Renewables: "talking 'bout my generation"

Martyn1981

Well it all happened yesterday. The 23 day run of over-target generation came to an end with gen of 11.9 v's target of 18.

But, that pushed generation for July over the 700kWh mark, a target I jokingly mentioned about a month ago, as being highly unlikely.

Totally insane generation for the month pushing projected annual total up to 104% if the rest of the year is average, from a projected 99.5% at the end of June. Not bad considering my targets are straight off PVGIS climate, with no allowance for shading.

Did anyone see the very small news piece on BBC yesterday morning about PV generation? They did a 2 min interview with a lady who lectures on renewables, in response to PV generating more leccy in July than wind (first time PV has beaten wind).

Question from the news team, 'people must be regretting not installing PV after this recent spell, but with the weather prediction for next week, probably not worth installing now.'

She answered very simply, and clearly, that PV is all about averages, and also said how far it had come in such a short time. She also explained that PV's success was down to weather and climate, with wind doing better at the other end of the year.

Mart.

legoman62

3.34 O's = yesterday. Went to the beach to watch the local air show.
Just before 15.00, sea fog descended and more or less ended the show......and my PV production:(
Should still see new record month today tho:rotfl:

sly_dog_jonah

Friday 19.3kWh, Saturday 8.2kWh (first sub-10kWh since 2nd July and we've already beaten yesterday's performance this morning. 510.1 kWh as of last night for July (against PVGIS Classic target of 417kWh).

As of mid-June we'd earned back 27.55% of our total outlay since installation in October 2011, where the outlay includes: Installation cost, Building Control inspection (£125), Planning Permission (£35 to confirm it wasn't needed), TV Aerial Move (loft to chimney), GEO Solo PV & Immersun. The earnings only take FiT & Export income into consideration, not import savings for electricity (and since Sept 2012, gas). I'll update the stats again at the end of July, but a rough calculation puts the return at 31.5% to last night.

sly_dog_jonah

20.0kWh today, despite belated 'April showers'. That's a bit more like it :beer:

Martyn1981

I think this just about scrapes in as generation(?)

Thought I'd give a little info on my WNW extension as it reached 1yr old today, and is, shall we say, a slightly unusual idea.

2kWp, 8 Jetion 250W black backsheet on black frames.
WNW 290d or +110d from south.
Shaded by a large central chimney to the south, and partially shaded by a small bay window roof, also to the south.

SolarEdge SE2200 inverter and PO's (power optimisers) on each panel to prevent individual panel shading from affecting the rest of the string.

PVGIS climate estimate of 1,359kWh's pa (679kWh's/kWp) before shading losses.

Year one closed at 1,445kWh's or 722.5 Os (kWh/kWp). :T

Install cost was £4,150 and FIT rate was 16.8p (the 4-10kWp rate when tariff was 21p).

This install was always about maximising the potential of our house, not about maximising income - we had a lot of lemons, so I wanted to see just how much lemonade we could make.

I decided a gross return of 4 to 5% would be acceptable, but have seen 6.5% before leccy savings.

Additional leccy savings (over and above original ESE install) are approx 300kWh which equates to about £40, or an additional 1%.

Leccy savings would be higher, if the ESE system didn't exist, but as the WNW came later, I felt it only fair to class it's generation as export, when demand is less than ESE generation.

Would I recommend an install with a 'N' in it to anyone else? Not sure. Enjoyment and environmental grounds yes, but purely financial, it's a close call, especially if done as separate jobs. However, as discussed many times with Roger Black on other threads, I think that this kind of install should be considered if done in addition to a 'S' install smaller than 4kWp, as the lower gen per year should be off-set by the proportionally lower cost of maxing out the kWp whilst the install is taking place.

Regarding SolarEdge and PO's, I couldn't be more pleased, and whilst without an identical, standard single string inverter system for direct comparison, it's hard to draw too many conclusions, I'm still willing to stick my neck out and say that it does what it says on the tin, and turns a shaded roof into a usuable roof. However, I accept that there is the nagging doubt of having 8 extra bits of kit (albeit with 25yr warranties) up on the roof where access is, shall we say, tricky.

