Re: [OT]Solar Power

[Martin Howell <martin.howell@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

If you're gonna do it, do it big.  I have been looking at solar panels
recently on the basis that electrickery is going to get more expensive
over the next hundred years, while the price of PV panels is likely to
drop.  You're right, the big house-sized panels do cost a lot, but the
reputable makes are mostly guaranteed for 20 or 25 years, and at today's
electricity prices, I reckon the payback period is around 10 years. As
the price of the mains stuff goes up, the payback period comes down to
maybe  7 or 8 years.  I estimate the cost of installation to be around
£8 - 10k, less if you can DIY lots of it, and the output is better if
you make the panels motorised so that they swivel to follow the sun.

Looked at another way, you are investing £10k at an interest rate of
10%
pa, won't get that in the Hong Kong and Scrotum Bank, o no.

I'm seriously looking at the idea, either full autonomy with a garden
full of old tractor batteries, or an arrangement to sell the daytime
juice to the 'grid and buy it back when its dark. You do need a few sq
metres of panels, though, so be prepared to cover large parts of the
roof and/or garden with them.

Be aware as well that in spite of lots of froth from Tony, grants are
like rocking horse poop.  Not only that, but you have to use an approved
installer, whoops, there's the grant money gone.  I'm doing some more
digging to try to buy the panels direct from the manufacturer, then its
up on the roof for me.  Watch this space.

Martin

Phil Harris wrote:
> Have you seen the price of solar panels big enough to generate a
decent
> supply of electricity? :-O
>
> Phil
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx]
>>On Behalf Of Crick, Steve (UK)
>>Sent: 06 April 2006 09:31
>>To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>>Subject: [ukha_d] [OT]Solar Power
>>
>>
>>Does anybody on the list have any views on solar power? With
>>the rising fuel costs, it is starting to look attractive.
>>
>>I have googled the subject, and seems that you can have
>>electricity and hot water panels.
>>
>>This is an area that I know nothing about, so I would welcome
>>any views on either type of device. Is one better to have
>>than the other? Are there any pitfalls? Suppliers/installers
>>that people would use again (or
>>avoid!)
>>
>>Probably more for the self build lists; but I have never self
>>built so I am not on those lists, and anyway most of my
>>electricity consumption goes on the HA gadgets and PC servers
>>anyway...
>>
>>Thanks - Steve
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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