PV System Comparison

Skintsaver

Sorry if this has been done before, but I thought it would be useful to have a simple comparison of people’s systems and their typical yearly figures.

My system

2 × 400 ESE

4 × 400 W WNW

Solis S5 2.5kw inverter

Installed August 2022

My average yearly figures

Generation: ~1,700 kWh

Export: ~1,160 kWh

Import: ~2,070 kWh

Import rate; outfox energy 21.97p,

export rate: fuse energy 13p

Future improvements

If I was to extend, I’d add 4 more panels on the ESE side.
If 5 kWh batteries ever drop below £1,000, I’d probably consider adding one

Heedtheadvice

"If 5 kWh batteries ever drop below £1,000, I’d probably consider adding one"

Fogstar Energy Stackable 48V 5.12kWh Battery £699.99 ?

QrizB

That's just the battery; the inverter would be extra, as would cables, connectors and fitting.

You can get an inverter (a hybrid that would replace the OP's Solis) and 5kWh battery from Ecoworthy for ~£1100, which is close to the OP's target:

https://ebay.io/m/FAqkGa

Edit: that might be an off-grid only inverter, don't do anything hasty without checking!

OP I'll be back later with some figures for comparison. Short answer: my rooftop panels aren't very many more Wp than yours, but they're closer to south-facing and so generate more electricity in total (but less in the early morning and late afternoon, when yours probably do better).

QrizB

Coming back to the "comparison" bit. Some of what follows is in my signature!

My rooftop system: 11 x 247w panels, 2.72kWp, facing SSW, installed 2012. Solis 3kW inverter (replacement, installed 2023).

My battery: 16kWh Fogstar Seplos battery, Sofar ME3000SP inverter.

My average yearly figures: Generation 2600kWh/yr.

Import and export has changed a lot over 14 years but currently it's running around 4000kWh/yr of import, 2000kWh/yr of export (note below). BUT this year I'm deliberately managing my usage to maximise export, since I can import on IOG for 8p/kWh and export on Outgoing Fixed for 12p/kWh, which means it's worth me exporting as much solar as I possibly can and refilling my battery overnight.

I don't go so far as to intentionally discharge my battery into the grid, other than for Octopus Saving Sessions.

We're also running an EV that uses around 2000kWh/yr. That's included in the numbers above.

In previous years, where I wasn't on metered export and I was trying to minimise import while maximising self-consumption, I managed to get import down to under 2000kWh/yr, and export under 500kWh/yr.

So, if we ignore the battery and EV, my rooftop panels are a similar overall capacity to yours but produce almost half as much electricity again. Some of that will be because mine face south, some will be due to location and shading; I'm in the central south where solar PV does fairly well (tho' not quite as well as jimjames's installation).

Note: I've tried to exclude the effects of my guerilla solar add-ons from this (0.96kWp / 1kW inverter ground array, 1,8kWp / 800W inverter shed array), but that can only be a best guess.

HalfFull

"About" 10kWp of assorted panels across 5 roof and ground mounted arrays. Two x dual MPPT inverters with max Voc panels on each input

Last 12 months, 4300kWh generation, 95% self consumed.

Next/Current Upgrade:- Bought 100 x 250W used panels @ £5 per panel (£20 per kWp). All seem to be 95+% of original output spec. Will install as many as I can, sell/swap the rest. ROI panels:- <30 days in summer !!!! New inverter bought this summer still in a box too.

No plans for a battery

QrizB

^ Wow! That's a lot of panels.