Solar PV + Battery quotes

Exiled_Tyke

Why am I always the sceptical one?  Unless there's a good reason (which there may well be) I'm uncomfortable with an outfit that can suddenly find a better deal.   Did they know you were getting a few quotes? If so why did they not come in with their best offer initially?  Have you given them details of Option one?   

I'm sorry, I haven't the time to recheck the thread but have the DNO already said 5.6kW is the limit? DNO aren't likely to budge if that's what they've said before.  Is so does such a large setup make sense?

cool_techie

Exiled_Tyke said:

Why am I always the sceptical one?  Unless there's a good reason (which there may well be) I'm uncomfortable with an outfit that can suddenly find a better deal.   Did they know you were getting a few quotes? If so why did they not come in with their best offer initially?  Have you given them details of Option one?   

I'm sorry, I haven't the time to recheck the thread but have the DNO already said 5.6kW is the limit? DNO aren't likely to budge if that's what they've said before.  Is so does such a large setup make sense?

Thanks Exiled_Tyke

 Well, I had not told them about any other quotes. They were doing a routine follow-up with me and when I mentioned, I was still in the mkt for solar PV, they came up with these new numbers and set-up. The previous quotes were in October.

Due to personal reasons, there was a lull of 5 weeks across Oct-Nov, when I had requested the installer sales contacts to pause chasing.

DNO had said 5.6v, for installer 1. Does such a large setup makes sense in such a scenario is exactly my question. The wise counsel on this forum suggests, it did make sense for the earlier speccd 10.5 kW system. What would be the scenario for a 12.16 kW system is my question as well!

Regards, CT.

cool_techie

Solarchaser said:

I like the idea of cobalt free, would definitely remove some of the battery guilt.

However a couple of things jump out.
1.Solar panels are a standard size (almost exclusively) so why when your previous quote was for 29 panels, do they suddenly think they can fit another 3? Hmmm

2. You had mentioned before you had shading issues, and the solaredge would be beneficial. 
A quick t'internet search says the modules are around £60 each so over 30 panels (the other quote) there is a good £ grand+ of kit there even wholesale prices.

I've very recently come to the realisation that my second system shading is pretty bad in winter, and although I have twin peak panels which reduce the shading effect, im still seeing a big hit when I could really use the extra leccy.
(I think I'm going to see if i can pick up a couple of cheap 1.5kw inverters to replace my 3kw single mppt one)

And so its with this thought in mind id say the time you need leccy most is in dead of winter, and that will be when days are shorter and shading is worse... so that would be when the solaredge would shine (sorry for the pun).

If I were you, I'd go back to first quote, explain to them about second quote and persuade them that you would be more inclined to go with them if they throw in a 3rd battery.

Gotta be worth a shot 🤷‍♂️

Thanks Solarchaser
Your point about the extra 3 panels is fair. I have a call with installer 2 tomorrow and will query.
Yes, shading issues are a problem. Will check on the exact inverter type and if solar edge optimisers are being provisioned.
The commercials are indeed going to be knotty stuff.
Regards, CT.

cool_techie

All,

An update:

After much deliberations, have decided to go with the following configuration:

33 x ja solar jam60s20.385/mr panels, Growatt sph6000 hybrid inverter, 4 x Growatt 3.3kWh GBL16531 batteries, iBoost+.

The installer has agreed to the above for 11k. Batteries were originally going to be the Growatt Ark LV (2.56 kWh), but due to a delivery delay (consignment stuck at port), they have provided a older version, but higher capacity battery for the same price as agreed.

Thanks to this forum, for all your help. I will update once the install is done and the generation starts.

Thanks, CT

Solarchaser

cool_techie said:

All,

An update:

After much deliberations, have decided to go with the following configuration:

33 x ja solar jam60s20.385/mr panels, Growatt sph6000 hybrid inverter, 4 x Growatt 3.3kWh GBL16531 batteries, iBoost+.

The installer has agreed to the above for 11k. Batteries were originally going to be the Growatt Ark LV (2.56 kWh), but due to a delivery delay (consignment stuck at port), they have provided a older version, but higher capacity battery for the same price as agreed.

Thanks to this forum, for all your help. I will update once the install is done and the generation starts.

Thanks, CT

Good luck with it all.
For whats its worth i built a 6.6kw array 2 years ago to go with my sph3600 growatt inverter and 4.8kwh battery. 

The inverter never worked properly, and at one point was exporting 5.8kw..... from a 3.6kw inverter.

Which was a little disconcerting!!
Especially as id installed it with 2.5t&e cable as it was 20a cable coping with a supposed max 16a output.

Things were getting a little hot



But as I said, that was 2 years ago, id hope they have sorted the sph range by now 🤞

abeezar

Hi Members

I have been reading several posts and come to the following configuration for my requirement.

