Project Solar panels quote.

michael_clifford

Hey im just a guy who's looking at getting the best deal for my family. I'd never really looked into untill about a month ago. Done a bit of research and had a few quotes. Found out quite quickly MCS, FSA and Hies are a must. Without you are taking a big risk. If you do some digging it's all there. Hey i'm open to a better price as long as im getting the same, which i can see on the spec sheets of my quotes. Some people are saying FCA does not mean anything etc. To me it means the banks or HR Treasury are underwriting it. Banks only back what they wont loose on in my eyes. You only have to use the finance for a month.

tunnel

michael_clifford wrote: »

Hi all,
Project Solars panel warranty is 99 years FSA backed. Thats the reason that sold it for me i think.

Are you for real?
Why would you want a warranty for 99 years when you won't be around to claim on it.
Clearly you have made up your mind and are set on paying DOUBLE for the same install as your neighbours would pay if they were to have an install.

Just to clarify, most panels come with a 25 year warranty, most inverters a 10 year warranty(often extendable) and more importantly the FiT is now only payable for 20 yrs.....what are you seeking to achieve with a 99 yr warranty other than plugging the company?

pinnks

The efficiency point is a good one. It took me a while to figure out that efficiency is about the W per area and that most panels are (were when I bought) similar in that regard. Virtually all panels were 250Wp when I bought mine and about the same size, so same efficiency. One or two manufacturers had 300Wp or up to 330Wp but at a significantly higher price.

So, for a 4kWp system you needed 16 x 250Wp panels or 12 x 330Wp, simple as that.

Efficiency does not equal build quality and given that there are no moving parts I guess there is not a massive difference there across the market...

michael_clifford

To be honest most of the so called advise im hearing is just way off. Every company has a 10 year build warranty and not a 25 year. Seems most people think buying cheap and expecting it to be good is the thing. Has no one seen how much most of this stuff fails. It seems most to me most of these companies fail either due to failure of product or there selling it to low and making no money. Just check companies house, there's loads.

tunnel

michael_clifford wrote: »

To be honest most of the so called advise im hearing is just way off..

You really should read more threads on MSE and tell that to the hundreds if not thousands that have heeded that advice and are now happily generating their own leccy at a much lesser install cost to the one which you think is "reasonable".....still....if you think you are getting such a bargain...please continue with the purchase.....it is your money to throw away after all!!

Martyn1981

michael_clifford wrote: »

To be honest most of the so called advise im hearing is just way off. Every company has a 10 year build warranty and not a 25 year. Seems most people think buying cheap and expecting it to be good is the thing. Has no one seen how much most of this stuff fails. It seems most to me most of these companies fail either due to failure of product or there selling it to low and making no money. Just check companies house, there's loads.

TBH, if that's the best price you can find (and be happy with) then as I said earlier, don't get a PV system installed. There is no point in you, or anyone else getting a system from the company at ~£9k as it won't pay back, and it won't further PV in the UK.

The advice on here is to try to help people make the best decision, and if the system is too small, too awkward, too expensive, too limited, then that advice becomes 'don't do it', PV is not for everyone, and nobody on here is promoting PV at any cost, it has to be in line with the UK cost trends and income.

I'd suggest you wait till you find a system for £5-£6k in the future, or not install at all, but please don't waste your money by throwing it away just to increase Project Solar's profits by around £3k per install v's other companies, you're being ripped off.


Lastly regarding 99yr warranties .... why? By the mid to late 2020's we will hopefully see 30% efficient silicon/perovskite PV panels, so as and when panels fail in 30+ years, we'll be able to install twice as much kWp on the same roof area, so will be upgrading, especially since the panels themselves are relatively cheap (about 30% of the install cost) and still falling in value. [Note a 25% price drop is already built in, as and when the MIP (minimum import price) expires].

chamelion

Does anyone have an indication of "solar independence %" for a 4kwp for various size households?

i.e. - in January, less sun, i'm more reliant on the grid, so I'm only 25% independent, versus June / July where I'm 80% independent given how much sunlight there is.

zeupater

chamelion wrote: »

Does anyone have an indication of "solar independence %" for a 4kwp for various size households?

i.e. - in January, less sun, i'm more reliant on the grid, so I'm only 25% independent, versus June / July where I'm 80% independent given how much sunlight there is.

Hi

Have a look at the links below to see if they help with the seasonal figures you're looking for ... between the two you should be able to get a feeling for the "solar independence %" if energy efficiency is increased to a high standard.

Solar PV & Thermal: Seasonal Variability - So what's it like in Winter

Energy Efficient Home: Electricity Jan 2011-Sept 2017

... remember, further benefits from domestic scale microgeneration are just over the horizon at the moment in the form of battery storage, all that's currently needed are better prices ...


HTH
Z

pinnks

Here's my generation v import v usage v diversion for 2016.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jztofjvaqmv6d1f/2016.JPG?dl=0

Yellow = generated
Red = imported
Orange = total house usage (excluding diverted)
Blues = diverted to immersion heater and oil-filled radiators
Green = exported

Orange + Blues - Red = own consumption = 70% overall.

Hope this helps

chamelion

What are people's thoughts on SolarEdge? Must have?

The few folks I've messaged with via PM all swear by it. Benefits i'm hearing are improved efficiency, smart monitoring via solaredge applications, and battery-ready out the box.

accurate?