Solar Panels

[Hilary B]

Not the scheme, but our place in Spain has NO mains anything, we only have 4, 80W panels and a 400W windmill but we do have a back-up generator (I try to use it as little as possible). Apart from when we want power-tools, we very rarely have a power shortage, but we do run the generator as a precaution when doing laundry (spin dryer) in winter.
The batteries are always fully charged when we arrive, and we don't put the windmill on while we are away. At Christmas we are there for about 2 weeks, and have a fibre-optic Christmas tree and 2 sets of LED lights on all night every night.
We did originally have 6 panels, but when most of them were stolen we could only afford to get back to 4. Still seems OK.

[Corris]

I had 6.11kw installed on November 9. So far we've generated over 700kw, but I'm hoping that it will be much more in the summer.

[Piggle]

I can't have any as I don't own the roof ( I live in a downstairs garden flat ) ... also can't have cavity wall insulation as the pillock who owns upstairs won't agree to it despite me saying I would pay for it .

[veggiechicken]

I had 6.11kw installed on November 9. So far we've generated over 700kw, but I'm hoping that it will be much more in the summer.

That's a big set up Corris. Are they all on your roof or freestanding? PS I've turned green!!

[SarrissUK]

I don't have the cash to buy panels outright, so I tried for rent-a-roof panels. Unfortunately my terraced house have roofs that lean the wrong way so the companies aren't interested. I need to move next door!

[morverngirl]

In plain English please , is it worth it

[SarrissUK]

Which one Morverngirl.. the rent-a-roof panels or to buy? Either way, I think their return on investment has proven themselves. They're just a longer term investment now, due to the government lowering what you get back from the electric company.

[veggiechicken]

Mine should pay for themselves in about 10 years. They were installed 2 years ago. The Feed in Tarriff rateshave or are about to change but so have the costs of installation.. A lot depends on whether you're in it to make money or because you believe in it as a principle. I would never go down the rent a roof avenue though.

[FB.]

In plain English please , is it worth it

Probably, but it will depend on a variety of things.
Most companies will eagerly come round and quote.


If you can answer the following, we might be able to give a better idea on viability and the price you might expect to pay:

Which direction do your house roof(s) point?
Very roughly (say to the nearest 10-15 degrees) what is the roof slope?
Which part of the UK are you in (nearest big town/city)?
Is the roof shaded by trees, pylons, telephone cables, chimneys or bathroom ventilation pipes?
Does the roof have skylights, vents, unusual shapes which the panels will have to fit around, or is it nice and flat?
How big is the roof space on which panels could be mounted?

[FB.]

In plain English please , is it worth it

Oh...and here's a re-post of a discrete link which I posted earlier, where you can use the tool to work out which way your house faces and you can estimate the roof slope, and get an idea of the maximum likely cost and the likely payback:

> Link to solar performance/price estimator <

.

[Hilary B]

Just checked this out, I think our electricity bill may be too small to give us much benefit, but I want to work it out more precisely.

[Alison]

Based on what we've managed so far it will take us less than 10 years to get back the investment due to the feed in tarriffs we will be getting. Added to that we get free leccy part of the day and the prices of that are only going to go up so I'd say it was definitely worth it but only if you can afford the panels outright. If you're taking out a load you need to weight up the interest rates too and I'd not touch the rending schemes with a barge pole, loads of bad press about them if you google and there was a panarama style programme about them a while back too.

[veggiechicken]

An update on my electricity bills (not FIT payments). Npower have just sent my bill for the last 6 months. My standing order had already been reduced to £6, the lowest you can have to keep the account open apparently. They are now going to refund me £73, (my credit balance) but up my payments to £11 a month. Lets see how long it takes to go back into credit again. Thank you Solar panels!!

[alldigging]

I got mine in early December. Do you remember that couple of really bad windy days? That's when I had three brave men on my roof putting them on before the deadline.
My OH keeps the stats daily (We don't have a fancy gadget for doing it) - and I think this week (well if we ever get any sunshine) we'll break the 1000 units generated!

The first few months were grim as winter isn't a good time to be generating.

[Farmer_Gyles]

just checked the estimator thingy .....

nice big roof, south west facing .... a 3.0 system will cost £10k to install .... after 25 years, at VERY best, i will be £2500 better off .... or i could be £2000 worse off ....
do i risk finding £10k (or more?) to potentially lose even more money?
nah .... i think not ....