Solar panels and battery - any real world recommendations?

Aye that looks pretty ropey lol

Seriously I don't understand why newbuilds don't give the option of integrated solar looks way better that standard tiles + solar imho
 
Moley said:
Forgive me if some of this has been answered already but trawling through 96 pages of text isn't my idea of fun. :)
Like others I am starting to consider solar - mostly because of the energy price increases but also a little because we are trying to be a bit greener in my household.

My house is L shaped with the point of the L pointing directly south - so I have two roofs effectively that can catch daylight all day. My combined gas and electric bill is £207 per month for a 4/5 bed house, me working from home, lots of electric toys, etc.
I guess I'm wondering, realistically if it's possible to get most, if not all of the electricity we need from a Solar array and roughly how much that might cost me. If it's £10-12k and it pays for all my electricity it could be feasible for me. If we can send some back to the grid and get a rebate even more so.

Any advice folks and any recommended installers in Hampshire?

Thanks!
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Much better telling us how many kWh electricity you use per year, as the cost is impossible to calculate in reverse, panels generate power not £'s after all :)

Also need to know what high draw appliances you have, and if they are used often/all the time/ some times, e.g. some people use a tumble dryer all year round, where some people have none at all. You might also have aircon, or a hot tub. So some idea of how the usage is spilt as well, home all day, only home in the evening and mornings.

Any plans get get an EV, or do you already have a PHEV maybe? Again important info as to how you can use the power generated.

Do you have a smart meter already? If so what is your base load when nothing 'special' is happening you can find this out by looking at your in-home-display (IHD) and selecting the function to show the power draw figure, not the £ figure.

Come back with some of the info above and you'll get a better idea of what will fit your needs, but ultimately solar is always going to be beneficial in the longer term regardless of the answers.
 
~Divine~Wind~ said:
Aye that looks pretty ropey lol

Seriously I don't understand why newbuilds don't give the option of integrated solar looks way better that standard tiles + solar imho
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If you've seen the 'options' cost on new builds you'll know why most people wouldn't select it. Better to source it themselves.
 
SDK^ said:
If you've seen the 'options' cost on new builds you'll know why most people wouldn't select it. Better to source it themselves.
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In all honesty some of the options we've seen recently have been pretty decent in my eyes.
But seeing the cost of tiles, then the cost to install them I really do think that they're missing a trick not giving integrated solar as an option.

Yes they'd chuck a markup on them but would save a lot of time, effort and messing about fir the buyer as well as probably hit an higher EPC
 
Bug One said:
Now is both a great time, and an awful time. With the price of electric expected to soar, it's a good time to invest. Solar starts recovering it's cost as soon as it's installed.

However demand is high, and installers seem to be charging at least 30% more than what the were before.

Batteries are far more expensive than they should be, and 'bird protection' seems to be a way to slap an arbitrary £900 onto the price.
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I have recently accepted an install quote myself and I thought even the cost price still seemed high, to be honest though I didn't fancy going up on the roof after they had finished so was worth it to me.

Code: 
With regards to the points you have raised 1, Bird protection is available but sadly at a cost, the cost is £495, including fitting and VAT, if you decide to go ahead I will do it as cost price which would be £295, including fitting and VAT
 
iwrox said:
I have recently accepted an install quote myself and I thought even the cost price still seemed high, to be honest though I didn't fancy going up on the roof after they had finished so was worth it to me.

Code: 
With regards to the points you have raised 1, Bird protection is available but sadly at a cost, the cost is £495, including fitting and VAT, if you decide to go ahead I will do it as cost price which would be £295, including fitting and VAT
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Ask him to remove the VAT as it's part of the install of your panels.
 
I'd like to switch to Octopus before I fit my additional array, but its a little confusing as to how it all works.

I can see I can switch my existing FITS to Octopus, and I can use Outgoing to get paid 7.5p for what I export. Would this mean having two tariffs like Outgoing Octopus for export, and Flexible Octopus April 2022 v1 for import which seems the same as what I'm paying at the moment?

I've read various things on Octopus's site, but it seems a bit out of date, and it appears the only way to move to them currently is to phone them, is that correct?

My current rates are:
  • Electric: 29.484p per kWh and standing charge per day 41.65p.
  • Gas: 7.319p per kWh and standing charge per day 27.22p.
Edit: I currently get paid 50% of what I generate as deemed export at 5.99pkWh, and over the year we do export about half, but once the new panels and battery go in we might shift around the tariff's to our advantage.
 
Ron-ski said:
I'd like to switch to Octopus before I fit my additional array, but its a little confusing as to how it all works.

I can see I can switch my existing FITS to Octopus, and I can use Outgoing to get paid 7.5p for what I export. Would this mean having two tariffs like Outgoing Octopus for export, and Flexible Octopus April 2022 v1 for import which seems the same as what I'm paying at the moment?

I've read various things on Octopus's site, but it seems a bit out of date, and it appears the only way to move to them currently is to phone them, is that correct?

My current rates are:
  • Electric: 29.484p per kWh and standing charge per day 41.65p.
  • Gas: 7.319p per kWh and standing charge per day 27.22p.
Edit: I currently get paid 50% of what I generate as deemed export at 5.99pkWh, and over the year we do export about half, but once the new panels and battery go in we might shift around the tariff's to our advantage.
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Yes I swapped using the link on the website, and then had to call directly by phone
 
@94JDH Links seem to be dead ends now, ultimately going to a message that says you have to phone them, and they are only open when I'm at work :(
 
Was considering moving to octopus and make use of the £50 referral bonus. But looks like that does not work now. Maybe you can join over the phone, but then might miss out on the £50.
 
TNA said:
Was considering moving to octopus and make use of the £50 referral bonus. But looks like that does not work now. Maybe you can join over the phone, but then might miss out on the £50.
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Referral does work over the phone, but you might need their name as well.
 
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