What do you guys think of this configuration component and the price quotes should be like from an MCS certified installer.

I have looked at https://midsummerwholesale.co.uk/ for prices and reckon the system can be fitted just under 10K.

Annual Predicted Usage 7000 KWh. Area: Greater London. No Shading.

Flat Roof:50 m2

SOLAR PV + Battery.:

1.Solar Panel: Qty 25. ( *LG Neon 2 or JA or QCell) - (7.5KW to 8.5KW)

2. Inverter : *Enphase iq7 or Fronius 

Battery : *GivEnergy 8.2KW with Monitoring with a Peak discharge of 5KWh      or similar capacity.

[ (*Preferred) ]

          

Optional :

GivEnergy Voltage Optimiser: Do you really need it.?
Return of Investment desired ~ 10 years.

TIA

AB

Hexane

abeezar said:

GivEnergy Voltage Optimiser: Do you really need it.?

Don't think so.

Return of Investment desired ~ 10 years.

Seems unlikely.

Solarchaser

abeezar said:

Hi Members

I have been reading several posts and come to the following configuration for my requirement.

What do you guys think of this configuration component and the price quotes should be like from an MCS certified installer.

I have looked at https://midsummerwholesale.co.uk/ for prices and reckon the system can be fitted just under 10K.

Annual Predicted Usage 7000 KWh. Area: Greater London. No Shading.

Flat Roof:50 m2

SOLAR PV + Battery.:

1.Solar Panel: Qty 25. ( *LG Neon 2 or JA or QCell) - (7.5KW to 8.5KW)

2. Inverter : *Enphase iq7 or Fronius 

Battery : *GivEnergy 8.2KW with Monitoring with a Peak discharge of 5KWh      or similar capacity.

[ (*Preferred) ]

          

Optional :

GivEnergy Voltage Optimiser: Do you really need it.?
Return of Investment desired ~ 10 years.

TIA

AB

Voltage optimiser, looks like a gimmick that does nothing imo.
I've yet to see a convincing argument,  and the bunf I got to buy one was straight out lies.

If you forget the battery, and get the install for £8k then I'd potentially expect a 10 year payback, assuming you can use around half of your generation and sell the other half as export, based on gen being around 8mwh as down south and 8kw array.
So 4000 x 15p = £600 a year saving (assuming you are paying 15p/kwh)
Plus 4000 x 5p export = £200 a year (so in theory 10 year payback)

If however you can only use 2mwh of your 8mwh generation then you save £300 and export £300 and so your 10 year payback is a no go.

Adding in the battery can potentially help, but in reality is more likely to hinder your 10 year roi.
8.2kwh battery, most discharge to 20%, so 80% useable gives 6.56kwh
If we assume for 200 days of the year you fully charge and discharge the battery for free (solar) then you can save 200 x 6.56  = 1300kwh x 15p = £195
And on the dark days you charge the batteries through octopus go at 5p/kwh, but since you lose efficiency on the round trip of charge and discharge of about 10% each way, so roughly 20% which takes you to 6p/kwh, a saving of 9p/kwh
So 165 x 6.56 = 1082kwh x 9p =£97.42 saving in dark months 
So maximum total yearly savings of £292.42 for batteries as part of your package, and I really have to emphasise that is the MAXIMUM savings for the battery.

In terms of usage,  before I added an ev, I was about 7mwh a year.
And with my combined solar I'm at around 8mwh generation a year, so similar to you.
Last year I had approximately 6kwh of batteries and purely on solar, saved £300iirc
I managed to consume around 5.5mwh of my 8mwh of generation, but thats with 6 years of solar "experience ", and what I mean by that is, setting machines to run midday, plugging in the ev when the sun is out etc.

Jeeze I rambled on here, essentially what I'm saying is, you CAN make a 10 year roi work, but it requires effort and prep from you, its more likely to be a 12-15 year roi

gabitzul

Solarchaser said:

...

Jeeze I rambled on here, essentially what I'm saying is, you CAN make a 10 year roi work, but it requires effort and prep from you, its more likely to be a 12-15 year roi

You did well, thank you. Good explanation, in real terms.

Petriix

You're missing the main issue with a post FIT solar battery: each kWh you use loses out on the SEG payment so the case for a battery is significantly worse than for those on deemed exports. For a new installation you have to deduct the lost SEG price from your savings calculation so it's only ~ 7p (less any round trip losses) saved per unit you self-consume. 

In theory you could sign up with Bulb for the SEG payments and Octopus for the incoming Agile tariff and do some load shifting to maximise the ROI but I wouldn't base a 10+ year investment on a beta tariff that may not exist next year.

I'm yet to see any convincing figures for anyone to come close to braking even on a battery inside it's warranty period, let alone post FIT. If you do go for a battery, don't pretend it's for the money savings.