Free solar panels - decrease property value?

Yorkie1

What happens to the maintenance if the company goes bust during the period? Is it insurance backed guarantee?

Sugared-frog

What size system have they said they could fit on your roof, and is it south facing, and with nothing over-shadowing it (trees, chimney, poles). The amount of electricity generated on any day will vary by upto 10 times between a sunny day and a dull wet one.

prudryden

There was an article in a recent Which Mag about solar panels. Not a particularly good recommendation for free solar panels.

grizzly1911

If you can afford to buy them outright and plan to stay there for 15+ years then yes.

Free install as you mention - no.

Borrow the money commercially -no.

You don't say how big your roof is and what wattage they predict you will generate.

Where do you live in the country - roughly. Is the back of you house South facing or is it east/West facing too? What variables have they factored in or discussed based on less productivity? have you checked their assumptions on average sunlight hours.

The figures I have looked at just don't look right and from the advice I have been given by a relative looking to get into this game and who has done the industry training courses. There was an offical down grade on the average saving to around the £70 pa for the free installs.

I wouldn't want a house with them on and as another poster said what will be available 10 years down the line?

If they were being installed in all new builds under building regulations then I think there would be more buy in.

It doesn't help that some of these schemes are being sold in the old "Double Glazing" fashion must do the deal to day or lose your chance.

Lokolo

G_M wrote: »

Maybe I misunderstood when I looked into it. I thought you got your units free if generated by your panels during the day, any excess generated resulted in the FIT which went to the installer, and you bought any additional units you needed in the normal way.

Ah I see, then yes, in that case it would be a definite no for most I would imagine given a lot of people work during the day.

Toby1990

They do not return there money, dont buy them. We worked it out it would take about 30 years to pay them back, and thats if they don't drop the feed tarrif which they will. If you move into a house with solar (eletrci) pretty sure you don't get the tariff, could be wrong.

Solar thermal and air source heat pumps are the only ones worth considering.

Lokolo

Toby1990 wrote: »

They do not return there money, dont buy them. We worked it out it would take about 30 years to pay them back, and thats if they don't drop the feed tarrif which they will. If you move into a house with solar (eletrci) pretty sure you don't get the tariff, could be wrong.

Solar thermal and air source heat pumps are the only ones worth considering.

Bit of a bold statement! There's no indication that they will, and with carbon targets to achieve....

jimjames

poppysarah wrote: »

If you are at home during the time and can max out your usage to the max output of your system then you will save about 160£ of elec a year approx. (I think thats what the stats I've seen recently said)
So over 20 years its about 3200 ..

That's true at current prices but assumes that electricity will remain at current rates for 25 years. This year alone prices have risen by up to 20%.

I think if you can't afford the money outright then it is worth doing but bear in mind the negatives. When you sell the buyer will not get the FITs but will get free electricity during the day.

jimjames

Lokolo wrote: »

Bit of a bold statement! There's no indication that they will, and with carbon targets to achieve....

My understanding is that the govt have guaranteed they will be paid for 25 years, who knows what might happen after that. I guess it depends how little you trust the govt promises:)

Toby1990

They have said about green initiatives, basically paying out for people getting renewable energies. But since they said it, nothing has came out about it, prtobably due to cut backs. No one buys the stuff apart from electric panels, untill the goverment releases it no one will buy green energies, if it comes out you could save £800 a year with solar thermal, it's costs about £4k to fit, but people still think electrics better.

We are near the bottom in Europe for renewables. When I'm in Austria some times, there are solar thermal panels everywhere! Goverment can't be that bothered about being green if we're behind most of Europe.

They will lower them, my brothers really into it and he always goes on about how much of con they are. I'll ask him to see if they are lowering the feed tariff.