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[Tony H]

Hi all, I'm considering the idea of having solar panels fitted opinions please on the pro's and cons both financially and technically


TIA
Regards
Tony

[Marks DTM Calib]

Technicaly useless, financialy, probably enough subsidies about to help but how long they will be about for is questionable.

[I_want_an_Omega]

Be careful.

The attractive feed in tariff is currently set @ 43.3 pence per unit GENERATED at the moment - for installs fitted until the end of march. Its guaranteed for 25 years and also RPI index linked. Installs completed after April will be at a lower rate as the Govt needs to save money.

You are limited to a 4kW system for the feed in tariff. The cost will be beween £10k and £13k - but will return many times more than that over the term before the cost of increasing electricity, inflation etc is taken into account. It still has a breakeven of many years so is a long term investment.

Beware the firms that offer "free" panels. They put them up for nothing agreed and let you use the electricity generated during the day - but they get the tariff back from the govt and are basically squatting on your roof for 25 years. Makes it difficult to sell the house also.

The panels performance will also reduce gradually with time - which is why I've ignored that in the calculations and also the inflation aspects as they cancel each other out.

HTH - Rob

[zirk]

Depends how much money you floating around and how long your prepared to invest in it.

Under the current deal which ends April next year, if your prepared to outlay your cash for MCS approved Panels and Installation, the Government will return your Feed Tie in for 25 years at something like 42p per Joule being sold back to the Grid, after what you have used of course, works out something like an average of 15% tax free investment.

If your not going to go down the MCS route but thinking about doing a home brew, then Panels and installation will be cheaper, so cheaper electric bills, but no long term feed in available.

If you have no money at all to invest, then get One of the big suppliers to install it for free, and just benefit from Cheaper bills while they collect the cash over the next 25 years.

Personally Im still pondering over the last 2 options, but Im know more steered to Hot Water Panels, as it the most effective way of getting free energy from the Sun rather than using Gas or Electricity to heat your water or heating.

You can go down the MCS route with Water Heating but the pay back is not as attractive as with Electric Solar or Wind.

Chris.

[Kevin Wood]

at something like 42p per Joule...

  Quick! where do I sign? 

[zirk]

You know what I mean Kevin, not edit button 

[I_want_an_Omega]

It's 43.3p per kW hour.

On the basis that there are 3,600,000 Joules in a kWh that would be a wonderful tariff to be on. 

[Radar]

A friend is getting it done and mentioned the inverters have a life expectancy of approx. 10 years - current cost to replace is £1200. Thought it might be of use to you.

[Kevin Wood]

It's 43.3p per kW hour.

On the basis that there are 3,600,000 Joules in a kWh that would be a wonderful tariff to be on. 

Shucks! There goes my retirement plan.

 

[zirk]

It's 43.3p per kW hour.

On the basis that there are 3,600,000 Joules in a kWh that would be a wonderful tariff to be on. 

Probably something like what we will be paying for electric in 25 years time the way its all going.
 

[Kevin Wood]

A friend is getting it done and mentioned the inverters have a life expectancy of approx. 10 years - current cost to replace is £1200. Thought it might be of use to you.

.. and the inverter is the one part of the system that I would expect to last the payback period - if it was remotely decent quality, of course.

I have also heard that they are electrically noisy. Not something I'd install as a radio amateur.

My parents have a hot water solar installation. Seems to work quite nicely and their 2 panels will give about 4kWh of hot water in a decent sunny day. (and absolutely noting on a cloudy day, contrary to the marketing claims) I very much doubt they'll break even on the installation costs, but they needed a new tank, in any case, when it was installed.

[Radar]

Another point that was brought up was that you only get the full efficiency if the panels are installed on a south facing roof.

[I_want_an_Omega]

A friend is getting it done and mentioned the inverters have a life expectancy of approx. 10 years - current cost to replace is £1200. Thought it might be of use to you.

The Fronius range of inverters warranty can be upgraded to 20 years for a £200 one off payment at the time of purchase.

HTH 

[I_want_an_Omega]

Another point that was brought up was that you only get the full efficiency if the panels are installed on a south facing roof.

Indeed yes. A 250 watt panel will only generate than in direct sunlight. In normal daylight it will only generate about 20% of that. So sunlight levels are important.

[scimmy_man]

I had 20 panels fitted five weeks ago, we are south facing, so far its turned in 300kw, at 43.3 plus 3p per unit not used,
total cost £11500