Solar companies - are they all hopeless?

Vomityspice

After receiving a letter from the Nationwide letting me know my ISA return is about to dwindle to 1% at the end of December, I though it would be an ideal time to install solar panels. However, it is now the problem seems to begin.

1) The first two companies who I contacted and booked appointments with ~(both of which are local) never bothered to turn up.

2) I have another appointment on Saturday (so lets see if they appear!)

Is it really the case that they are so busy that they can ignore potential customers? or is it that the solar energy companies are in are more likely to be poor business people?

It does seem perplexing that I have available money, yet am struggling to find a company to install?

PS: I’m based in Brixworth, Northampton so hardly in the remotest part of Scotland!

Have others experienced this, or am I just unlucky?

rochja

This might be worth a look:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/store/thurrock/solar_panels#

Vomityspice

Looks like my local Ikea (milton Keynes) is having sessions on the 4th December.

I will be booking an appointment at this rate.

DOes anyone know what components Ikea will be installing?

penrhyn

IKEA dont do it Hanergy doooo.

http://www.hanergy.co.uk/hanergy-experience/technology

Martyn1981

Vomityspice wrote: »

Looks like my local Ikea (milton Keynes) is having sessions on the 4th December.

I will be booking an appointment at this rate.

DOes anyone know what components Ikea will be installing?

Hiya, this link shows the kit they use:

http://www.hanergy.co.uk/hanergy-experience/technology

Please note that they use thin-film panels which are lower efficiency (but weigh more). So for any given kWp size you'll need more roof space (and panels, and weight).

May be wrong, but I think there are claims that thin-film may be slightly more efficient at low light levels.

If there are shading issues, you may want to check if they are compatible with micro-inverters/power optimisers as they operate at a much higher voltage than 'normal' panels.

Also:
"With unparalleled performance, SMA are clear leaders in efficiency of >96%. They also have a wider voltage range - allowing system to turn on sooner and stay on longer than other manufacturers."

SMA inverters are great, but efficiency is not 'unparalleled' and other inverters have similar voltage ranges.

Mart.

dreaming

V-S,


I have just sent you a private mail giving the name of the company I used as I am in Northants.


Hope this helps

jimjames

Vomityspice wrote: »

It does seem perplexing that I have available money, yet am struggling to find a company to install?

PS: I’m based in Brixworth, Northampton so hardly in the remotest part of Scotland!

Have others experienced this, or am I just unlucky?

I had mine installed in 2011 right at the peak of the FIT cut announcements but even before that there were a couple of companies that never returned calls or came to visit.

The ones that did were in two camps - the genuine ones that gave reasonable estimates and honest SAP estimates and those that faked figures to make it all seem too good to be true - which it was - and they were far more keen to turn up!

You just need to make sure you find one of the honest ones. Any that try to suggest that gas & electricity will rise by 10% pa for the next 25 years should be avoided at all costs as should those that try to use figures other than SAP - there may be better generation that you actually achieve but far better to estimate low and be pleasantly surprised.

Vomityspice

Ok, third company turned up at the right time!

There appears to be an issue with my roof, as it has a hip. Was told I was limited in size to install panels and it was suggested that I have 12 Sunpower (327w) installed as a remedy.

Will receive the quote via email soon so will be interested to see what they pitch this at...... I did also ask for ImmerSun as we'll so that will add an additional sum....

Dave_16

I contacted 3 companies for a quote for my panels, a shade greener sent me an email saying its not worth it due to scaffolding round my conservatory, one company sent a insulation guy, and then never sent a solar guy after re arranging a visit, the one that fitted my panels was Ecohill from Colchester, they were very good and fitted in the time they said they would.

penrhyn

Share Greener, a rent a roof company are going to cherry pick their sites, with lower fit returns they would go bust other wise. All a bit pointless just to get£50 off your leccy bill.

EricMears

penrhyn wrote: »

Share Greener (sic), a rent a roof company are going to cherry pick their sites, with lower fit returns they would go bust other wise. All a bit pointless just to get£50 off your leccy bill.

Suspect you're referring to the company caller 'A Shade Greener' ?

Of course they're going to pick sites that are clearly profitable in preference to those that will make them less (as long as they are offered enough candidates). Any other business model would be insane.

I completely agree that £50 a year of electricity bills seems derisory. However, there are no doubt plenty of people on low incomes who feel that an extra pound a week is worth the 'sacrifice' that probably won't occur until after they're dead.

And of course with careful management you can make that £1 a week into £2 or even more.