How much to live on

Organgrinder

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82167375#Comment_82167375

I confess my reason for buying an EV was entirely financial!

helensbiggestfan

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82167393#Comment_82167393

Seems like a perfectly valid reason. And I understand that, in some ways, they are better for the environment, cleaner air, less reliance on fossil fuels (petrol, diesel). I still like to hear the throaty roar of a traditional sports car though…….😂. and I love the smell of real leather and wood car interiors. Far better than vinyl and plastic.

Going back to solar panels. I read somewhere that disposing of them when they reach the end of their useful lifespan is going to be a problem.

Clowance

re electric cars: just seen Michael Palin in the Phillipines and he goes to a village where there is massive pollution in the water from open cast nickel mine nearby, nickel being used in EV batteries. So not green for those poor people.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82168086#Comment_82168086

Hardly anything is really green, only some are a bit less or more green than others. However as you show in your example, working out what is greenest is difficult.

Another example is the hated plastic supermarket carrier bag. Trendy cotton bags are promoted as greener, but the production of these bags takes a lot more energy than the plastic bag, use a very large amount of water in their manufacture, and are heavier to transport.

tooldle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82167585#Comment_82167585

End of life solar panels are treated as WEEE waste. They go through a reclamation/recovery process with approx 95% of component materials (silicon, glass, copper, aluminium etc) being recovered for reuse.
The circular Economy is a pretty hot topic these days for research and business opportunities.

tooldle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82167118#Comment_82167118

Out of interest, are your quotes for panels only? Wondering if you’ve considered slates/shingles? Spotted a number of installations in Northern France over the last few years but not seen any obvious installations closer to home yet.
We have fixed panels on the roof and a couple of flexible portable panels.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82171942#Comment_82171942

AIUI, they are significantly more expensive and a big issue if they need replacing/maintaining. Also most installers prefer to stick with what they know.

So a very niche product in the UK currently.

tooldle

I think they are more expensive but do have a longer lifespan. I’ve seen 40 yrs quoted. An interesting option though and flexible in that they can be hung on walls as well as a roof.

QrizB

I think they are more expensive

Frighteningly more expensive. Panels can be made in almost any size and the rails adjusted to suit. Tiles/shingles need to be sized to suit your roof, plus only half the area is useful, plus you need something to make up the part tiles at the end of rows, plus they all need wiring together into strings to suit the inverter.

It's a lot of extra hassle and cost.

but do have a longer lifespan. I’ve seen 40 yrs quoted

They have the same lifespan as panels.

they can be hung on walls as well as a roof.

As can panels.

Organgrinder

Yes unbelievably expensive. I'm ditching the solar for now…...taking everything into consideration I'm just not interested in a 12 year payback which assumes little to no maintenance etc.

But on the EV front, this weekend I had to drive to a reunion with old friends from uni. My car doesn't have a great range but I duly charged it overnight for under £3 before going and got there with 50 miles to spare. Locating a car park with a charging point was easy. Finding a spare one more difficult. Not to worry I could charge whilst we walked around campus the following day.

Note to self. 2 hours on a normal charger isn't sufficient. I mistakenly thought it was much faster. Didn't even think of checking the connector. A measly 8kwh at a cost of £4.

So I took the decision to look for a fast charger on the way home. There was a brand new Aldi a few miles away with 8 fast charging points. 30 minutes and £15 later I had enough charge with range to spare. It took me a while to get it to work but that was my own fault.

Total miles driven 260. Total cost £22. Equivalent mpg 93.9. Actual cost per mile 8.46p