Solar PV returns in Scotland

Martyn1981

counting_down_the_days... wrote: »

I didn't want to bother you, but as you've requested twice, I think you did genuinely mean it! I'll pm you my postcode. I've tried to click on the link but it isn't bringing up the page? Thank you so much

No probs, numbers done, and PM sent. Total of 3,460 is extremely close to the numbers that people suggested. Talk about teamwork!

Mart.

counting_down_the_days...

Mart you are a star! :beer:

Thanks again for all the info.

We've had 3 quotes which have all come in within £300 of each other.

The quote we're going for has given us a choice of two panels - Jinko JKM250P-60 and Canadian Solar & they are using Fronius IGTL 3.6 inverter.

I googled the panel types but didn't think about the inverter type!

One quote doesn't say what panels or inverter they were going to install and the other one says Samil 4000 TL inverter & Canadian Panels.

And yes, I hope both of my children turn out very money savvy! I've certainly been instilling it from an early age!

Thank you

Martyn1981

counting_down_the_days... wrote: »

The quote we're going for has given us a choice of two panels - Jinko JKM250P-60 and Canadian Solar & they are using Fronius IGTL 3.6 inverter.

I googled the panel types but didn't think about the inverter type!

Thank you

Evening, something I've said before a few times, is that in 10 years or so, we'll all be able to give great advice on what panels and inverters we should have got. Till then ....

Lots of folks on here have Fronius', here's the 3.6TL datasheet:

http://www.fronius.com/cps/rde/xchg/SID-73BF4828-4B946634/fronius_international/hs.xsl/83_16684_ENG_HTML.htm

97.2% Euro efficiency is very good, and although it's called a 3.6, its max is actually 3,680W, so right up at the DNO max anyway. Cool.

So just the eco loan, and an install date to go?

Mart.

jennifernil

We installed October 2011, so paid more, but get the highest FIT payment. We are just north of Glasgow and 10 degrees west of south.

We have 16 Sanyo 250 panels and a Fronius inverter. We purchased a 20 year warranty on the inverter for an additional £250.

Would recommend our installer if anyone is looking to find someone. Everything completed very efficiently within one day.

Our inverter is in a cupboard on the ground floor, we have provided ventilation in the cupboard. Our loft is way too hot in the summer for an inverter.

A cupboard location also means it is easy to check it and read the meter. OH records the production every day when we are at home.

In our first year we exceeded the forecasts, so are well pleased.

We have set up a spreadsheet to record the FIT payments and work out how we are doing.

As we took the money from savings, we are working out, with 3.5% interest, the lost interest and replacement of capital, and at that rate, project that we will break even in 8 years, excluding the savings on our electricity bill.

If interest rates shoot up, we will of course have to recalculate!

mpn226

counting_down_the_days... wrote: »

Mart you are a star! :beer:

Thanks again for all the info.

We've had 3 quotes which have all come in within £300 of each other.

The quote we're going for has given us a choice of two panels - Jinko JKM250P-60 and Canadian Solar & they are using Fronius IGTL 3.6 inverter.

I googled the panel types but didn't think about the inverter type!

One quote doesn't say what panels or inverter they were going to install and the other one says Samil 4000 TL inverter & Canadian Panels.

And yes, I hope both of my children turn out very money savvy! I've certainly been instilling it from an early age!

Thank you

hi i live nw of inverness and have 2 pv systems 1st installed in august 2010 with the second in oct 11 have had NO problems with either, generating figures are above pvigs for my location, if you want ANY more info more than willing to assist just PM me all the best

counting_down_the_days...

Just a thought... this morning the panels round from us were covered in snow, but it was a lovely bright morning, (and we were getting lots of sun through the back upstairs windows!) do you have to wait for the snow to melt to start generating electricity? Sorry, if this is a really stupid question

EricMears

counting_down_the_days... wrote: »

Just a thought... this morning the panels round from us were covered in snow, but it was a lovely bright morning, (and we were getting lots of sun through the back upstairs windows!) do you have to wait for the snow to melt to start generating electricity? Sorry, if this is a really stupid question

Some light might filter through a thin covering of snow - but nothing like your 'full entitlement'. An inch or more of snow would be getting equivalent to laying a tarpaulin over the roof !

Partial melting might not be a big help either. If all your panels are wired in series in a single string, obscuring just one of them would effectively switch all the rest off. OTOH if you have more than one string (or even the fancy system of a separate inverter for each panel) a few obscured panels wouldn't be quite the same order of disaster.

The 'good news' is that as the snow starts to melt, the panels absorbing sunshine & hence heating up will accelerate the process.

loskie

The snow slips off pretty quick. I also think that the action of the snow sliding off would have a beneficial cleaning effect on the panels, look at a dirty car when the snow falls off it does become cleaner,

EricMears

loskie wrote: »

The snow slips off pretty quick. I also think that the action of the snow sliding off would have a beneficial cleaning effect on the panels, look at a dirty car when the snow falls off it does become cleaner,

Wouldn't be a problem with clean snow & panels but if the sliding snow rubbed grit into panels it wouldn't do them a lot of good !

loskie

I don't think they scratch that easily.