Renewables: "talking 'bout my generation"

Coastalwatch

6.1 O's today.

Merlin139

Cloudy all day bar one brief spell.

2.33 O's

pensionpawn

4.6 O's yesterday.

However, does this O system take account of array orientation? My system is 7.12 kWs, 4 due east, 3.12 due west. Compared to a similar sized south facing array a very good morning / afternoon, with a cloudy few hours across noon can suggest an entirely different efficiency…

Merlin139

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993145#Comment_81993145

No, nor does it take into account where in the country your system is. I'm east of York, someone 200 miles south of me with an identical system would produce more than me.

Its something that was created over 10 years ago by Oscargrouch, to make it easier for people to see what others had produced, rather than the total kWh. Obviously a larger system would produce more kWh's than a smaller system.

I see it as a bit of fun, but if I do happen to be the best on a day I get a big smile knowing I won that day!😆

Martyn1981

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993145#Comment_81993145

Yep. It's simply kWh/kWp, so it takes into account everything that impacts your system, resulting in the generation that day, even I suppose, an inverter failure.

Most of my system is E/W, so I expect to generate less than a better orientated, or located system, as all positives, and negatives of generation will be reflected in the total generation figure, and the O's (kWh/kWp) once calculated.

So systems can be compared on any given day (week, month etc), to see how generation varied. And of course, those with better setups (such as orientation) will be expected to do better on average, though weather will be the main decider over a single/few days.

For me, the main use (aside from chatting with folk on here), is to compare the annual generation of any given location worldwide, by looking at the kWh/kWp pa. For the UK, a rough average for south facing would be 1,000kWh/kWp, which is a handy guide when comparing to say Southern France at ~1,400kWh, S, Spain ~1,600kWh, S. US 1,700kWh, Australia ~1,800kWh (very rough guesses). That in turn can give an insight into the relative economics of PV in other countries, though it's only a start - as many of the better annual locations, also have a far, far lower variance of generation between best and worst month pa, which in turn leans into many other factors, such as storage, heating viability, and the mix of RE needed for that nation/location.

Netexporter

Close but no cigar. 6.82 Os.

Coastalwatch

1.6 O's today. Can I claim a Maiden in reverse!

Edit. On the plus side we passed 75 MWh's generation yesterday some 8 years since installation.

pete-20-11

4.41 Os - exactly the same as yesterday

SuzeQStan

0.01 kWh short of a maiden

pensionpawn

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993473#Comment_81993473

I don't think of E-W as an inferior PV orientation to south, as it widens the generation profile (to cover breakfast and tea with a higher power generation), which in turn lowers the import. The drawback for me is less natural sunlight during the middle of the day, which can actually bring the GCH on in the darker half of the year, compared to south facing.

Out of interest, averaged over the first 10 years since installation, my panels are 880 kWhrs/kW.