Solar Panel Questions!!

[ianrobbo1]

Had a salesman round today with reference to getting solar panels fitted to the roof of the Robbo household, he appeared to be very good, though he was only the first of a few I've got coming in the next week or so, has anyone got anything I need to know/ask about having these things fitted, I have been told that my house and garage are ideal for a split system that will give me a 4KW return, with the inverter installed in the garage, which suits me, many thanks in advance!!@tu*

 

[robsbird]

tell me more.......................Cost.....tariff.........:dunno:

 

[CBRDEAN0]

My dad has them fitted on both sides of his roof.
4kw system - inverter in the loft.
Total installed cost was just short of £7k
Typical payback ( feed in tarrif + lower electric bills ) = £900 per year

I queried how they could "feed back" in to the system and was told that you can't !!!! ( It's one of these "GREEN ENERGY" cons but it benefits you )

You will be paid for 50% of the systems capability for 10 years.

As long as the system is generating 3v more than the normal incomming supply your normal electric meter will stay still.

The best way to make the system most efficient is to use electric in the daylight hours ( washing machine, dryers etc ) when the system can outdo the incomming voltage.

EDIT - things to ask :

1. TOTAL installed cost - some quote you then add the scaffolding price on top !!
2. What is your GUARANTEED return and for how long
3. WARRANTY - how long for and does it cover parts and labour
4. What are the conditions for the feed in tarrif ? - some demand that your house meets the thermal efficiency targets first ( extra charges to make the house comply )
5. Is the system fully certified ( most energy companies want the certificates before they will pay the feed in tarrif )

 

[Rheumatoid]

don't rent your roof - presume you are buying outright?

Things are at a tipping point now I reckon and would be tempted to hang on. although efficiency is better and costs lower than a couple of years ago feed in is much less. The cost of these things per kw seems to be coming down all the time and even with a piss poor feed-in might be worth it in a bit. You also have to factor in gearing up your place to make the most of your free daytime leccy such as water and thermal storage.

R.

 

[damientt]

We had panels installed six or seven years ago. Definitely a good investment.

Your big difficulty will be, as everyone knows, the Sun never shines in Barnsley.

 

[Jaws]

I could only get a 2.5kw system on the roof.
It was NOT the cheapest by quite a long chalk.. £10k +

But.. Looking at the figures Deano has given I think I proly did the right thing.
It has been almost exactly two years since we had them fitted
The two summer payments each year have been between £550 and £650 and the winter ones £275 to £375

So an average return per year of about £1400 .. in cheques

Then of course there is, as mentioned, the considerably cheaper bills. Ours have dropped in excess of 1/3rd

While I agree with Rhumy, there will always be 'better news tomorrow'
I actually know a guy who wanted a computer back in the early 80's

There was always something better coming soon....

To this day he still has not got any sort of computer and still has no mobile fone for the same reason ( and he has a whole spare room full of computer mags !!! )

Make your decision, bite the bullet and just do it

As cost of installation goes down so will the feed in tariff ..

I expect to have mine fully paid for in about 7 to 8 years.. No idea if I will even live that long, but hey, we get the feed in tariff for 25 years so even when I pop me clogs woman will get it, and then one of the kids will get it..

And lets face it, power is not getting cheaper ( and the feed in tariff goes up each year too, so you get more and more as things change !! )

 

[robsbird]

repay is about 10 years......

so only good if staying

as said don't rent ya roof as most if not all sign a 20 year lease to your roof

god help you if you have a problem with the roof as they don't want to know after fitting it. and its very hard to sell on the house with it there,
and some insurance company's don't like them as well.

and as it stands to get the high feed in tariff you house has to meet high energy efficiency rating could take you down as low as 4p feed in

:dunno:

 

[Rheumatoid]

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-solar-panels#buy

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...-Tariff-cut-costs-fall--worth-investing.html

I wouldn't buy at the moment and as anyone who knows me will testify I'm usually one of the first to jump in to interesting technology. You need to think very carefully about the returns and disadvantages with these things at the moment now the feed in is far from a no-brainer and take what most installers tell you with a pinch of salt.

