is a posh way of saying tax) built into future energy bills, to pay for all these carbon saving schemes.
By the end of 25 years the panels are starting to look like a rational investment, without the FiT.

But who knows? I can remember my mum and dad getting excited in the 1950's, about how "electricity would be too cheap to meter"; as they swallowed the public relations BS put out by the bomb factories.