Is solar PV worth it?

Martyn1981

EricMears wrote: »

As a government policy, the FIT scheme has been surprisingly effective. Solar Panel installations have soared, the increased demand for them (here and in the other countries offering similar incentives) has resulted in panel prices dropping considerably such that we're only a few years away from not needing to offer new FIT contracts but can still expect solar installations to keep increasing. And all that has been managed without any effect on the government's budget deficit.

This is something that absolutely fascinates me. I don't remember people complaining and campaigning against all the older subsidies, especially nuclear, but then along comes FITs. And more specifically PV FITs.

Nobody, and no leccy company would have voluntarily supported PV when costs where 10 times what they are now, but the results of FITs are astonishing.

Monies go to households rather than large companies,
the technology is cheaper,
it's moved from the back of the field to one of the front runners as being potentially subsidy free,
it allows individuals to invest money in generation capacity, without any financial impact on the supply side,
it generates at point of use with little to no distribution losses,
it uses 'land' that has no alternative use nor value.

If domestic PV becomes unsubsidised, then it will become the poster child of renewables, but weirdly it seems to be singled out as the bad guy. How strange - it's almost as if the successes of the last 5 years are being ignored!

Mart.

The_Green_Man_2

EricMears wrote: »

I'm really not sure what Mr "Green with envy" expects to achieve by his constant whingeing.

How old are we?

Out of interest, what am I 'green with envy about'?

The_Green_Man_2

tunnel wrote: »

I'm all for helping out "poorer" people,but energy saving measures should be available to everyone,not just those that can't afford it.

This is one of the most ludicrous statement I have seen. I think you may need to re-read, perhaps out loud to yourself, to understand just how ridiculous it is.

tunnel wrote: »

In answer to your question,if the levy for FIT was as spgsc531 states at £2 a year in 2011 when i had them installed then yes i would have. If it had been £100's then no.

What if it was an extra £10 per year, £100 or £200? What is the price of your conscience?

EricMears

The_Green_Man wrote: »

Out of interest, what am I 'green with envy about'?

Absolutely no idea - but obviously not 'Green' (i.e. conservationally aware) and unlikely to be a visitor from Mars.

Keep hiding behind the false ID though.

tunnel

Whats so ludicrous?,that i have to pay to be energy efficient but if i'm "poor" i can have it for free. Thats really fair to all.

Your not by any chance in one of these groups are you and are p*ssed that you can't take up such a good offer from the goverment.

People live in flats.

People live in rented accomodation.

People have unsuitable roofs - shading, structure, size, orientation etc etc.

People cannot afford £xthousand as an investment

You seem to me to be more of a green eyed monster than a green man

PS My conscience is clear

The_Green_Man_2

EricMears wrote: »

Absolutely no idea - but obviously not 'Green' (i.e. conservationally aware) and unlikely to be a visitor from Mars.

Keep hiding behind the false ID though.

I'm happy to stack my 'green' credentials against anyone here, though I don't generally go in for these sorts of p*ssing contests. If you think that 'being green' means throwing up a few subsidized PV panels, then I think you are seriously mistaken.

I'm not sure what you are on about with the false ID I'm 'hiding behind'? Are you saying that I have to publish my name and address on this public internet forum?

The_Green_Man_2

tunnel wrote: »

Whats so ludicrous?,that i have to pay to be energy efficient but if i'm "poor" i can have it for free. Thats really fair to all.

If you can't understand what is wrong with your statement:

tunnel wrote: »

I'm all for helping out "poorer" people,but energy saving measures should be available to everyone,not just those that can't afford it.

Then there is nothing much I can do to help you. I will change your statements to see if they give you a clue:

tunnel wrote: »

I'm all for helping out "poorer" people,but energy saving measures should be only be available to those that can afford it.

tunnel wrote: »

I'm all for helping out "poorer" people,but energy saving measures should be available to everyone,not just those that can afford it.

tunnel wrote: »

Your not by any chance in one of these groups are you and are p*ssed that you can't take up such a good offer from the goverment.
You seem to me to be more of a green eyed monster than a green man

PS My conscience is clear

Nope, I'm not from one of those groups. This 'green eyed monster' thing seems to be developing legs, so let's sort that out. Do you guys really believe that if someone objects to PV subsidies (because of the many reasons I have listed several times), it's merely because that person can't benefit himself?

If that's the case then it reveals more about the integrity of you guys than anything else and so perhaps you need to stop judging others by your own shoddy standards. Are you really all so shallow?

tunnel

If i go out to work and earn money and can afford to put panels on,then so what. Anyone can do it,yes anyone,we've all got a brain. Just because i decided to use it doesn't make me a bad person.

Cardew

The_Green_Man wrote: »

I'm not sure what you are on about with the false ID I'm 'hiding behind'? Are you saying that I have to publish my name and address on this public internet forum?

The implication is that you are either Graham or myself, both of whom have tried to talk sense to the vested interests on this forum.

Don't mimd the Guru(Martyn); his lack of any form of logic shines out like a beacon on this section of MSE.

Cardew

tunnel wrote: »

If i go out to work and earn money and can afford to put panels on,then so what. Anyone can do it,yes anyone,we've all got a brain. Just because i decided to use it doesn't make me a bad person.

I don't know 'The Green Man's' views, but I don't think I have read anywhere on this forum a criticism of individuals who have taken advantage of the FIT scheme - not even the Rent-a-Roof firms who are creaming off subsidies from the many thousands of systems - one firm alone has installed over 10,000 systems which brings in an income of many £millions.

My criticism is squarely aimed at the Government for allowing such a stupid scheme.

Also at the ingenuous posters with PV who attempt(and fail) to defend the indefensible.