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SIRUSKEY

Hi all,

Moving house soon and looking at some options for heating and electricity.

The issue I'm having when I have a glance around is, we are not high energy users at all. Looking at the cost of some installation it will take me 10  yrs to pay it off.

Have your PV's been worth the cost? At what point did they pay for themselves?

Cheers
Craig

                                                                                                                                       

neilball

4kw system installed by a local independent in Dec 2014 for £6250. Total annual revenue is around £1k meaning a 6 year simple payback. We are an all-electric household so manage to use nearly everything we generate too.

SIRUSKEY

Wow, is that revenue this "feed-in traffif" I have seen referred to?

It's very early days, only began to consider it this week

neilball

It's a combination of the the feed-in tariff, fixed 50% export payment, and the offset of power I would otherwise have to pay for that totals approx £1k per year. The feed-in tariff is now much lower so you need to run the figures to see how the figures stack up at current rates.

blankscreen

I was in a solar panel thread just prior the the 'fit' being lowered, as part of researching info (as you do).

There were are reasons but mainly I decided at my age (then 65) by the time it paid off estimated after 10 years, I'd be to old to enjoy the benefits (or savings made with the ladies), likely be more concerned about what fragrance will be used for my bed bathes

The relevance to the above post, last I week I get a 'follow up' call, mistakenly stating I have had solar panels fitted. When corrected, she moved onto the new systems with batteries. since the change in FIT the limitation on 4kw no longer exists. She also stated the new battery systems could provide up to 90% of my electricity.

TBH I'm very Suspicious, but I have made an appointment to explore the options, sales guy coming this Wednesday.

Have to say, I'm impressed by the 1k savings made from a 4K kit above.

from what I know my nephew had a 4K system installed on a free scheme, basically you pay nothing, but get no FIT for renting your roof out for 20 years, are those deals still around and worthwhile?

I have read some recent threads about battery types, lead acid being heavy, require more space and user interaction, others use lithium, more expensive and are they not more likely to catch Fire, especially in a loft with the heat?

Our electrical energy usage is for lighting and cooking, we have gas central heating. We budget pay £84.00 PMC for dual fuel with EDF.

Not bothered on the selling up angle as we have no intention of moving, and in any case our nephew sold his house with no issue, in fact contrary to many comments against 'free' systems, being solar was already in place it was a   factor in selling his home to a young couple.

I'd appreciate any advice/observations from members,

Regs
Alan

blankscreen

Well, i had the follow up call last night, i advised i was recording what was said, so i can go back over it.

guy was imho extremely informative about a battery system, patient and helpful, but i'm still not convinced it is worthwhile for us.

We could pay cash for battery backed £9600.00 5KWt or £8900.00 for a 4KWt system. Playing what savings could earn in interest, against energy savings made was a big consideration.

The higher capacity would offer longer battery operation (plugging in more batteries if found needed), meaning less likely a need to draw power down from the national grid - so being a variable indirect saving if you will.

On an independent energy site there is a 'fag box' calculation based on 4k system (no batteries) of £6500.00. In short, the break even point is 22 years and to me not so attractive.

A point made was in the future energy will cost more, also VAT @20% wil be charged from next year, not sure now we have voted to leave, if that is still be the case, and how it affects the calculations?

Alan

SteveCritten

I had mine installed in Feb 2012 and my reading is now at 16887 so at today's rate that should work out at £2k a year for the FIT. Plus we save £20-£30 a month usage. Plus well passed the break even point as I paid £8k originally. Been happy with mine but I wouldn't buy one now until the efficiency of the panels improves. Ground source heating would be my first instal.

blankscreen

Those figures really do stun me, with all the greatest respects i do beleive you, i i came across an article last week on a green for PV site, that reckonned a 4Kwt system costing (iirc) £6650.00 on the current FIT rate 'done on the back of a fag box' was s phrasea used, took 22 years just to break even - i'll be 89 by then .

A complaint i read was their installers sluggishness in taking 6  months in registering their system details just to reclaim the FIT.

i'd guess it depends what rate you can get on finance, thats not currentky being helped by the 'out' win .

Reo who came around last I prior warned i was taping the session and showed the device, said it won't happen now photos are taken, date, time and location are stamped automatically by smartphone and sent on.

He then also said if i were ti pay outright, the savings i made would be a better return similar to 4% than the current rate of interest earned on savings.

If i got anywhere near your excellent figures, that would be a far better return.

The rep went in to say, go with a 5kwt system - for the additional cost of £680.00, while you don't get any additional payment, with the now included batteries i'd cover myself better against buying electricity on poorer solar days.

What di you think using todays kit eith stotage batteries figures, against ground heat recovery systems?

If i went ahead I would not lay down that much cash in full, but buy in part on a credit card just to get that protection, and take the 1.5% cost as an insurrance 'hit'.

Being pragmatic I would likely finance it this way just to protect should one of us die before it was all paid up.

I Would really like your further input

Alan

SteveCritten

Good idea with the credit card. I didn't think you could get FIT if your system is over 4KWH unless the rules have changed since I got mine. I still don't think the return would be good enough. i use a lot of my generated electricity with 2 kids on PCs in the house and the in laws so I wouldn't have a lot to store but even if I did it would only equate to £30 or so a month.

blankscreen

To clarify, 4k is still the maximum you can claim FIT for, the idea of going with 5k is to give more power to charge the batteries (which i might expand on) in my home, before i need to draw from the grid, so saving on paid for usage. Realising the grid will get more overproduced at times, free unused power back from me

Our situation being new pensioners but still self employed, all kids are off hand (which never happens in reality), 3 bed bungalow, 2 reception rooms and kitchen.

Gas heated, electric cooking, electric shower, we removed unused bath several years ago as we prefer showers, and to make soace into a mite useful utility room, 90% LED lighting. Most computing done on iPads or iPhones, otherwise on laptops.

i'm an occasional 3P Xbox1 games player - like the so called England Football team i always expect to win but i rarely fulfil my claimed obvious potential!

Alan