Plug in solar

tfhnota

Plug-in solar from Octopus, two panel kit at £650 inc delivery for end of Sept and they have confirmed you can apply for export… not sure it is yet compliant, though, probably explains delayed delivery.

https://octopus.energy/plug-in-solar-explore/

lohr500

The Octopus kit is already making some of the other offerings look very expensive!! Especially the floor mounted version.

I used the same floor mounted plastic tubs that are included in the Octopus floor mount kit and they are very substantial. They are £49 each from City Plumbing and you need three of them to mount two full sized panels.

Having said that, £650 from Octopus is still expensive compared to buying the individual components and building your own kit. My similar setup cost about £370. But of course, I have no approval for mine 🤔

tfhnota

Just to add, I did a mock G98 application and it only seems interested in the inverter details (as expected) which perhaps leaves the door open to buying an "approved" inverter (ie same as are in the kits) and getting it done that way, if you want to get the promised Octopus or Fuse export tariff (always possible that Octopus might limit the export to their own equipment or want a set-up fee for other products).

The government forgot to add the usual five grand fine for cheaters but the DNO has the power to disconnect illegal grid connections.

QrizB

Octopus have put up a YouTube video, for folk who prefer a visual medium:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhae9coALkk

Notably, Octopus are saying that they'll pay for export from plug-in solar.

Newbie_John

I feel like the "plug in" words are overhyped - hence prices high.

Nobody really talks that you can get panels and battery completely legal now if it gets connected by electrician (or hardwired by knowledgable person). Plug ins on the other hand come with so many restricitions.

These "approved" sets have multiple issues - what happens when inverter fails? You cant just replace inverter because it wont be the same set from the box, so you need to get new panels too?

Plug ins arent like a toaster - take out of the box, plug in, done. These are very bulky and very heavy, 20kg 2m tall glass elements that take a lot of DIY skills to handle and put anywhere good to catch a sun, adding a plug to wires comparatively looks extremely simple.

QrizB

Nobody really talks that you can get panels and battery completely legal now if it gets connected by electrician (or hardwired by knowledgable person).

"Nobody really talks" - it's been the status quo for the past 15+ years, and there are hundreds of threads on this forum about it. It's hardly some sort of secret knowledge.

To be legal, though, it needs a dedicated circuit from your consumer unit and a new circuit is then notifiable under Part P. Plug-in avoids all that cost and hassle.

Yes if you've got the money, own the property and plan to stay for several years, a permanent hard-wired system is likely to provide better performance and similar payback periods. But that's not the intended market for plug-in solar.

Scot_39

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82118352#Comment_82118352

Why do the panels in EU balcony pictures look smaller - are they - or is it just because we never seen them short edge up and so close against a human as a comparative reference ?

QrizB

^ Some of the German systems do use 4x 200 watt panels rather than 2x 400 watt ones, which might account for what you're seeing.

Other than that, I suspect it's often a combination of perspective (balcony panels being photographed from below) and, as you suggest, not having anything else for scale.

The panels on my shed roof are about the same size as the ones in that Octopus video. I suspect that lohr500's and TroubledTart's panels are also that size.

Netexporter

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82118539#Comment_82118539

If you look at the Octopus video you'll see they are going to bring out half size panels, next year. The ones they are showing now are standard JA panels that they use for their rooftop installs.

Scot_39

Caught that - I just wondered if the tech / smaller panels at 400W+ existed - or everyone else fitting the same size for now.

In which case if its only months away - suspect I'd be one of the ones waiting.