Anyone Recommend Solar Installers Nr Newport South Wales ?

nobby1963

Hi Guys,
My brother-in-law is considering getting solar panels.
Anybody out there recommend a competitive company in South Wales - he is in Goytre which is not too far from Newport.
Being down in Devon myself I can't advise him.

Cheers ....Nobby.

nobby1963

Anyone recommend an installer in South Wales full stop then ....?

Martyn1981

Perhaps folk toward Bristol or Gloucester could offer suggestions?

My installer was from Newport, but the company is now deceased. Sorry.

Mart.

nobby1963

Cheers Martyn.

ed110220

Maybe try Solar & Electrics of Worcester (https://www.solarpvworcester.co.uk). I can't vouch for them, but they have some good advertised prices and cover the whole West Midlands, South East Wales, Gloucestershire, Bristol and Somerset areas.

nobby1963

Thanks for the info ed

nobby1963

OK ,
BIL has now got a quote from a Bristol company -Sunlight Future.
They have quoted ( without a visit ) £5525 for a 2.88kW system - 9 Seraphim panels, Solar Edge inverter and 9 power optimisers.

I've told him the price seems too high still but he is keen to get an install before the next FIT reduction and is not finding it easy to get companies to quote ( can't understand that personally).

I don't understand the PVGIS website thing myself - I know I should but I can't get my head around it !

Can one of you clever people do what you do so as I can at least check the forecast production figures given are correct for his location ?

His postcode is NP4 0AL, he told me the panel orientation was South but after looking at Google Earth I think it's more like SSE. He tells me there are no shading issues and his roof pitch is 30 degrees.

Is there any other info needed ?

Thanks in advance and sorry to be a pain.

Nobby.

Martyn1981

Hiya nobby. PVGIS lesson (there is a walkthrough in the FAQs section 5), but here's what I did.

1. Went to the map and clicked the mouse roughly where the postcode finder said.
2. Changed the roof slope from default 35d to 30d.
3. Changed the azimuth default from 0 to -22 (azimuth is point of reference, for PV, that would be the sun, for the northern hemisphere that would be to the south. East = -90, SE = -45, SSE =-22.5).
4. I pressed calculate, and looked at the total in the energy column of 983.
5. I checked everything again as the figure seemed too high!
6. Nope, it really is that good.

So for that location you're looking at approximately 983kWh per kWp. Putting 2.88 in the kWp box at the top, gives a figure of 2,830kWh pa.

Generally generation seems a little higher, and I was told that the default 14% losses figure may be too high now, but I'd suggest leaving it as it is, so any extra is a bonus.

Regarding the FiT degression, I'm with you, it's still a reasonable way away, and a 3.5% cut in the FiT is approximately a 2.5% cut in total income and savings. If your BIL could save 2.5% on the cost (£140) then taking his time is probably better.

Milion dollar question, why 9 panels, is that all the roof space, any other rooves to consider? At 30d pitch you could even ponder the NNW roof, PVGIS has it at 593kWh/kWp, so 60% of the SSE. If the additional costs are 60% (or less) then it does, just about work out!

Mart.

PS Usual disclaimer about Solaredge. The kit is excellent, does exactly what it says on the tin, but if there's no shading, then BIL will have extra kit on the roof, that will require access if any POs fail. So might be better to save the extra cost.

nobby1963

Hi Martyn thanks for the post and info.
The reason for only 9 panels is down to roof size.
It would be in two 'strings ' a five & four.
I can't remember his roof layout as I've only been to his house three or four times and didn't take any notice of it !
I did say about fitting in as many as possible but he seemed confident that was all that would fit on roof faces that would generate anything worth having.
Thanks again
Nobby.