Solar

michael8626

Hi,

I have a friend who is using around 30,000kWh per year.

What would they need to generate this amount from solar panels? Ie number of panels, the cost involved to achieve this and the time for return on investment?

Thanks

Cardew

Completely impractical proposition for many reasons.

Living in the south of UK, with a south facing garden, he would need around 120 250wp panels to even generate 30,000kWh in a year. You would need a roof the size of the Albert Hall, so would need them on racks in a garden.

In summer you would generate huge amounts of electricity that you just couldn't use, unless you could store it in batteries costing £100,000??

Some days in winter, you would generate next to nothing and of course nothing at night. Electricity authorities unlikely to allow such a set up.

In effect it would be a solar farm.

stivemorgan

Hi guys. I have heard so many times about solar panels. Is it really profitable to have them not as the main source of electricity but as some device which can decrease electricity bill in summer for example? Or it is a bad idea?

michael8626

Cardew wrote: »

Completely impractical proposition for many reasons.

Living in the south of UK, with a south facing garden, he would need around 120 250wp panels to even generate 30,000kWh in a year. You would need a roof the size of the Albert Hall, so would need them on racks in a garden.

In summer you would generate huge amounts of electricity that you just couldn't use, unless you could store it in batteries costing £100,000??

Some days in winter, you would generate next to nothing and of course nothing at night. Electricity authorities unlikely to allow such a set up.

In effect it would be a solar farm.

We have got 88 acres, but looking at your reply costs would far outway any benefits.

Cardew

stivemorgan wrote: »

Hi guys. I have heard so many times about solar panels. Is it really profitable to have them not as the main source of electricity but as some device which can decrease electricity bill in summer for example? Or it is a bad idea?

This is a UK forum and our regulations are different to those in Detroit.

markin

If you save £350 a month for 9 months a year it would still pay back in 10 to 15 years, install cost being around £30-40K 10k of that being the ground mount?

*Using 0.14p unit


A 15KWP system may be more sensible if you cant sell the surplus at a good rate.