Getting solar panels is something I've wanted to do for years. When I first looked into it years ago I was told you needed a South-facing roof for them to be at all worthwhile. My house has roofs that face due east and west, so I put the idea to bed.
Then I read an article last summer that said the technology had progressed massively, and that they can be plenty effective even if you don't have a South-facing roof. The article (and dozens more I read in the course of my researching) also extolled the virtues of solar battery storage
Fast forward about 10 months, my little house is now the proud wearer of a 4.8kw solar array (6 panels front, 6 panels back), and a 5.8kw solar battery in my loft space:
Super chuffed with it. Only took one day to fit the whole lot, and it's working a charm. In the 8 days I've had it I've generated over 200kw/h of energy from the panels, with most of it going out to the grid, and I've saved over 200kg of CO2 (apparently, not sure how that's calculated!).
The nifty little app on my phone shows that at this point on a nice sunny June afternoon I'm generating over 3000w, with my battery at 100%, I'm using about 190w and exporting a whisker short of 2700w of carbon-free energy to the grid. My battery has never got below 68%, and I haven't paid a penny for any electricity from the grid in those 8 days. Pleased as punch!
Comments
What's the going rate for the feed-in back to the grid? Is it pennies these days or still a decent return?
The battery is a shrewd move. Have you got an off-peak tarriff for overnight charging in the darker months?
so you're generating 18kw a day ? how much are you using a day ?
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
I can't help about the shape I'm in, I can't sing I ain't pretty and my legs are thin
But don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to
I'm still on my existing 2 year fixed deal so have so far been untouched by the recent price hikes. Gonna wait til that expires next summer before moving onto one of the off peak tariffs (of they still exist).
Cost wasn't cheap, but think I got a good deal after getting plenty of quotes. All in, let's just say that it came to less than a new Heavy Aged Murphy Lab Les Paul!
Currently using about 4-5kWh per day on average, though obviously that'll go up significantly in the autumn/winter.
Narnia!
Would £8k cover it?
We've been thinking about the option for a while. Got as far as getting quotes a couple of years ago, but payback was about 20yrs, so didn't progress it.
Since then, electricity prices have increased a bit, panel tech has improved a bit, battery tech has also improved, so we're reconsidering.
Realistically, payback would have to be <10yrs as we'll likely be moving from here in ~10yrs and I'd like to get some cash back.
Feed in tariffs are now low enough as to be discounted from the sums. So it's about can you generate - and then store - enough to be independent of mains power in all but very rare occasions.
Space isn't an issue - we've got enough (east, south & west facing) roofspace, plus groundspace too, to have as many panels as we could need. The constraint for us is probably the battery tech - how much storage at how much cost would we need.
I quite literally have no idea what that is...................... £10 k ?
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
That seems like an impressive amount of generation from a relatively modest amount of roofspace.
We're using ~20kw/h per day, and 600kw/h-700kw/h per month over the last year, so that small array would be enough for us if the weather over your last 8 days was repeated through the year.
I'm thinking twice the array and twice the battery should therefore be enough to cover the dull-day periods ...
Hmmmmm ....
And if you have batteries then you can take them with you!
I saw a good video a wee while back about batteries. The advice was to get them first as you can charge them using an off peak rate and then use them during the day, plus they are transferable between properties.
If you can afford the panels then by all means get them but batteries are the key to getting the most from either setup.
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
Total cost was £7670. The panels are JA Solar 405w panels, and the battery is a SolaX 'Triple Power' unit, coupled with a SolaX 3.6kw X-1 Interver:
https://www.solaxpower.com/triple-power-battery/
https://www.solaxpower.com/x1-boost/
**Edit** I should add that I went through the whole getting quotes process around December/January time, before the whole energy price thing went completely bonkers. The company that did my install said that demand has shot up exponentially since then, and limited supply and panels/batteries + global supply chain uncertainty has sent the prices soaring up, so I think I got v lucky!
Bravo, that's an incredible guess!
This guy similarly started out focusing on cars, but has branched out into home solar stuff:
ISTM, though, that the donating-excess-to-grid thing is a poor option for the individual consumer. It would be so much better if we could distribute the surplus directly - i.e. to neighbours - at a rate of (say) half the normal consumer kWh. Everyone benefits.
(As a side issue, I expect the electricity industry will slowly increase the standing charge to claw back the lost profits due to solar. Can't avoid that unless going completely off-grid.)
They would normally advise putting it in the garage or utility room as a first option, but I don't have either so it's the only other option. They seem fairly confident it won't be an issue, and it's mounted direct to the outside wall that gets zero direct sunlight.