Official MSE Free Solar Panel guide discussion

sianny78

I had free panels fitted by A Shade Greener in March of this year and am really happy with them. We have a good-sized, unshaded, almost perfectly south-facing roof, which has given us 16 panels (I believe it is a 4kWh system).

As I live on a new-build development, we had to get permission from our management company, who wanted to charge us £200 for the privilege. As we wouldn't be benefiting from the FIT, it would take us rather a long time to make this kind of money back in electricity savings. We pointed out to ASG & they offered to cover this charge for us.

The whole process was really easy, and the installation was done in a day. We can't really notice the panels ourselves (bonus that they're on the back of the house). All there is is 1 cable that runs up the side of our house from the electricity meter to the loft, which I don't even notice now.

When we signed the paperwork we were reassured to hear that they will cover the cost of removing the panels I think twice during the course of the lease (25 years) if you need to have work done to your roof. Being a new house I'm hoping that won't be required! Also, they said that when you come to sell, if it is shown that the solar panels are putting people off then they will buy your house off (at the average of 2 valuations) you to allow you to move.

I can't say I've noticed a huge difference in our electricity bills, although our tariff has now changed (I took part in the Big Switch), so that makes things tricky. Also, both my husband & I work full-time so the possibility for savings during the week are limited. However, we have a little one on the way so I'm sure we'll be able to take advantage of it more soon! Besides, I feel good just doing my bit for the environment :-) I don't mind that some company is making money out of the power we produce - they've spent an awful lot of money putting the panels up & we're saving some money, all with no outlay. It's not often you get something for nothing nowadays!

saysummatnice

Been thinking of having panels for a while but felt I was in complete ignorance of what to ask the fitting firm, and what I should consider. I have now bookmarked the MSE advice which is a really good starter - thanks to the team :A:money:
There also seem to be some useful FAQs on the A Shade Greener site, though I would hope other firms provide some too ...

Nikki

We had solar panels fitted 2 months ago on our Bungalow, our roof faces SW, more towards west, almost no shading and we have a 4kw system. Our electric bills are £121 a month. We switched energy supplier 2 weeks before our install. Our first energy bill from them was £26 (4 weeks), we had to have a digital meter installed as the panels sent our old meter spinning backwards - contributing to the low first bill. We had the new meter put in 5 weeks ago and as of Tuesday morning our energy usage was only just over £18 pounds (not including standing charge). So that takes us well over the predicted saving of £125 a year quoted by EST. I know our grid usage will go up as the days draw in, but even in dull weather our immersun has kicked in. Since installation our immersion has been heated entirely buy solar energy, the savings on that are around £40 for 2 months - we thought it was more costly than that to run! Our generation figure to date is 1019kwh, don't know if this is good, bad or average, but we are happy with the performance so far!

DrCazza

Hi, I requested an assessment to see if my new house ( with large roof, south facing) was suitable for panels, the link to the one suggested by MSE asked me to highlight my house on google maps. Unfortunately my house was built in 2007 and still appears as a building site. I did mention in comments that it was visible on street view but was told my roof wasn't suitable. There is no way to appeal this decision. Does anyone know where I can get a company who actually come to view your roof to decide if it is suitable otherwise I am going to find it impossible if companies only make an assessment from information available online. Thanks:)

rogerblack

DrCazza wrote: »

it was visible on street view but was told my roof wasn't suitable. Thanks:)

have you tried phoning them?

Briggs_Family

I am currently otaining quotes for Solar panels for installation on my house roof. I want to gather a few quotes before purchasing to check the market rates. I have been quoted approx £9,000 for a 16 panel (4kilowatt) system by Caymax. Can anyone tell me if this price is about average, high etc? The salesman who came round mentioned there were a number of panel manufactuerers but these vary in quailty and price. I dont have the money outright to purchase the panels and I am trying to weigh up if it is worth getting a low interest bank loan to help fund purchase of the panels. Any thoughts from people who have been in a similar situation would be appreciated.

Thanks

Cardew

Briggs_Family wrote: »

I am currently otaining quotes for Solar panels for installation on my house roof. I want to gather a few quotes before purchasing to check the market rates. I have been quoted approx £9,000 for a 16 panel (4kilowatt) system by Caymax. Can anyone tell me if this price is about average, high etc? The salesman who came round mentioned there were a number of panel manufactuerers but these vary in quailty and price. I dont have the money outright to purchase the panels and I am trying to weigh up if it is worth getting a low interest bank loan to help fund purchase of the panels. Any thoughts from people who have been in a similar situation would be appreciated.

Thanks

Welcome to the forum.

If you post the same question in the Green and Ethical money saving section of MSE you will get lots of advice.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=100

That is where the experts on solar congregate!

However £9,000 is way over the top these days.

cbcdesign

Look online. You can get 16 panel systems for around £5,300 if you just do a bit of research. And for that you get decent German Engineered panels and a reliable Inverter with a ten year warranty fully installed with no hidden costs. £9.000 indeed! Its a rip off.

And another thing for those considering having solar! The south facing roof only nonsense is simply not true. You can have a system installed on a West and East facing roof, split into two sets of panels with a dual feed input inverter and still get between 80 and 85% of the electricity a south facing installation will generate. South facing is ideal but by no means essential.

Further more you get more electricity from the such a system in the morning and evening that the south facing installation will generate. Its a good time to be generating maximum power when people are either getting ready to go to work of have just come home.

This is exactly what I am having installed soon. 8 off 250W panels on the east roof and 8 off 250W panels on the west roof. It will pay for itself in 5-7 years.

For the Lady that asked how Solar works, the solar panels produce DC like you get from a battery. The DC is fed into a device called an inverter that converts the DC to AC which is the same sort of electricity as the AC that your electricity company supplies to your home from the grid, 230V Alternating Current.

The AC from the inverter is synchronised with the AC from the grid and if you use less than your panels are producing, some of the electricity flows out of your house into the grid and is used by other homes and businesses in your area.

Froggit: Yes, it is possible to have panels installed on a south facing wall. They are likely to be more expensive and far fewer companies offer such a system but it is possible to have such a system.

orchid102

A Shade Greener - Tip. Take photos or get scaffolders to take photos before and after installation and be in when scaffolding is erected and dismantled.

We had panels installed in May, all was fine, very quick installation, less than 6 weeks from first inquiry to install. So far I estimate we have saved £76 over the 4 complete months, so not bad.

We have since found that we have a couple of cracked roof tiles on an overhanging area of our garage where the scaffolding rested. Emails and photos have been sent but A Shade Greener will not take responsibility, as we didn't report it straight away - don't spend a lot of time looking at roof tiles! Although the scaffolding rested on the tiles, the fitters walked on the tiles and no-one else has been on them before of since.

In the first instance of contact, I was told that they had the surveyors report and photos to prove that the tiles were broken before installation, I have since emailed and verbally asked for these to be sent to me, a month later they have not arrived, which makes me think they don't exist. But if they do exist, surely the tiles would have needed to be fixed BEFORE the scaffolding was erected!

If you are thinking of going with any company I would suggest you get them to take photos on your own camera before and after any installation takes place, at least then you have your own proof.

Would still think about doing it again, but have learnt a lesson - don't believe everything they say - once they have you, they've got you for 25 years!

Parahandy_2

Hi all,
I'm looking to get solar panels installed, I've had varying quotes and advice that conflict from several installers.
1 can any one recommend a reputable installer in Scotland
2 is micro investor better than a single inverter
3 is it worth presuming the green deal for I stallion as all the installer I've spoke to try and put you off this deal

Thanks