Re: Re:Solar PV

[Peter + Jane <pandj.munnoch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Elliot
Some time since you posted this...hope your system is still going well.
I have been collecting information and am close to a decision.
Partly depends on any changes to the FIT system by the new gov't...should
hear soon.
I am very interested in your setup as you got a=20
good price (a tad under =A34000/kw
installed is the best I have heard of).
Could you answer the following, please
Make of panels? 235w is again best I have heard of. 180w seems standard.
Size of panels?
Any guarantee?
Who was the installer?
You say "not susceptible to the vagaries of power companies and
governments=
"
...how  sure are you of that (any written contract or promise)?
Also you say "index linked". Is that in writing?=20
I haven't found that part yet in
all the websites I have visited.

As a general HA point (and why I kept this "on=20
list"), PV brings a new bit of logic
to power usage. Currently we are on economy 10=20
and run solar dhw and a heat pump.
The logic is to use off peak as much as possible.=20
With PV it is beneficial to use
self-produced electricity rather than selling it=20
back. Suddenly the heat pump (and
washing machine etc etc) will be on at peak=20
periods provided the PV is producing
enough. If PV output drops (weather change) then things should be turned
of=
f.
I am currently playing with an Owl+USB. It covers=20
6 tariff periods so can handle
Economy 10 (3 peak, 3 off peak periods per day) I=20
guess 2 of them, one on grid supply
and one on PV would supply data needed...then the fun starts with the
logic=
.
Has anyone on the list tackled this?

Rgds
Peter

At 10:39 04/09/2010, you wrote:
>
>
>Hi Darren
>
>I=92ve recently had solar PV installed =96 and its great! I=92ve got
16x23=
5W
>panels on a SSW facing roof and I get to export =91leky from about 7:30
ti=
ll
>the sun goes down. I=92ve just put in my first FIT =91Invoice=92 and
shoul=
d
>receive over =A3250 (it was a short period =96 on a regular basis I
expect=
to
>see closer to =A3500+ in Q2 and Q3, and =A3300+ for Q1 and Q4). Plus,
my
>consumer unit actually runs backwards during the day =96 oh! Deep
joy!!!! =
I=92m
>not expecting much in the way of export funds from NPower, but I have
the
>satisfaction of knowing that, on average, I=92m independent and am no
long=
er
>susceptible to the vagaries of the power companies/government.
>
>I looked at PV a couple of years back and decided that it just wasn=92t
>economically viable, even with the grants available at the time =96
now,
>however, with the HMG FIT scheme paying 41.3p for EVERY UNIT I GENERATE
an=
d
>an additional 3p for every unit I export back onto the grid, it=92s a
much
>better return. I=92m carefully accumulating generation data and have
run u=
p a
>spreadsheet that shows my estimated breakeven, on a =A315,000 system,
will=
be
>4.68 years (this estimate is based on several fluid factors and I=92m
>conscious that it=92ll actually be longer than this =96 say 5.5 -6
years w=
orst
>case). Then its all =91profit=92 =96 index linked and tax free. The ROI
ha=
s got
>to be up in the high teens percent and you can=92t get that anywhere
else!=
!
>
>One drawback =96 you get very conscious of sunlight (or lack of it).
SWMBO
>was on suicide watch for the first month, as I=92d be ranting at any
cloud
>that dared to cast shadows anywhere near my shiny new toy!
>
>Apart from that, the company I got the gear from were very helpful, the
MC=
S
>installers were the best fitters ever and the kit works flawlessly.
Ringin=
g
>endorsements all round.
>
>I=92d be happy to discuss this anytime...
>
>Regards
>
>Elliot
>
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>
>


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