Recommendations for Solar Installers

jackieblack

Hi
Am about to move house, to a new area where I don’t know any tradespeople.
House is electric only with an ASHP and I’ll be working from home, so one of the first things we want to do is to get Solar panels and a battery installed (batteries weren’t a thing when I had my panels installed on current house).
I have been pleased with my Fronius inverter, but I know lots of things have changed in the last 15 years and don’t know what is currently recommended.
Does anyone have any recommendations for an installer in mid/north Suffolk?  (Preferably based on personal experience.) And recommendations for brands of panels, inverter and battery, please?
Roof on new place is east/west, so that’ll be different too…

debitcardmayhem

You can find an MCS certified installer here https://mcscertified.com/find-an-installer ,
@Screwdriva may have some pointers for you too(sorry SD) . My installers are in Essex and not sure they go as far as Suffolk mid-north.

Screwdriva

Fronius is still an excellent (if expensive) option for non-battery systems but even their newly launched Reserva battery struggles to best the Tesla PW3 (few. if any, can). Here are a few reasons why the PW3 is ideal:

1) The PW3 can charge/ discharge at upto 5/11 kW, allowing for phenomenal export earnings for larger arrays on the Intelligent Flux tariff during the warmer months. Most batteries on the market are not eligible for this highly lucrative tariff (only Tesla, SolarEdge/ Enphase and GivEnergy are)

2) In the winter, the 13.5kW capacity should get you through most of the day (with Solar topping up the battery) to allow minimal grid import outside of the cheap nighttime EV tariff window (eg. Octopus Intelligent Go/ Go).

3) Unmatched safety record, software, cold weather performance and outdoor performance. Full unit replacement warranty (no repairs or prorated compensation offers).

I have recommend Eurener 500W bifacial panels paired to the PW3 to several dozen MSE forum members with great results. This combination offers excellent bang for the buck with little ethical deficit, something us GEMS sub-forum members care greatly about. 

A 10 panel system (5kWP) should cost no more than £11K installed via installers I use to help others, with bird netting included. Add £250 per additional panel - I would squeeze in as many additional panels as your roof can take assuming the installer shares your G99 application result supports this. 

We're all aware that there is quite alot of information to take in at first. Feel free to ask as many questions as you need to achieve clarity - we're all here to help! 

NedS

Knowing your budget would help. @Screwdriv's recommendation of a Powerwall 3 is excellent advice if it is within your budget. Also maximise your roof space with as much solar as reasonably possible.

Battery capacity will be important for you with an ASHP, as usage in winter will be high. We have a 13.5kWh Powerwall, and use the Octopus Cosy tariff for heat pump owners in winter, which allows us to recharge 3 times a day on cheap rate. This means we can still make it though the day on cheap rate when our usage can be 40-50kWh per day in winter, without having to buy a huge battery system. A single 13.5kWh PW3 is also perfectly sized for summer, covering a days usage for us.

We now have zero bills. We make enough in summer on the Intelligent Octopus Flux (IOF) tariff to cover our usage in winter on the Cosy tariff. We were previously paying around £2500/year on oil/electricity, so the payback period on a £12.5k battery/solar install is pretty good.