I should also give a big thanks to Brad and WPD. They were absolutely brilliant and talked me through the whole procedure of getting approval for 5.9kW of export. I did this after about 6 or 7 installers had all refused to consider the job, as it 'wasn't allowed', 'couldn't be done', 'wouldn't get permission', 'I shouldn't bother trying'. Talk about red rag to a bull! :mad:

Mart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHZJej98_T0

Oscargrouch

5.36 O's today, still looks like a great month todate. Has Shafeeq had an RTA ?..:(

EricMears

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

where the outlay includes: Installation cost, Building Control inspection (£125), Planning Permission (£35 to confirm it wasn't needed), TV Aerial Move (loft to chimney), GEO Solo PV & Immersun.

The £35 for PP sounds a bit of a rip-off ! I simply emailed our planning dept saying that it was my understanding that SPs would be a permitted development and asking them to confirm or deny that. Answer received (also by email) almost immediately and without fee.

Also a bit surprised at a separate fee for building control inspection. Our installer arranged that himself & included it in his quotation.

legoman62

4.15 O's = yesterday:D
New monthly record 515 kWh....and still counting:beer:

EricMears

For one reason or another I've missed posting a few days.

Thursday : 16.1
Friday : 21.5
Saturday : 16.2
Sunday : 16.3

Month to date : 536.434
23% above pvgis forecast for full month and only 5kWh short of last month's total (which was my best month so far). Already generated 3 kWh today so hard to think this month won't become my best ever. :T

Sirlaughalot

Martyn1981 wrote: »

I think this just about scrapes in as generation(?)

Thought I'd give a little info on my WNW extension as it reached 1yr old today, and is, shall we say, a slightly unusual idea.

2kWp, 8 Jetion 250W black backsheet on black frames.
WNW 290d or +110d from south.
Shaded by a large central chimney to the south, and partially shaded by a small bay window roof, also to the south.

SolarEdge SE2200 inverter and PO's (power optimisers) on each panel to prevent individual panel shading from affecting the rest of the string.

PVGIS climate estimate of 1,359kWh's pa (679kWh's/kWp) before shading losses.

Year one closed at 1,445kWh's or 722.5 Os (kWh/kWp). :T

Install cost was £4,150 and FIT rate was 16.8p (the 4-10kWp rate when tariff was 21p).

This install was always about maximising the potential of our house, not about maximising income - we had a lot of lemons, so I wanted to see just how much lemonade we could make.

I decided a gross return of 4 to 5% would be acceptable, but have seen 6.5% before leccy savings.

Additional leccy savings (over and above original ESE install) are approx 300kWh which equates to about £40, or an additional 1%.

Leccy savings would be higher, if the ESE system didn't exist, but as the WNW came later, I felt it only fair to class it's generation as export, when demand is less than ESE generation.

Would I recommend an install with a 'N' in it to anyone else? Not sure. Enjoyment and environmental grounds yes, but purely financial, it's a close call, especially if done as separate jobs. However, as discussed many times with Roger Black on other threads, I think that this kind of install should be considered if done in addition to a 'S' install smaller than 4kWp, as the lower gen per year should be off-set by the proportionally lower cost of maxing out the kWp whilst the install is taking place.

Regarding SolarEdge and PO's, I couldn't be more pleased, and whilst without an identical, standard single string inverter system for direct comparison, it's hard to draw too many conclusions, I'm still willing to stick my neck out and say that it does what it says on the tin, and turns a shaded roof into a usuable roof. However, I accept that there is the nagging doubt of having 8 extra bits of kit (albeit with 25yr warranties) up on the roof where access is, shall we say, tricky.

I should also give a big thanks to Brad and WPD. They were absolutely brilliant and talked me through the whole procedure of getting approval for 5.9kW of export. I did this after about 6 or 7 installers had all refused to consider the job, as it 'wasn't allowed', 'couldn't be done', 'wouldn't get permission', 'I shouldn't bother trying'. Talk about red rag to a bull! :mad:

Mart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHZJej98_T0

Hi Mart,

Those generation figures are very interesting WNW system. You say you may have greater Leccy savings if it was not for the ESE system. Your figures may provide hope for the home owners who will not have panels on the front of their homes at any cost, for some women it`s a big problem. But they may still be able to generate a reasonable return on a rear(unsuitable) roof while still doing their bit for the planet.

Just a thought!

SL