Solar Panels
 

Thinking of getting some solar panels but have no idea where to start

So who has them and how much did the installation cost
Looking at buying them outright rather than one of the schemes where they fit them but you do not own them

Cheers
Jerry

Re: Solar Panels
 

Pm Flymo or search for his thread on it.

Re: Solar Panels
 

We had 9 x 240W Bosch panels (2.16kWh system) installed in early December (just before the 12th Dec cut-off which has since been put back) to get the 43p FIT rate. All-in cost was circa 9.4k, payback circa 8 years. Installed by our builder who has a company that does this.

We're with Utility Warehouse who give us an extra 2p on the FIT rate when export payments are made into our account rather than into the bank.

A few things to note:
1. Be careful as to how many roof-planes that you put the panels on. Each will give a different voltage and not many rectifiers can cope with more than two. Ours are on one plane only.

2. Make sure that the mountings are bolted into your roof joists and sealed properly where they go through the lining. Be careful with utility companies installing them for this reason.

Re: Solar Panels
 

Sanyo HIT panels with a SMA sunny boy inverter comes 5yr warranty.
Added an inline fuse box between inverter and panels.
Current payback period is 11 years projected from data collected since November. Roll on the summer :)

Re: Solar Panels
 

These figures for payback quoted - is that just the initial principal, or what the money would have been worth if invested?
If I put £10k in a 10 year bond at a rate of just 4%, it will be worth £15k in 10 years.

Re: Solar Panels
 

this is just basic repay initial capital costs. No adjustments for net present values or inflation or interest rates. That said have not factored in increase in FIT rate that is also index linked or rise in electricity rates.
Unfortunately the only data is from november and its based on SAP calculator using the projected annual output by month to determine a return.

Happy to make any adjustments if it makes it easier to compare against the compound interest of a 10 yr bond.

Re: Solar Panels
 

Ive done a fair bit of research as i want some panels. Go for the hybrid ones if you can afford. They cost a bit more but are much more efficient.
Just a little cool thing i heard. They started developing and using these new ones in America where they run tubes round the back of them with the water in and that cools them down making them over 3x more efficient than normal ones as most the energy is lost in heat, and it also heats the water up for the building.

Re: Solar Panels
 

i really dont get it,do you get you money back by not using the generated electric and selling it back to the grid for double what it costs to buy it!coz on the face off it,if i spent 9.5k on a set up and i pay about £32 a month on DD for electic it would take 24.7 years to get my money back asumming i never ever buy any more electric for a nother 24 years,or am i missing something

Re: Solar Panels
 

Sign up to the Government renewable energy scheme. They pay you for producing your own electricity to use. Any excess what you sell back to the grid is extra £££

Re: Solar Panels
 

I've never spent as long as 10 years at one house, and I doubt that will change, I like to move, so I'd be asking myself;
Would the PV panels be an asset or a liability when I come to move? I doubt a buyer would be willing to give the purchase value, but they may help sell the house as would a new kitchen or bathroom. On the other hand, if the FIT is not transferrable to a new owner (is it, and is that guarranteed?) then they are a bit of a chocolate teapot. In 10 years time will they still be seen in the same light, or be considered the fad that was solar water heating 20 years ago?