Solar panels, are they worth it?

[daveindales]

Thinking about getting some. I have a south facing bungalow. Just wondered if anyone else is thinking about installing them, with the feed in tarrif dropping all the time.

[Stubby]

Thinking about getting some. I have a south facing bungalow. Just wondered if anyone else is thinking about installing them, with the feed in tarrif dropping all the time.

 

Near me a farm has just filled a reclaimed gravel pit with about 30 acres of them so they must think so ....

[Rkd]

The feed in tariff generally drops with the cost of the install!!! At the days of like 40p a kW the install costs were thur the roof!!

 

There's a spreadsheet that estimates your return!!

[Richard 1234]

There is a farm near me also putting them in. a retired farmer has got 120 acres of them they have just recently gone online. Not his though he's just done a long lease on the land

[Philip Anderson]

Thinking about getting some. I have a south facing bungalow. Just wondered if anyone else is thinking about installing them, with the feed in tarrif dropping all the time.

 

The commercial installations have different rates to domestic ,I put 2.5 kW domestic system in 3 years ago so FIT is now 48.8 pence I'm not sure what it is for systems installed now .we have fitted an I solar which diverts exported electricity into our hot water cylinder.our install cost then was £8k I think you can get 4kw system for £4.5k now might still be worth doing and panels a better now with independant inverters.

[daveindales]

Think feed in tarrif is around 13p now

[Woodworks]

Had some for a few years now. Cost was high as an early adopter but the return for top rate FIT has more than made up for it. They have produced to date 11.5 megawatt hours which is not to be sniffed at. It's one of the few products I have seen that actually do exactly as advertised PRESUMING A GOOD SITE. Even now in the depths of winter if the sun pops out I can run the ground source heat pump and washing machine for about 6 hours just off the PV.

[daltontrees]

Just got a 4.5kW system installed. We just make sure washing machine and dishwasher are put on during the day or on a time delay to come on during the day. Basically even in winter the system produces enough to do a wash which otherwise would be paid for at full price from the grid.

 

Our system was completely free. Like, £0 free. All paid for through Greendeal.

[Riggerbear]

I had a 4kw system put in last year for just under 6 k. Should pay for itself in about the 5th year with what you save on bills if you punch clever and with the F.I.T payments.

Up to a 15% to 20% return on your money over the 20 year F.I.T term.

[Richard 1234]

I had a 4kw system put in last year for just under 6 k. Should pay for itself in about the 5th year with what you save on bills if you punch clever and with the F.I.T payments.

Up to a 15% to 20% return on your money over the 20 year F.I.T term.

 

If it pays for itself in 6 years then are you not getting about 300% over 20 years?