Had solar panels fitted a couple of weeks ago

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board ARCHIVE' started by Jay, Apr 8, 2014.

  1. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

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    Just spent one of the best half hours of my life. Stood outside, in the sunshine, watching my electricity meter run backwards and the numbers coming off it. Went back inside, turned more stuff on and it was still running backwards.

    unfcukingbeatable.
     
  2. wil

    wilkojohnson Active Member

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    We have solar tubes - they heat the water - sure beats using gas/coal/immersion heater for the same job
     
  3. Dys

    Dyson Well-Known Member

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    Who fitted them for you? We're after some because I too am a tight *******.
     
  4. andytyke

    andytyke Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    we had bloke round chatting about but were not sure were going to stay in our current house for rest of lives so didn't think it was worth it
     
  5. Sta

    Stahlrost Well-Known Member

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    Sounds great, I assume you're getting paid for the excess, or does the payment go to the installer?

    I'm hopefully going to be building an eco-house next year, subject to planning permission etc. It will have solar panels and I'll drive an electric car which I will hopefully charge up from the panels. Heating will be a ground based heat pump, again powered from the panels. If the sun goes in and the house gets too cold I'll just go to the pub.

    Will try to get ideas from people on here nearer the time but good to hear that your installation is working so well.
     
  6. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

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    We paid for them so the installer gets nowt, we get it all. We get paid more than just for the excess, we get paid for every bit of electricity we produce, whether we use it or not. Government initiative as we're generating electricity with zero carbon emissions. We also get paid for the electricity we feed back in to the grid

    We've got a generation meter on the wall. So far today we've generated 10 kWh.

    We get paid 15p for every kWh we produce. So that's £1.50 today and there's a good 3 hours of daylight left.

    We also get paid 5p for every kWh we feed back in to the grid. We don't have an export meter, small systems like our 2 kW system don't need one, they estimate half the electricity you generate goes back in to the grid. So 25p so far today giving a grand total of £1.75.

    Over a year that's £638.75. We get the payments quarterly straight in to our bank account. Over our 20 year contract that's £12,775.

    Our system cost £5,500 fully installed and it's guaranteed for 20 years. So we should more than double our money in that time. And the payments are indexed linked, so they go up with inflation.

    The money in our personal ISA is getting 1.5% which will get you nowhere near the return solar panels provide over 20 years. Green and good for the bank account.

    But that's not all. During the day all the electricity you use comes straight from the solar panels, so your bills are much cheaper. Not only that, during the day your meter runs backwards taking off some of the electricity you used last night!

    It's been a sunny day today, so we've generated more than usual. But there's been a fair bit of cloud around too, and some rain. There will be much brighter days this summer. Even in the thick fog last week, the generation meter was still ticking over.

    Er, I don't sell solar panels.
     
  7. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

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    Don't know if I'd recommend them. They put a foot through the bedroom ceiling from the loft! They've paid us like, to get it repaired, but still, not really what you want.

    They recommend you get quotes from three different companies. Make sure they're MCS certified.

    http://www.microgenerationcertification.org/

    As a guide, our 2 kW system cost £5,500, that's 8 solar panels. However, if you can fit 'em on your roof, a 4 kW system, 16 panels, doesn't cost double, it costs about half as much again.

    Or you can get free panels, but then the installer earns all the brass and there's summat on your roof that you don't own.
     
  8. Sta

    Stahlrost Well-Known Member

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    Cheers for that very helpful description. I've never thought of such an investment in terms of current interest rates before which makes it even more attractive. By my reckoning the rate of return is nearly 8 times what you get from an ISA at 1.5%, and that's before taking into account likely increases in electricity prices. sounds like a no-brainer to me.

    Since we are building from scratch we will be able to make the installation face exactly in the right direction to maximise the available light. Can't wait to get started.
     
  9. Dys

    Dyson Well-Known Member

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    Ignore me - seen your reply above.
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2014
  10. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

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    Green Energy Power Solutions Ltd, the Mansfield Town guy, but like I've said above, not sure I'd recommend them. Everything is working fine, as far as I can tell they've done the job right, but installation wasn't great, they made a bloody mess. They have given us a 20 year guarantee for both parts and labour, most companies only give you 10 and they did it all in an afternoon. I dunno, haven't made my mind up about them yet.
     
  11. Dys

    Dyson Well-Known Member

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    Interesting that 4kw costs half price, hopefully we'd have room. Not planning on leaving this house unless I'm in a box so not arsed about it being long term return.
     
  12. Hud

    Huddersfield Red Well-Known Member

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    Don't forget to think about inflation risk, is the amount you get back going to increase over the 20 years? What if you invested £5,500 over 20 years? I am under the impression solar panels would devalue your house if you were to sell it. Not as clear cut as might seem.
     
  13. man

    manchesterred Active Member

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    Ecogise group from Barnsley very good at doing these
     
  14. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

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    It doesn't cost half price, it costs about half as much again. So, about 8,500 for 4kW compared to 5,500 for 2kW. The reason for this is that you're not just paying for the solar panels. You're paying for the installation, the scaffolding, the electricians, which you don't need any more of for a bigger system, plus the admin which requires no more for a bigger system and all the electrical gubbins that goes in to your house, again no extra for a bigger system.
     
  15. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

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    Why do you get that impression. Everything I've read says it increases the value to your house. Why wouldn't it? Cheaper electricity for the new owners and an income stream. It's buying a house that makes you money!

    My FIT payments are indexed linked so go up with inflation.
     
  16. Sta

    Stahlrost Well-Known Member

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    As far as I know the alleged devaluation stems from the "leased" systems where a bank is asked to provide a mortgage on a property with panels on the roof which are not owned by the owner of the home. I don't think it applies to people (like Jay) who own the panels outright themselves.

    In terms of inflation, recently electricity price inflation has been much higher than general inflation, so I would expect rises in electricity prices to benefit those who have a "free" supply of electricity from their own roof.
     
  17. Father Benny Cake

    Father Benny Cake Well-Known Member

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    We have an underfloor heating system powered by a ground source heat pump, not sure I'd recommend it though, when it gets too cold to draw heat from the ground the system switches by default to grid electric and it can cost a fortune - mind you it's a big converted barn so it might not be as bad in a smaller place. Agree about the solar panels, we've even got a gizmo on ours that takes the electric we're producing and not currently using to the immersion heater to top up the hot water, it only feeds to the grid when our hot water cylinder is full of hot water, as the power you're putting back into the grid isn't measured this makes it a double bargain. We're not on any mains services except electricity, our water comes from our own borehole and we have our own sewerage system so we save a packet on water rates.
     
  18. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

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    How much did you pay for that?
     
  19. Sta

    Stahlrost Well-Known Member

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    Interesting. We're proposing a rainwater harvesting system that will be used in the house for flushing toilets and in the garden, but not for washing, cooking etc

    I take your point about the ground based heat pump but in a new build the insulation can be increased to compensate. However, we're proposing a gas system as a back up as the house will have mains gas. My wife would set me on fire to keep warm if we didn't have a back up system.

    We'll also have hamsters on wheels to charge up our mobiles.
     
  20. Father Benny Cake

    Father Benny Cake Well-Known Member

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    About £350+VAT, it's called Immersun, apparently other options are available.
     

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