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  • silverwhistle
    silverwhistle Posts: 3,791 Forumite
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    NigeWick wrote: »
    I suspect it's more to do with his belief that fossil and nuclear generation are "best for the country." That said, he's not a minister now so perhaps he won't have to toe the party line quite so closely.

    Maybe the toddler approach is best: "best for the country".. "WHY". Mind you, the zeitgeist is for parroting phrases at the moment: "Strong and Stable", "Take back control", which even for sound bites are pretty vacuous.



    The country don't seem to be very happy about a new opencast mine in Durham.. He definitely needs to be apprised of public sentiment about wind and nuclear.
  • NigeWick
    NigeWick Posts: 2,715 Forumite
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    silverwhistle wrote: »
    Mind you, the zeitgeist is for parroting phrases at the moment: "Strong and Stable", "Take back control", which even for sound bites are pretty vacuous.
    At least I've got a strong and stable marriage :beer:, as long as I do as I'm told. Can't take back control because of the last point...
    The mind of the bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract.
    Oliver Wendell Holmes
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,764 Forumite
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    PV + storage for off-grid Kenyans. Could be the start of a massive energy disruption.

    SunExchange And Powerhive Partner To Bring Solar Power To 175,000 Kenyans
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW). Two A2A units for cleaner heating.

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • NigeWick
    NigeWick Posts: 2,715 Forumite
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    PV + storage for off-grid Kenyans. Could be the start of a massive energy disruption.
    I've put some cash into http://www.azuri-technologies.com/ They put in small scale solar, battery. lights & phone charger for less than people pay for their kerosene lamps. They install and the customer pays monthly until the end of contract when they own the kit. They're starting to do TV's too.
    The mind of the bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract.
    Oliver Wendell Holmes
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,764 Forumite
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    E.On throws weight behind UK solar as policy cliff edge looms
    Major utility E.On has urged the UK government to encourage homeowners to take up solar PV and batteries in the midst of growing policy uncertainty.

    The company, which last year announced a major domestic solar-plus-storage drive in the UK, has made the call a week after the government announced plans to scrap the export tariff as part of a much wider review of policy support.

    Much of the industry is currently considering its response prior to two consultation deadlines in late August and early September, but E.On has come out swinging in solar’s corner.

    Sara Vaughan, E.On’s political and regulatory affairs director, said there is “so much more left to do across the country” if it is to meet the government’s Clean Growth Strategy ambitions and highlighted solar as an “efficient way” for homes and businesses to contribute.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW). Two A2A units for cleaner heating.

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,764 Forumite
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    Great idea, a bit late, but a great idea, and backed by WPD.

    REA calls for three phase connections for all new homes to unlock solar deployment
    All new housing developments should be fitted with three-phase electricity supply instead of the current practice of ‘lowest cost’ single phase supply to allow greater deployment of residential solar, according to a new report out today.

    The Renewable Energy Association (REA), joined by distribution network operator (DNO) Western Power Distribution (WPD), has made the case that upgrading the electricity supply to homes is well overdue, with the current single phase model the norm since before World War II.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW). Two A2A units for cleaner heating.

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • Dave_Fowler
    Dave_Fowler Posts: 612 Forumite
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    Great idea, a bit late, but a great idea, and backed by WPD.

    REA calls for three phase connections for all new homes to unlock solar deployment
    I'm not sure how much this will help when most houses are limited to around 4kWp due to the physical size of the roof. And modern houses are getting smaller and smaller.

    Dave F
    Solar PV System 1: 2.96kWp South+8 degrees. Roof 38 degrees. 'Normal' system
    Solar PV System 2: 3.00kWp South-4 degrees. Roof 28 degrees. SolarEdge system
    EV car, PodPoint charger
    Lux LXP 3600 ACS + 6 x 2.4kWh Aoboet LFP 2400 battery storage. Installed Feb 2021
    Location: Bedfordshire
  • gefnew
    gefnew Posts: 876 Forumite
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    Hi All
    organic solar panels.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45132427
    regards
  • Martyn1981
    Martyn1981 Posts: 14,764 Forumite
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    Dave_Fowler wrote: »
    I'm not sure how much this will help when most houses are limited to around 4kWp due to the physical size of the roof. And modern houses are getting smaller and smaller.

    Dave F

    Tis true Dave, but panel efficiencies are increasing, perhaps double in the next decade from perovskite/silicon panels, so that could mean 6-8kWp on the roof.

    Study: 32% tandem cell solar still competitive at triple the price

    Just brainstorming here, but as PV gets cheaper, there's also wall mounted, ground mounted, conservatory roof solar glass, or PV pergola's for garden shade.

    Also coming at it from a supply side (rather than export), maybe some sort of faster EV charging potential in the future ..... not really sure about that bit as I assume we are already good for 20-25kW(?).

    Oh, and one other bit, I think any batteries than can discharge at a rate greater than 3.68kW (PW II is 5kW & 7kW briefly) also need DNO approval.
    Mart. Cardiff. 5.58 kWp PV systems (3.58 ESE & 2.0 WNW). Two A2A units for cleaner heating.

    For general PV advice please see the PV FAQ thread on the Green & Ethical Board.
  • pile-o-stone
    pile-o-stone Posts: 396 Forumite
    edited 10 August 2018 at 9:38AM
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    Martyn1981 wrote: »
    Tis true Dave, but panel efficiencies are increasing, perhaps double in the next decade from perovskite/silicon panels, so that could mean 6-8kWp on the roof.

    Study: 32% tandem cell solar still competitive at triple the price

    Just brainstorming here, but as PV gets cheaper, there's also wall mounted, ground mounted, conservatory roof solar glass, or PV pergola's for garden shade.

    I agree with this, the standard configuration used to be 16x 250w panels to give a 4kW array. The most efficient panel I can find currently is 370w and the panels are roughly the same size as the old 250w ones. This gives you an array of 16 x 370 = 5920 w. If you're looking to add a conservatory on the back ond use the new transparent pv panels (the ones I have been looking at give good transparency at 250w), you could add 8 panels to give a further 2kW of generation. A reasonably sized semi could be generating almost 8kW.

    The stumbling block will be the DNO. Increasingly they seem to be trying to block arrays over 3.68kW. They won't even look at your application unless you pay a £300 fee and often it results in a demand to 'strengthen the grid' that costs thousands.

    I was looking at adding a lean-to oak pergola with transparent pv panels (2 banks of 6 panels @250w = 3kW). The DNO said I'd have to pay £1500 to strengthen the grid. With no Fits and an additional £1500, they are just not cost effective. I might just put up the pergola without panels and look at adding them at some point in the future if I win the lottery or something. :)

    For anyone who is interested, the details on the transparent panels are here:
    http://www.bisol.com/images/Datasheets/EN/BISOL_Lumina_BMO_BSO_BLO_EN.pdf

    p.s. I have also considered having the 3kw panels 'off-grid' and use the £1500 DNO fee to buy batteries, but I don't know what I'd then do with the power? If anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate the input. All I can think of is running a rainwater harvesting pump for toilets and garden irrigation, garden lights and perhaps a DC freezer to hold the produce from our allotment.
    5.18 kWp PV systems (3.68 E/W & 1.5 E).
    Solar iBoost+ to two immersion heaters on 300L thermal store.
    Vegan household with 100% composted food waste
    Mini orchard planted and vegetable allotment created.
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