Solar panel quote - thoughts please?

Zarch

Just one thing to note, the DNO application used to be free across the board I believe, you just had to wait a month or so and in many cases permission was granted for a larger inverter than 3.68 if there was capacity in your area.

But something changed lately with Northern Power who wanted to charge my installer £350 for the G59 application. Add this to the £100 or so that a 5.00 inverter would cost over a 3.68 equals £450.

Doing some maths I reckoned that I wouldn't get £450 back over the long term so stuck with 5.1 of panels on a 3680 inverter.

Obviously, it there would have been no application charge, only the £100 uplift i'd have gone 5.00 without doubt.

But something to bear in mind and ask the question.

Bluebell1000

Managed to find the Western Power microgeneration information leaflet, which I'd not spotted last night. Yes, it was confirmed that over 3.68 is the point at which we'd need to inform them. They had a long and complicated list of charges for G59, which I think would mean £150 cost for our system if I've interpreted it correctly.

With the extra inverter cost, and the lower tariff, and missing the inflation uplift in April, I think I'd rather go with the capped inverter! Though if it turns out we can't get install in December, then we may re-think that.

Exiled_Tyke

Bluebell1000 wrote: »

Managed to find the Western Power microgeneration information leaflet, which I'd not spotted last night. Yes, it was confirmed that over 3.68 is the point at which we'd need to inform them. They had a long and complicated list of charges for G59, which I think would mean £150 cost for our system if I've interpreted it correctly.

With the extra inverter cost, and the lower tariff, and missing the inflation uplift in April, I think I'd rather go with the capped inverter! Though if it turns out we can't get install in December, then we may re-think that.

Good thinking - especially when you take into account that even after paying DNO approval is not guaranteed.

Bluebell1000

The installer spoke to our DNO and there's no charge to apply for the G59; there may be a connection charge, but they'd need to decide after seeing the form (and we can always say no to paying, and just cap the system instead). Apparently they can give an answer in a few days, so we had a change of plan and the form's going in today. We'll see what happens!

Bluebell1000

One installer is saying we wouldn't need solar edge / microinverters with the Q peak G5 mono panels, because they're set up as split panels with cell separation. What do you think? Is that correct? (I've not fully read through the technical stuff yet but it doesn't seem very clear...).

Bluebell1000

Ironically, despite Western Power agreeing the G59 with no charges, we had a proper survey done and can only fit 11 panels on if we don't want to use the flat roof (we don't - it's age is unknown and we want easy access in case it fails). So that does rather restrict things, and we're going for 11 x Q cells with a 325W rating, plus solar edge. We did consider more powerful panels but it put the price up well beyond what was realistic.

Install next week! :j