Electricity bill not reduced after solar panels

heldenbrau

After having solar panels installed I was expecting my meter to run backwards. But it doesn't do this. There has been no noticeable difference in the meter reading and my electricity bill has not been reduced at all.

I have been refused a feed in tariff so I'm not getting a feed in tariff and get rejected for the new rate too. But I was told I should be making savings on the electricity and other people have reported that their meter runs backwards. I am just a single person living alone and my house is heated by oil, so my 4kw system should be enough for all of my electricity needs.

I think my meter is reading all the electricity I use including the electricity I generate. Does anyone know how to test this theory and what to do about it.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Certain meters did run backwards but that is 'illegal' and should be reported to the energy supplier.

The effect of solar panels on your electricity bill will not be huge, even with your large system. Provided you are using electricity at the same time as your panels are generating then you should not be importing any electricity. e.g. if your panels are generating, say, 2kW and the house is using, say, 1.5kW then your main electricity meter shouldn't move as the 2kW will cover the house consumption and export 0.5kW. If that situation continued for an hour you would save 1.5kWh(units) - about 18p. About £100 a year would be an average saving.

The experts on solar all contribute in the Green and Ethical section of this forum and they will help with your questions; in particular why you are not getting the feed in tariff(FIT)

Exiled_Tyke

When was this system installed? We are getting to the time of year where the panels don't produce a great deal and so savings less obvious.

Do you make the most matching useage with generation. i.e. using the expensive to run appliances when there is most sun on the panels and avoiding having the high powered appliances on at the same time. So keep the washing machine (early part of the cycle when it's heating up), dishwasher (beginning for water heating and end for drying), electric oven, toaster, iron and kettle on at separate times. Some on these boards like to use a travel kettle as it makes better use of available free electricity but is much slower to boil.

System

heldenbrau wrote: »

After having solar panels installed I was expecting my meter to run backwards. But it doesn't do this. There has been no noticeable difference in the meter reading and my electricity bill has not been reduced at all.

I have been refused a feed in tariff so I'm not getting a feed in tariff and get rejected for the new rate too. But I was told I should be making savings on the electricity and other people have reported that their meter runs backwards. I am just a single person living alone and my house is heated by oil, so my 4kw system should be enough for all of my electricity needs.

I think my meter is reading all the electricity I use including the electricity I generate. Does anyone know how to test this theory and what to do about it.

I struggle to believe that any purchaser of/or seller of PV Solar believes that it is legal to have an import meter that runs backwards. I have to ask about the lack of a feed in tariff which denies you both money for energy generated and energy exported. Why hasn’t the system been properly registered?

I know that this is little comfort but I have a 2.15kWp system that generates about 1950 kWhs/year. Of this, I use about 60% of what my system produces. My PVIS generation target for November is 134kWhs with daily outputs ranging from 0.1kWH to 6KWh. The latter was a blue sky day.

Mnd

My meter did run backwards, eventually I reported this and was asked did I tick the box saying this. I said yes (truthfully) and the power compa just said it was their fault and arranged a new meter.
Why aren't you getting FIT

System

This caught a lot of installers and owners out:

http://www.leeds-solar.co.uk/blog/entry/feed-in-tariff-deadline-mcs-certified-pre-15th-january