Re: [OT]Solar Power

[Mal Lansell <mal@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Isn't it still the case that electricity-generating solar panels take
more energy to manufacture than they generate in their lifetime - ie
they may save you money in the very long run, but they do bugger all
good for the environment?

Mal

Martin Howell wrote:

>Depends on your viewpoint, as the girl said to the sailor. If they last
>20 years and you've paid them off in 10, then you have 10 years free
use
>and your money back at the end
>
>Martin
>
>Chris Hunter wrote:
>
>
>> > 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
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>