Please help a solar idiot :)

Uk1982

Hi everyone,
My partner and I moved into a newbuild 3 years ago. It came with solar panels and we were given the paperwork to say they belong to us etc.
What with decorating and wedding planning we STUPIDLY didn't register for the FIT and now British Gas have informed us we are too late.
So, we can't get the FIT. But I assume we can at least use the electricity they generate. Perhaps we already are? How would we know if we're using the power from the panels? Also, do you have to use it as it's generated or does it store it (I.e. if it's a sunny day should I get the washing machine on so as to use the solar energy, rather than waiting until I'm home from work and it's getting dark?). As you can see, we are idiots at solar panels . Thanks for listening!

silverwhistle

They'll be one of the experts along soon, but you should have a meter recording your production, so start by finding that. Continue to take reading every night after it goes dark and you'll see what you are generating, at least on a daily basis. The speed of the flashing red light on that meter will also relate to what is being produced.

You really should have a monitor to know what you're producing and using, but maybe the builder was cost cutting and slapdash in that too. From what I've seen of new builds they put a few token panels on, so I hope you've got more than average. Those of us retro-fitting tend to put as much on as possible given the fixed costs (scaffolding, wiring, inverter).

What are your leccy bills like?

ajbell

Im afraid not registering was an incredibly expensive mistake.
You will have a generation meter somewhere in your house or garage.
If the panels are generating and you are using electricity then it will always use generated power first before taking from the grid.
It is not stored.
If you are generating 1kw but using 2kw then it will only take 1kw from the grid.
Anything you don't use will go back to the grid.

zeupater

Uk1982 wrote: »

Hi everyone,
My partner and I moved into a newbuild 3 years ago. It came with solar panels and we were given the paperwork to say they belong to us etc.
What with decorating and wedding planning we STUPIDLY didn't register for the FIT and now British Gas have informed us we are too late.
So, we can't get the FIT. But I assume we can at least use the electricity they generate. Perhaps we already are? How would we know if we're using the power from the panels? Also, do you have to use it as it's generated or does it store it (I.e. if it's a sunny day should I get the washing machine on so as to use the solar energy, rather than waiting until I'm home from work and it's getting dark?). As you can see, we are idiots at solar panels . Thanks for listening!

Hi

Silverwhistle has a point on the size of some new-build systems - I've recently seen a development with between 1 & 4 roof integrated panels depending on the property size, possibly just a token effort towards increasing the EPC ... ajbell also has a point about not dealing with the issue promptly possibly being a costly mistake ... but ....

..... that's assuming that the developer used an MCS certified installer in the first place & didn't take the cheaper option and had the systems installed and commissioned in bulk by qualified sub-contracting electricians and then had the entire development signed off by the DNO & building compliance in the normal way, in which case although the installation is owned, it would never have been eligible for FiTs .... You should check whether the panels were actually MCS registered by looking for the certificate ...

... There's always the (very small) possibility that the developer pre-registered for MCS & FiTs on the customer's behalf and the system entry on the central FiTs register simply needs to be transferred to the new house owner and FiT scheme partner... it's unlikely, but worth checking the paperwork.

If there's a MCS certificate then there's a MCS number which can be checked against the register ....

Information on the MCS scheme & links ... here

HTH
Z

Uk1982

Hi everyone, thanks for your help. We have the mcs certificate and the all the relevant paperwork, we just didn't register them. It seems so unfair as we genuinely didn't know about FITs, even less so about a deadline otherwise we'd have registered them. Ah well, need to chalk it up to experience i guess. I'll have a look for the generation meter when I get home this evening. Thanks again.