Put your solar panel questions to the Energy Saving Trust

Cardew

jimjames wrote: »

It was more the fact that I understood that everyone had to use SAP calcs to be comparable. Trying to quote a higher output in order to get faster payback seems rather dubious especially when combined with the 15% compounded growth in energy prices. I'm sure it would give a higher output but if a company is trying to get round the rules at the quoting stage what else will they try on later once you order.

The other trick some companies have been known to use is to quote savings for 100% of the generated power being used it the house and price each kWh at a price that includes the Tier 1 prices.

orrery

jimjames wrote: »

2) Low input inverter is needed to get the best output when less sun. 125V is best and others like Sunny Boy have 180V so are not as good. Seems a very unlikely statement when Sunny Boy have such high market share. Any comments?

... and an update on my previous comment: The spec for the Sunny Boy 4000TL shows 125V to 440V, although they do recommend 175 to 440V

bjp11scot

I am interested in purchasing and having panels fitted and still trying to get my head around all the pros and cons

My situation is that I am away from home during winter periods for an average of 4 months each year

Will this situation benefit my net earnings - or otherwise?

HarryInHudds

From what I've read its not the Government that pays the FIT subsidy, but the energy companies, which really means it's paid by everyone else who's not getting the subsidy.

However they still are competing, and presumably will not want FIT customers they have to pay subsidies to.

What's to stop the Energy Companies attracting the non-FIT customers by offering them a new lower tariff, leaving the std rate and FIT customers on a higher rate that floats up to cover the subsidy.
Then the benefit of the subsidy disappears, any advantage being paid by std rate customers too stubborn to change tariff.

or have I missed something?

Cardew

HarryInHudds wrote: »

or have I missed something?

Some small companies don't pay out any FIT.

However all companies pay into a 'kitty' in proportion to their customers/revenue.

So if Company A had twice as much to pay out in FITs as Company B - then Company A would claim twice as much from the kitty.

It doesn't matter how many electricity customers Companies A and B have. In the scenario above it wouldn't matter if Company B had far more customers than Company A.

orrery

bjp11scot wrote: »

I am interested in purchasing and having panels fitted and still trying to get my head around all the pros and cons

My situation is that I am away from home during winter periods for an average of 4 months each year

Will this situation benefit my net earnings - or otherwise?

It sounds good to me - you'll be away and not using power at times when you are generating least and there to use free power when you are generating most!

famous_gino

I live in a block of flats all privately owned.
The building has a flat roof and it is the tallest building in the area, without any shade on the roof. It is unlikely that taller buildings will be constructed in the immediate future near ours so that it will block the sun light to the roof.

There are 70 flats, with two lifts, a water pump, street lighting and internal communal lighting. There is of course individual flats electricity consumption.

Will installing solar panels be beneficial to us as residents?
Is there guidance specifically aimed at our circumstances, i.e. blocks of flats, including maintenance of panels, etc.?

Thank you,

energysavingexp

famous_gino wrote: »

I live in a block of flats all privately owned.
The building has a flat roof and it is the tallest building in the area, without any shade on the roof. It is unlikely that taller buildings will be constructed in the immediate future near ours so that it will block the sun light to the roof.

There are 70 flats, with two lifts, a water pump, street lighting and internal communal lighting. There is of course individual flats electricity consumption.

Will installing solar panels be beneficial to us as residents?
Is there guidance specifically aimed at our circumstances, i.e. blocks of flats, including maintenance of panels, etc.?

Thank you,

if you dont own the roof then you will not be allowed to fit them also a flat roo is no good the panels need to be at a pitch

HalloweenJack

energysavingexp wrote: »

if you dont own the roof then you will not be allowed to fit them also a flat roo is no good the panels need to be at a pitch

which can be put on a frame for use on flat roof.

but as you said , you dont own the roof anyway , the company you pay your ground maintenance does.

famous_gino

energysavingexp wrote: »

if you dont own the roof then you will not be allowed to fit them also a flat roo is no good the panels need to be at a pitch

HalloweenJack wrote: »

which can be put on a frame for use on flat roof.

but as you said , you dont own the roof anyway , the company you pay your ground maintenance does.

Thank you for your answers.
We own the freehold, hence the roof is ours. I agree that frames could be used to install the panels.


All obstacles aside, we need to know if it will be beneficial, whether or not we need planning permission, etc.

Thank you,