Solar / Battery quote -sanity check please

tim_p

Just had a quote to add another system alongside my existing setup (2014 install, 16x250w, 3 roofs, SolarEdge, 4kWp, FIT)

Quote comprises 

3.6kWp (8x450w) over 3 roofs (so lots of scaffolding)

SolarEdge SE3000H inverter

GivEnergy 5.2kWh battery

All fixings etc, new CU if reqd

Cost £12200

Struggling to get other quotes but did get a verbal quote which was very similar but with a SolaX battery. 

Anyone any thoughts, particularly around the choice between SolaX or GE for the battery side of things and running this alongside existing system and a Zappi / Eddi charger / diverter. 

QrizB

Hmm.

The GivEnergy battery is about £2k (see for example here).

Taking that away, you've been quoted £10k for a 3.6kWp system. That's almost £3 per watt installed, which I suspect is more than you paid for your FIT system in 2014.

It seems rather expensive to me.

scubajoe

Seems a wee bit expensive at first glance, definitely worth getting other quotes. One thing that jumps out is why aren't you considering a Solaredge Home Battery to go with the Solaredge system?

Grandad2b

I've been looking at off grid systems for a while.

You can buy a 14kWh battery kit for about £2400, an 11kW inverter could cost a similar amount. You still need panels and installation (and certification if you want to sell your excess to the grid). Is that worth £7000 to you?

Petriix

That's massively over priced. To be honest the whole solar market is inflated right now while actual electricity prices are falling rapidly; consequently your potential savings/return on investment are falling too.

£8,500 would be a reasonable price for that setup. But you'd struggle to recoup that unless you have an unusual usage pattern.

Screwdriva

tim_p said:

Just had a quote to add another system alongside my existing setup (2014 install, 16x250w, 3 roofs, SolarEdge, 4kWp, FIT)

Quote comprises 

3.6kWp (8x450w) over 3 roofs (so lots of scaffolding)

SolarEdge SE3000H inverter

GivEnergy 5.2kWh battery

All fixings etc, new CU if reqd

Cost £12200

Agree with comments from others - based on quotes I've seen as recently as this month, you should be paying no more than £5500 installed for 8 SHARP 410W Black panels and the SE 3000 inverter. 20 year extended warranty included.

I'm surprised to see a quote with a GivEnergy battery married to a SE inverter (high on my recommended list btw) - I didn't know they were compatible without a controller. If you want an external battery, the SE 10kW battery would be an extra £8K installed but I'd suggest crunching the numbers to see if a battery makes sense (vs. exporting to Flux).

tim_p

scubajoe said:

Seems a wee bit expensive at first glance, definitely worth getting other quotes. One thing that jumps out is why aren't you considering a Solaredge Home Battery to go with the Solaredge system?

Re: SolarEdge battery, was advised that they only do a 10kWh option (might have misheard that at the time) and wanted something I could expand if required, ideally myself, which pretty sure can’t be done with SE.
Really struggling to get more quotes, even to get a reply to an enquiry!  

tim_p

Petriix said:

That's massively over priced. To be honest the whole solar market is inflated right now while actual electricity prices are falling rapidly; consequently your potential savings/return on investment are falling too.

£8,500 would be a reasonable price for that setup. But you'd struggle to recoup that unless you have an unusual usage pattern.

Recouping investment isn’t on my radar but getting a fair price is!
It’s going to be a complete install, scaffolding to 3 aspects of a bungalow, all fixings etc, 8 panels (no room for more otherwise I’d get more), inverter plus battery and whatever else is needed, certifications as necessary. 

Martyn1981

Hiya. If a bungalow, then scaffolding should be cheap, or the installers could use ladders / mobile tower.

Hopefully prices will fall back down over the next few years, as folk are rushing to install PV, as leccy prices are so high. But as leccy prices come back down (as gas consumption in Europe falls) you will have the lower (normal) returns, but against a spike price for the install.

Screwdriva

If your household consumption is < 4000 kWh per annum, I'd humbly suggest skipping the battery entirely and selling your excess solar to the grid via Octopus Flux tariff. 

As shared above, I would keep searching for an honest installer who will fit quality kit at the right price. I know that £5.5K is the right price (+ battery + bird netting) for an installed 8 panel system with 20 year warranty on the inverter. 

tim_p

QrizB said:

Hmm.

The GivEnergy battery is about £2k (see for example here).

Taking that away, you've been quoted £10k for a 3.6kWp system. That's almost £3 per watt installed, which I suspect is more than you paid for your FIT system in 2014.

It seems rather expensive to me.

When put like that it does seem absurdly expensive!
Paid £1.50 / watt back in 2014.

Just wish i could actually get some alternative quotes. Does no one want to work on the sunny south coast!