Solar Panels

[Drago]

Having some solar panels installed on the roof of Drago towers on Tuesday. It's a 4kW installation, facing almost exactly due South, so I'm hoping it should work pretty well.

Anyone else gone solar, and what sort of savings are you seeing?

 

[Drago]

Sorry, just realised I'm in the wrong forum. Mods, feel free to move this thread and flagellate me severely for my trangression.

 

[Arjimlad]

Enough of your sordid flagellation fantasies !

Your solar panels should do well. My parents have them and have been very pleased with the return. They are retired so can use the washing machine, dishwasher etc during the daytime to make the most of the saving.

 

[Drago]

In terms of profit I'll be about £25 a month better off once the loan payment is covered. Thats the projected amount, but my Missus is at home all day so we're planning to cane the free juice during the day and the savings will be greater.

I've chosen panels with a 30 year guarantee, guaranteed to still be 95% of their original efficiency at that age. It's not a huge earner, but it's a moderate profit maker, and the smug saving the planet feeling will doubtless appeal to some.

 

[Archie_tect]

Have you registered to get the Feed In Tariff Drago?

 

[annedonnelly]

I get just over £500 per year back from the FIT. Almost exactly what the installer predicted.

 

[Spinney]

Sorry, just realised I'm in the wrong forum. Mods, feel free to move this thread and flagellate me severely for my trangression.

 

[subaqua]

There are some pitfalls to avoid.

The installer must be MCS registered to get the FIT .
Having a 95 % guarantee is great if the installer and the panel maker are around in 30 years .

If you have a power cut you will NOT have a back up supply. The inverter MUST cut out on mains fail .

That said go for it and if you can use the juice then do so, if I went solar it would be solar water heating as that gives the best efficient use .

 

[Drago]

Have you registered to get the Feed In Tariff Drago?

Yurp.

 

[huwsparky]

That said go for it and if you can use the juice then do so, if I went solar it would be solar water heating as that gives the best efficient use .

What do you base that on?

 

[subaqua]

Use of the electricity when people are at home. If you have a laaaaarge water tank well insulated even in winter with a weak sun you can benefit more. The green side of the business I work for did the sums for me, and I trust them as we sell the green side on saving large business users ( NDA stops me naming our recent clients here till they do the grand announcements) money. If you have the money to invest in green then ground source or even air source is more efficient than current PV . The next one to watch is oxford laboratories though as they are close to getting PV capability on almost any surface and any shade so glass cladding Could generate revenue for a business. The Walkie talkie in London would be a great solar catcher

What do you base that on?

 

[huwsparky]

@subaqua

http://www.apollosolarproducts.co.uk/details/PP9035-V01_GEM_System/

Add one of these to your 4kw domestic PV system for around 10% of the price of installing a solar thermal system and you'll have all the hot water you'd ever need as well as the FIT. Hardly any if any export.

What happens in the summer when your cylinder is full of hot water by 10am (true)? You have solar panels as ornaments on your roof! And your telling me this is the most efficient type of SP?

If your going for 'one or the other' it's PV every time for the best return. No point in spending thousands installing solar thermal when a relativity cheap load diverting system will do the same job with no hassle.

 

[subaqua]

@subaqua

http://www.apollosolarproducts.co.uk/details/PP9035-V01_GEM_System/

Add one of these to your 4kw domestic PV system for around 10% of the price of installing a solar thermal system and you'll have all the hot water you'd ever need as well as the FIT. Hardly any if any export.

What happens in the summer when your cylinder is full of hot water by 10am (true)? You have solar panels as ornaments on your roof! And your telling me this is the most efficient type of SP?

If your going for 'one or the other' it's PV every time for the best return. No point in spending thousands installing solar thermal when a relativity cheap load diverting system will do the same job with no hassle.

Oh I forgot . Somebody always knows better. Silly me.

Dear all do what hue says he knows best obviously

 

[Drago]

Alas, the bummer is that my hot water is on a gas combi boiler One of the downsides of a bungalow. On the upside, Mrs Drago is home during the day so we're in a good position to cane the free juice.

 

[subaqua]

Alas, the bummer is that my hot water is on a gas combi boiler One of the downsides of a bungalow. On the upside, Mrs Drago is home during the day so we're in a good position to cane the free juice.

Couldn't possibly comment as I know nothing. The highly professional team saving a huge wad of cash for not only my employer but several larger blue chips on their energy know shoot too