Free solar panels.

IronGiant

I just signed up

Purely for research purposes

Dave

ojock

Can I ask where you got this information from ? I'm thinking of installing them, but rather than what you suggest, having spoken to a few local estate agents, I got the opposite impression.

And this doesn't really back up what the report you found;

http://www.bhl.co.uk/article/1488/Micro-generation to become 'very important'

Was this "report" pre-April 2010, i.e. before the new feed-in tariff scheme ?

I suspect momentum will build and many more will take up the "free" install scheme, and for those with the capital, they will look at the potential 8-10% tax free p.a. and view it as a much better option than say 3-4% ISA. Additionally, the feed-in tariff I believe is linked to inflation - together with the additional savings in electricity, financially I think it's a no-brainer.

logiclee

Bringing up an old thread but I have Eon coming to do a survey on my roof on Monday (5th Sept).

I comply with having a shade free south facing roof and have enough roof space for a full 22 panel install. They just need to check the roofs strength.

For me to finance myself this install the cost would be £16k to £18k. I do have a £30k investment due to mature in 5 years so could probably get a return in 10 years or so but I could also get run over by a bus tommorrow so I'm going for free panels and I'll use the £30k on something nice.
We do have a high base load in the day, large fish pond with 2X120W pumps   air pump   uv filter, large fish tank with 2X300W heaters   pumps   UV   lights, usuall fridge and freezer, my wife doesn't work so has tv etc on during day. I can also set washer and dishwasher etc to come on during day so I should see a sizable saving on the electricity bill having a 4kw system installed.
Installers pay for insurance of the panels so my insurers say they will not increase premium.
Now the offer has been up and running a while having a qualifying south facing roof or having the panels already installed is seen as a selling point by our honest Estate Agent friends.
I'll let you know how the survey goes.

Cheers
Lee

BISHI

I would get a couple of quotesfrom other companies. Forget how many panels they can put on your roof, they come in different sizes - you want to know how many KW the system is. You should be paying about 4 to 4.5 thousand per KW - yours sounds between 3 and 4 KW which could generate a healthy profit if you pay for them yourself and get the feed in tarrif. If you can afford it I would suggest it will be the best investment opportunity for your money now and for the forseeable future.

logiclee

System is 4kW or 3.98kW I think they actually quote.

Will see what is said during the survey. I still think I'm going for free panels, I could finance them and pay up the loan in 5 years when my current investment finishes but my thoughts currently are......

Just got to the stage where we have no loans/mortgage and a bit of savings and would have to borrow £15k  for the panels.
Due to wife's health may need to move into a Bungalow in the next 10-15years.
Had two heart attacks myself (Only 42) so fancy spending my £30k investment rather than reinvesting it for another 25 years.

Cheers
Lee

Tigerblade

I've been looking at this recently as have noticed quite a few houses getting them. Normally if it's too good to be true then it normally is but I don't think I've read any negatives....just what if's. The only downer I can see is the fact it's a 25 year lease and something that could be a problem when selling, but the way things are going it would seem that houses without panels will be the odd ones out if this keeps up. With the Mrs being a childminder the bulk of our electricity will be daytime use too.....

Having said that I'm still not sure tho. Anyone actually have them under this free scheme got any input/advice/reassurances?

IronGiant

I applied a year ago and they weren't installed until the end of June, so it can be slow process.
Points to note:
Measure your roof yourself.  They miscalculated ours and said it was too small originally, but they could sell us 1.5kW system

Although it's a free installation be wary of last second unanticipated charges.  Because we had decking in front of the south facing roof they announced that a larger scaffolding installation might be required and they may have to make a surcharge of £175. This was a week before they were due to come and do it.  Scaffolders said the decking wasn't an issue, so no charge. Two days before they came they announced that they hadn't spotted any earth bonding to the gas pipes when they did the survey.  (The surveyor never looked for it, I was with them).  They told me that if they had to put it in they would have to charge me £150.  They must have forgotten to tell the electrician, because he didn't look for it either. Again, no charge, but it left a slightly sour taste in an otherwise painless process.

They've generated 873kW since installation on the 23rd June(3.42kW installation )  I can't tell how much of that we've used but as I'm here during the day it's a good proportion.

Any more questions, just ask.

johntheexpat

Have you installed the free roof insulation yet?

I know its a thread about solar panels, but it will probably save you more money than the soalr panels in the medium to long term.

IronGiant

It's next on my list I wanted to wait until after the installers had been and when loft temps dropped. That sounds like about now.

conrod129

Would you get it done again if you moved house ?