 

[Rheumatoid]

and although interest rates are low at the moment you need to factor in lost investment interest / income from the 7-10k shelled out for 10 years or more and a possible reduction in the resale value of your home.

 

[Centaur]

Fucking disgrace the whole thing.

A tax-payer rip-off to please the rich middle-class who can afford it.8rfl@

 

[Rheumatoid]

A tax-payer rip-off to please the rich middle-class who can afford it.8rfl@

about sums up JAWS and Mr Wobbo

 

[Jaws]

A tax-payer rip-off to please the rich middle-class who can afford it.8rfl@

Why thank 'e sir... Iaint rich so I must be middle class at last !!! @tu*

 

[Centaur]

You are rich John.

I have never met anyone with such a loving family and so many genuine friends. :bow:

 

[Tinytim]

I have never met anyone with such a loving family and so many genuine friends. :bow:

I have just thrown up. uke:

 

[Centaur]

Hooked a biggie.

Unusual bait but very efficient.8rfl@

 

[Stevebrooke]

I've got them, but was fortunate enough to benefit from the fiasco a couple of years ago when the court case was on between the Govt and the renewable energy people over dropping the feed-in tariff. As a consequence the panels came down about 30% on the assumption that the feed-in tariff was about to drop by 50%. So I managed to get much cheaper panels along with the higher FIT (about 45p a unit now I think and rising with inflation).

My 3.2KWh made ?1200 in it's first year and I'm using the FIT to pay for the panels, which should only take about 5 years and then it's all mine. Along with decreased usage I'm quids-in. Unfortunately I think the FIT is now only around 16p per unit so they'll take a lot longer to pay back.

I wouldn't listen to the scaremongering about selling your house with panels fitted. I have a clause in my contract allowing the panels to be removed once for a maximum of 3 months during the 25 year contract to enable maintenance and such like, and if you tell a buyer that you're making so many hundreds of pounds a year, and your electricity bill is half of what it used to be I'm sure they'll not be put off.

I've had no problems with my mortgage company or insurers,all that was dealt with by the installer, all I had to do was check the paperwork, sign, and be in on the day of installation.

Regarding feeding in to the grid. An electrician friend told me it doesn't exactly "feed" the grid but reduces the load.

 

[ianrobbo1]

Thanks for all your input, well it's a no brainier as far as getting panels fitted, so as soon as I'm made redundant up they go, of course it'll be plan B if the twats keep me on!! :bang:

I've also been told by a few other people that having the feed in tarrif actually helps sell the house, if I were interested in selling!!:dunno:

 

[Rheumatoid]

I've also been told by a few other people that having the feed in tarrif actually helps sell the house, if I were interested in selling!!:dunno:

The prospective fitters per chance 8rfl@8rfl@

 

[4_4_2]

The prospective fitters per chance 8rfl@8rfl@

lets be honest here, some people will see them as a buying plus, and others will see them as a minus, like having a garage or a conservatory. My concern would be how much they will cost to remove if they started adversely affecting the roof, in terms of weather proofing or indeed just the shear weight of them, (or when a mini tornado rips up a street full of them and starts killing people. (Dont laugh it WILL happen one day). They haven't been around long enough yet for the horror stories to kick in.

 

[Jaws]

If you get a reputable company in to do the job, the first thing they will do is a pretty comprehensive survey of the roof..

We had two local estate agents give a valuation before and after the panels were fitted

First one never changed and the second added ?7000 on the value.

One thing that they did say was that valuation will increase as energy prices rise in the coming years.

We have not had a valuation this year but as we not likely to move ( proly be carried out of here in a box someday ) I really aint that worried if they add value or not.. My only concern is that, based on the past 2 years, we are looking at about a 22% p.a return

And that guys and girls, is better than I can reasonably expect from ANY usual investment.. ( no doubt there are some get rich quick very dodgy schemes around but I am perfectly happy with the work and the investment )