Renewables: "talking 'bout my generation"

sly_dog_jonah

I see lots of people comparing the FiT income (and electric savings) with what they would have earned on the cash in an ISA. That's all very well, but unlike an ISA you won't be able to get access to the capital again unless you sell your house and achieve a better sale price to account for the PV array.

It's probably more sensible (without getting into more complicated calculations about rate of return and payback period, which have to make assumptions about inflation and interest rates) to consider the first £2.50* of your fit income each day as rebuilding your capital investment, and any excess income as being your 'interest' you could have earned in an ISA.

On that basis some quick calculations suggest that since our PV was installed in late October we've earned around 4% 'interest' so far in the 9 or so months since installation (with nearly 3 months still to go) and recouped around 7% of the capital.

*which over 10 years would add up to £9125 (you can adjust for your desired 'payback' time and initial cost). Beyond 10 years of course then all the income is 'interest', assuming you haven't sold up or popped your proverbial clogs.

xcntalien

Martyn - yes that was our [STRIKE]install [/STRIKE]investment cost.

Thanks for the comments - I imagine each micro generator views his/her system as a financial instrument and the easiest reference is an ISA. I'm glad I can get the big picture in threads such as this. I've learned a lot in here!

I'm happy with the FiT vs ISA tests and the additional bits'n'bobs like the energy savings and if it's on the roof then its not a liquid asset like cash etc...

I was just surprised at the "golden number" aspect of whatever I generate equals the equivalent AER % rate of the daily FIT income as a return on our investment/installation cost.

Next on my agenda is finishing the FiT registration with BG and some research into what's better than npowers Go Save S which I revert to in 4 weeks time. I bet there's a thread on MSE for that...

Stuart.

John_Pierpoint

xcntalien wrote: »

Next on my agenda is some research into what's better than npowers Go Save S which I revert to in 4 weeks time. I bet there's a thread on MSE for that...

Stuart.

"Great minds think alike ............"?
I too have to renegotiate the Npower contract at the end of July.
Does anyone have experience of the "deferred rebate" that should be payable at the end of an annual contract?
Timing my exit (if required) could be difficult and the decision is further complicated by my use of Economy7 at night and the installation of PV panels.

mpn226

Hi all, just done my June figures, generated 271Kw and 438Kw and exported 565Kw all figures are down on May.


2.35kw system with ying li panels and sunny boy inverter and 3.75kw with same panels and fronius inverter.

Oscargrouch

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

I see lots of people comparing the FiT income (and electric savings) with what they would have earned on the cash in an ISA. That's all very well, but unlike an ISA you won't be able to get access to the capital again unless you sell your house and achieve a better sale price to account for the PV array.

My theory exactly. The way I look at the whole deal is: I expect to get my investment back in 6.5 years, probably less. If I hadn't put that money on my roof, I would have spent it on Holidays:j; money gone. The income from the FIT pays for 50% of the holidays for the next 6.5 years; following on, the rest is pure interest, happy days.:beer: If I should sell my house, I would increase the asking price pro-rata to take account for - saving on power, cost of installation of panels and a fair % of expected return over what's left of the 25 years contract.

Back to the thread: 10.8kWh today and, 4kWh over PVGIS with one day to go.....:T:rotfl:

shafeeq

HI

9.2kw for me

Shafeeq

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

I need to generate only(!) 111KWh today to reach my PVGIS estimate for June. You win some, you lose some.

Oscargrouch

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

I need to generate only(!) 111KWh today to reach my PVGIS estimate for June. You win some, you lose some.

Good Luck !:rotfl:

EricMears

15.46 kWh yesterday making 371 kWh for month.

Just needto generate 61 kWh today to equal pvgis. Beginning to suspect I may not quite get there :sad:

KevinG

Amazingly, I only need just under 13kWh today to hit PVGIS for June, which I'm not going to make as it would match my all-time record, but I'll probably make around 6, so not too far short.