I'm Eligible for Fully Funded PV up to £10K & Replacement Boiler

Screwdriva

Agree with the majority here. Max your solar PV on your near ideal roof aspects via this grant, disconnect gas entirely, switch to induction and then enjoy decades of income via your solar export tariff. 

One other thing to consider. Your bathroom could benefit from electric UFH in the future, when dashing becomes a bit too much.

staffsuk

Thanks all!

I will update when I've been visited by the assessors. As I understand it, they will send someone out to do an assessment, and update my EPC which expired in 2019, at which time it was rated as D. One of the requirements is to have an EPC of D or worse. I can't see that my house will have changed for the better re: the EPC, quite likely worse seeing as I no longer have any functional CH.

Solarchaser

paul991 said:

octopus remove their meters free of charge for their customers according to website

I confirm this to be true, they removed mine in June for free. 

Skintsaver

I've had panels installed under this scheme. In my area we all recieved 6x 400w panels. It's worth it. But be warned if you brought the system yourself you'd Likley get a larger system. But for free you can't complain. Get switched to octopus and apply for a smart meter now.

I'm tempted to expand my system with more panels. But only if the payback is worth while. 

staffsuk

@Skintsaver

Interesting you should mention the number of panels & a smart meter. I queried what size array would be installed, given the grant is up to £10k. I asked if my roof size / orientation were the limiting factors. The E.ON adviser couldn't answer. What she did say was only one measure would be covered by the £10k grant, so I'm wondering what your system would have cost to be installed installed privately? Were yours installed under the same government  / local authority / E.ON scheme, with a grant up to £10k?

As for my switching, well, I fixed my electricity & gas with Scottish Power before things got really crazy, so I am somewhat reluctant to switch. I'm fixed until August 2024 (no early exist fees), so I need to look into this further. I'm currently paying 21.83p per kWh & 25.1p per day standing charge for my electricity, and 5.25p per kWh & 26.6p per day standing charge for my gas. I use less than a unit of gas / year, and my standing charge is £101.94 inc VAT. The removal costs for gas I laid out above.

Also re: the smart meter. Is it required for a PV system? I've read that it is, and not having one installed has caused some people to lose out on a free install for not having one. I've also read plenty of negative comments, even of SMETS 2 meters, so I've always shied away from having one. Scottish power badger me constantly about getting one.

Many thanks!

Skintsaver

Yes, that's the same scheme. I'm sure another installer could of put another panel at front and another 2 at rear. The installer had a van full of the same solis s6 2.5kw inverters.

I was the same reluctant of getting a smart meter. But you need one to recieve the Seg payments. 

staffsuk

@Skintsaver that's interesting regards SEG payments, I had read a couple of people suggesting export wasn't an option for these installs. Something else I need to research.

Can you tell me what model panels they installed with the Solis S6?

Screwdriva

staffsuk said:

@Skintsaver


As for my switching, well, I fixed my electricity & gas with Scottish Power before things got really crazy, so I am somewhat reluctant to switch. I'm fixed until August 2024 (no early exist fees), so I need to look into this further. I'm currently paying 21.83p per kWh & 25.1p per day standing charge for my electricity, and 5.25p per kWh & 26.6p per day standing charge for my gas. I use less than a unit of gas / year, and my standing charge is £101.94 inc VAT. The removal costs for gas I laid out above.

Also re: the smart meter. Is it required for a PV system? I've read that it is, and not having one installed has caused some people to lose out on a free install for not having one. I've also read plenty of negative comments, even of SMETS 2 meters, so I've always shied away from having one. Scottish power badger me constantly about getting one.

Many thanks!

I would wait till the end of February before switching to Octopus (Outgoing Agile) for your SEG export tariff. Once with Octopus, you can ask them to disconnect your gas if you use so little. 

Assuming you get 10X400 panels on your roof with that grant, you will be exporting more than you will be consuming/ saving, so it makes sense to get the highest tariff for your excess solar energy. 

None of the above will be possible without a smart meter, so sign up for one ASAP. I do see some logic in denying the free installation to anyone who doesn't have a smart meter (why provide this benefit to someone who cannot take advantage the extra revenue from export)?

Skintsaver

staffsuk said:

@Skintsaver that's interesting regards SEG payments, I had read a couple of people suggesting export wasn't an option for these installs. Something else I need to research.

Can you tell me what model panels they installed with the Solis S6?

https://www.trinasolar.com/eu-en/product/VERTEX-DE09.08

I was expecting somthing different there design information said somthing different, maybe they had problems getting them? 

You own and it's your responsibility to look after and maintain this. They installed without a smart meter it was my choice to have one installed. The paperwork lmf provided me was very detailed. Once the install was completed it took around a month after the installation to recieve everything I needed to start claiming seg. By coincidence my smart meter installation was the same day.

I'm not happy with how they ran the cables to the inverter, but that's more personal preference and its somthing I can rewire myself, but my house isn't easy getting from fuse board to loft space!

I asked about getting batteries they said around £4.5k! For 4.8kw batteries

I think they install just 6, panels but you can always add more at a later date. It's still 410w x 6 which is a 2.46kw system.

Skintsaver

this may help