Re: [OT]Solar Power

[Chris Hunter <cjhunter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 > Looked at another way, you are investing £10k at an
interest rate of 10%
pa ...

don't forget that with solar panels the capital will be written-off -
ie: the effective interest-rate will like as not actually be negative !

Chris



Martin Howell wrote:

> 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