New type of solar panels invented?

allisonw

I have just had a phone call from company wanting me to buy solar panels to cut my electricity bill in more than half.

I was asked how much electricity I used in a day and I said 12 kWh.

He said that if I fitted solar panels on my roof they would generate at least 8 kWh of electricity in a day.

I said but my roof doesn't face south, the ridge runs north/south so I get sun on one side of the roof in the morning and sun on the other side in the afternoon. If the sun shines.

And it is shaded for 3 hours around noon by the house next door because it is higher than my house.

He said the panels only needed light, not sunlight, to generate electricity as they are a newer type and they would be fitted on both sides of the roof.

He wants to make an appointment to give me a price and wants to know a convenient time when both of us will be at home.

I said my OH is working a lot of overtime at the moment and I am not sure when he will be home so he is going to phone back.

I should add that I don't have a spare few thousand to buy panels but I suppose they will come up with a finance scheme.

So are there new panels that do not need sunlight to work?


I have half a mind to tell him to come and give me quote but if he will be anything like space kitchens (that was a mistake, luckily I got a phone call and said to him my son had had an accident and had to go, not true, it was a friend wanting to know how it was going) I won't bother.

penrhyn

Do you want solar panels, have you got a spare £10,000 doing nothing?
Remember that FIT payments have recently been halved, and despite what the guy says you only get significant generation when the sun shines.

Whats the name of the company?

Brian99_2

Typical sales talk!!! Panels have gradually improved, but they still need loads of light.

[Deleted User]

Solar panels need bright sunlight... With just daylight on say a cloudy day the ouput will be poor, nowhere near 8kWh. If you are shaded then don't bother unless you can do something about it e.g. trim trees.

Cheers

taxsaver

Any firm that insists on both partners being present is only after one thing... to pressure you into signing up on the day!! Avoid like the plague.

whasup

Alison, this is definitely a load of codswallop. Solar panels need full sunlight. They will register a small amount of energy from reflected light - i.e. reflected from cloud cover and from the bright sky - but that really is a small amount and not enough to be worthwhile. So, yes, they might 'work' in the shade but the amount of energy you will get will be pretty worthless. My advice is cancel and don't take any argument. Just say you've thought it through and you don't want them.

noncom_2

Avoid this company like the plague!!

As an example, I have a 4kWpeak system installed, almost South Facing. Today was a good day, about 5kWh generated. Yesterday: 0.2kWh because it was cloudy all day!!

Of course, this is about the worst time of year for the panels.... being close to the shortest day. In summer, I've seen over 25kWh made in a day.

Last year, we made about 3400 units, so averaging 9-10 per day. That's with fairly significant shading problems, so it's possible to beat this comfortably depending on your location and environment.

But, as for a new type of panel which doesn't need sunlight.... well, solar panels need light and always have. In cloudy conditions they may make something, but nowhere near as much, because it just ain't as bright!