Is it still worth getting free Solar Panels fitted?

thor

A few of years ago before the FITS subsidy was cut I contacted a couple of companies to see if I could get solar panels fitted. I gave them my postcode via their websites so they could make their checks. Unfortunately they concluded my roof was not south facing enough so I thought fair enough and thought no more of it.
Today I had a visit from a rep from a company called ashadgreener who are offering to install panels as my roof is within 55 degrees of south. She claimed that they have customers who have saved up to 50% on their electricity bills(the company leaflets actually only say about 37%).
Now I know that the subsidy is not as generous as it initially was so I am wondering how are these companies still making money? Have solar panels become more efficient so they can generate the 3750Kwh per annum that she also claimed?
I'm not buying the panels like I intially intended years ago so can anyone see the downside of giving them the go ahead? The only thing I can think of is their appearance but that does not bother me one bit.

Andy_WSM

The cost of the panels and the inverters to connect them to the National Grid has come down meaning the lower FIT payments still return a profit after 8 years or so and certainly double their money over the 20 year life of the current FIT scheme.

You will save more if you work at home or do not go to work during the day and some simple lifestyle / behavior changes can take those savings further (washing machine during day, dishwasher during day, ironing etc - heavy electrical load activities).

Downside - I assume you own your home as you will be signing away the roof for 20 years. If you try to sell your home it may make it difficult (or expensive) to do so as the potential purchasers may not want solar on their roof.

Cardew

The biggest downside is that you grant a company a 25(20?) year lease on your house that is binding on any new owner should you sell. That alone will put some people off buying.

A Shade Greener - who by all accounts are one of the biggest and firms in this field - are confident that the terms their lease is acceptable to Mortgage companies.

Talk of savings of 50%* off electricity bills is plain misleading. Of course it is achievable if you start with tiny consumption. The only measure is how many £££s you save off your bill, and owners talk about £50 to £100 pa.

Is it worth it? You decide?

Plenty of threads on this in the 'Green and Ethical Moneysaving' forum on MSE

sheffield_lad

I think they offer great value for money provided you never want to buy any for your home.

Selling your property should offer no issues, if I had them on the roof I am sure I could persuade buyers on the virtues of having them. It may put some off even viewing but that would be a small % of folk.

savings wise 50% is high, most estimates I get is around 1/3rd saved circa £200 as Cardew said plenty of threads but be careful when folk tell you you can't get mortgages etc if you ask the poster if they know first hand the answer is often no but I know of someone else. For me it's an urban myth I know of no decent bank/bs who won't offer a mortgage on rent a roof schemes and ASG are the best of the bunch.

GL

thor

So I just need to worry about how the panels are seen by potential buyers. In that case I have no worried as I do not intend to sell either in the short or long term.
Would I be correct in assuming that the power generated is proportional the amount my roof is aligned with due south? If so then I'm guessing that ashadegreener have budgeted 55 degrees as being the minimal angle that could return a profit for them from my latitude.
I'm going to be given a survey date for around August but the rep did say that my roof's size was borderline too small so I might not get them anyway.

Cardew

sheffield_lad wrote: »

I think they offer great value for money provided you never want to buy any for your home.

Selling your property should offer no issues, if I had them on the roof I am sure I could persuade buyers on the virtues of having them. It may put some off even viewing but that would be a small % of folk.

savings wise 50% is high, most estimates I get is around 1/3rd saved circa £200 as Cardew said plenty of threads but be careful when folk tell you you can't get mortgages etc if you ask the poster if they know first hand the answer is often no but I know of someone else. For me it's an urban myth I know of no decent bank/bs who won't offer a mortgage on rent a roof schemes and ASG are the best of the bunch.

GL

We have this discussion many times.

Why do you get estimates from owners?

I don't know of any owner of PV panels(i.e. get the FIT themselves) who claim to get anything like £200 pa off their bill.

There are many real enthusiastic owners on the 'Green and Ethical moneysaving' forum of MSE. Ask their views and it seems that £80 to £100pa is their best guess - and they work at maximising savings. I believe Which quoted £70pa.

The problem, as always, is many people feel a need to justify any decision and are totally unobjective about savings.

Read in the motoring forums about people conned into buying magnets to strap on the fuel lines of their car to increase MPG and their claims of savings are just unbelievable.

Similarly plug in devices to reduce electrity consumption(power factor correction) produce unbelievable claims.(they save nothing)