Solar Panels

IronGiant

Ours (if only) have fed in 1254 kWh since they were installed on 23rd June so that's nearly £500 for one quarter

AudiophileUk

To add to this thread, I stumped up £10,000 to have a 3.9kw system installed. The early "jeremy vine" info sounded like typical radio chitter chatter, not really on the money at all and missed the point altogether.

However, for me the only real financial reason to do this was, the government feed in tarriff. I can only imagine the MOST you will make from a 4kw system a year in electricity savings is £400 odd, at best.

AudiophileUk

oh and FYI after calling in Tesco and Everest, who could only manage 2.2kw, I used the same company Tesco sent our privately and got 3.9kw. This was because Tesco and other firms stick to an OTT border of 40mm top and bottom. The MSC regulations allow 10mm and 20mm which meant all the difference on my roof. Still perfectly safe as the Everest man admitted!

GaryMo

10 or 20mm from the bottom of the roof, near the gutter?

AudiophileUk

Oops, mistake in my post that's 100mm / 200mm as opposed to tesco's 400mm top and bottom. Yes and that's the distance from the bottom of the roof next to gutter.

If it's very tight, and makes alot of difference get a reputable installer around and see how well you can jig it. You don't want a cowboy fitting panels past your roof line (as I've seen)!

I have to say that I actually measured up the roof, got the different panel sizes and did a rough roof plan to get max KW out of the space. Out of the 2 companies I saw neither really jigged it as well as me, or their measurements were slightly out. I printed them out a plan and they got them on! I guess they can't be bothered to consider different sized panels to suit, they just want to be in and out.

In the end I think I ended up about 300mm from both top and bottom.

AudiophileUk

well I haven't got any figures to hand, but it's not very hard to work out an approximation of what a 2.2kw system would generate in KWh per year. You know roughly how much electricty companies charge per kwh. However you might assume (at the elec company does) that you will only use around 50% of what you generate. 50% is assumed exported and you are paid for, but that will only equal around £40 a year.

The FIT is where you make money. If you pay for the system and are entitled to the FIT then you would probably make the £1000 a year (90% fit, 10% solar savings!)

AudiophileUk

Ok did some *rough* calculations on a 2.2kw system over a year...assuming 50% export, 50% used.

- Total Generation: 1910kwh
- Income from export £30
- Fuel Bill Savings £119
- FIT payments £827
- Total = £976

As you can see a 2.2kw system could give you around £1000 back a year. However if it isn't a self installed system, but a "rent a roof" sheme, you would only save....

£149!

GaryMo

100mm seems way too close in my opinion considering the panels are seated above the roof too. I can see a downpour resulting in floods of water totally missing the gutter and just pouring off the roof.
300mm, as you've had installed, is a much more sensible figure.

Smurfin

Rent a roof schemes just seem like a bad idea full stop.  Wish there was a way of storing the energy during the day, it would swing me towards getting panels installed...

AudiophileUk

I think it may be possible... however quite costly. Also 2 points on this: 1) you can set power hungry appliances, washing, tumble dryer, etc to come on during the day.
2) Even if you used 100% of the electricity generated in my 2kw example, it would only increase fuel saving from £119 to £239 a year, hardly earth shattering.

The Feed In Tarrif is where you make your money, exported, used or unused it pays you for every kwh AND it won't be on offer forever (geez i should be a salesman for the scheme!)