Re: [OT]Solar Power

["stevecrick2000" <steve.crick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Are the grants that hard to come by then; I expected a mark up from=20
the installers and most of the site I have read say that there is a=20
first come first served basis for the grants (ie when the money has=20
gone, the grants stop); but nothing indicates that you wont get the=20
grant.

Are these panels heavy? I have worries about having too much weight=20
up on the roof ready and waiting for the first snowfall of winter.

Steve


--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Martin Howell <martin.howell@...>=20
wrote:
>
> If you're gonna do it, do it big.  I have been looking at solar=20
panels=20
> recently on the basis that electrickery is going to get more=20
expensive=20
> over the next hundred years, while the price of PV panels is likely=20
to=20
> drop.  You're right, the big house-sized panels do cost a lot, but=20
the=20
> reputable makes are mostly guaranteed for 20 or 25 years, and at=20
today's=20
> electricity prices, I reckon the payback period is around 10 years.=20
As=20
> the price of the mains stuff goes up, the payback period comes down=20
to=20
> maybe  7 or 8 years.  I estimate the cost of installation to be=20
around=20
> =A38 - 10k, less if you can DIY lots of it, and the output is
better=20
if=20
> you make the panels motorised so that they swivel to follow the sun.
>=20
> Looked at another way, you are investing =A310k at an interest rate=20
of 10%=20
> pa, won't get that in the Hong Kong and Scrotum Bank, o no.
>=20
> I'm seriously looking at the idea, either full autonomy with a=20
garden=20
> full of old tractor batteries, or an arrangement to sell the=20
daytime=20
> juice to the 'grid and buy it back when its dark. You do need a few=20
sq=20
> metres of panels, though, so be prepared to cover large parts of=20
the=20
> roof and/or garden with them.
>=20
> Be aware as well that in spite of lots of froth from Tony, grants=20
are=20
> like rocking horse poop.  Not only that, but you have to use an=20
approved=20
> installer, whoops, there's the grant money gone.  I'm doing some=20
more=20
> digging to try to buy the panels direct from the manufacturer, then=20
its=20
> up on the roof for me.  Watch this space.
>=20
> Martin
>=20
> Phil Harris wrote:
> > Have you seen the price of solar panels big enough to generate
a=20
decent
> > supply of electricity? :-O
> >=20
> > Phil=20
> >=20