Solar panels, are they worth it?

[Capetown]

FIT Payments. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/85846/010214rpiadjustedtariffspv1.pdf

[mickdundee]

I think its definately worth getting a couple of different companies to assess your potential install and give you some forecasted figures. Especially if your planning on spending at least the next 10 years at this address. I got mine on about 18 month ago and only wish I'd done it sooner

[daveindales]

I had one firm come out last night. I did my research on them before he arrived, and found out they had been fined for silent phone calls. Anyhow, I let him give his speech. A great salesman, and I can understand how people are taken in by some of them. His price and potential earnings were over the top. Defiantly, won't be going with them. But I knew that from before he arrived. Have some more coming today, with a better track record, from research on Internet.

[FatherJack]

Some points to note:

Reliability - our Asian friends have cornered the market in the manufacture of panels / key components. Some commercial farms have suffered recently. So check warranty etc. of the hardware.

Roof - If retrofitting to your house roof, make sure the fitter knows what he is doing. Alot of the fitters are just a bunch of cowboys who know that Joe Blogs will never be able to inspect their workmanship.

 

Pointless having a system installed that may save you a few grand in a ten year period, but won't last ten years, or results in roof degradation which requires major works costing tens of thousands.

 

Yours sincerely

Mr Glass Half-Empty

[NFG]

Hi,

 

I think if you have the money, then its better than letting it fester in the bank. What you need to do is speak to people who have had installations & get some recommendations as Im sure there is a variance in quality of installation & quality of solar panels & inverters etc.

 

Last thing you want on a 20 year investment is crap kit installed by fly by night company wound up before you know it, if you know what I mean.

 

Quality & attention to detail is vital.

 

In the meantime a visit to PV Watts may assist your decision as you can enter your variables & do some calcs

 

PVWatts Calculator

 

good luck, we have a small 'off grid' system for backup & thermo tubes for hot water, work a treat but it is a bit sunnier here as we're about 400 miles south of UK.

 

 

N

[Riggerbear]

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

The 15% - 20% was a P.A. return with up to 400% return over the 20 years

[ballibeg]

Unlikely they'll be working in twenty years!

[Riggerbear]

The manufactures suggest a 0.5% loss of efficacy every year.

The renewable energy centre in mid wales were having a extension built and took some of their 15 year old panels off while the building works were being carried out. They had them tested for efficacy and found that they not lost as much as the manufactures had stated and none of there's needed replacing.

[Woodworks]

Unlikely they'll be working in twenty years!

 

Saw a report on some BP PV panels out in the North sea that were 20 years old. Not only working fine but had only lost a fraction of their original efficacy.

[ballibeg]

Different beasts.