Energy Prices (Strictly NO referrals!)

danlightbulb said:
I can imagine it becoming like uPVC windows. The raw generating cell itself in a variety of standard sizes, and frame it up to suit the application.

Only having 2 quite large standard sizes doesn't make much sense when we have quite a variety of roof shapes in this country.

It doesn't sound overly complicated to do this. Even just having one smaller panel size would enable trickier areas to be infilled.
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The problem is you need to maintain voltage from memory, as all the panels have to be able to work together and as each cell in a panel is a set size (needs to be for physics reasons from memory), and outputs a certain voltage you need a minimum number of cells to make a panel work with any given inverter.

You could make smaller panels, I've seen some that are as small as an A4 sheet for trickle charging car batteries for example, and you can get them down to a few cm in size but their sizing limits their voltage output, so to have different sized panels you'd potentially need different inverters for each size, or to be able to connect multiple of the smaller ones up in a different way to the larger ones.
Basically you're looking at potentially a very different standard and a lot of additional/different equipment to be able to use smaller cells alongside the big ones.
 
Werewolf said:
The problem is you need to maintain voltage from memory, as all the panels have to be able to work together and as each cell in a panel is a set size (needs to be for physics reasons from memory), and outputs a certain voltage you need a minimum number of cells to make a panel work with any given inverter.

You could make smaller panels, I've seen some that are as small as an A4 sheet for trickle charging car batteries for example, and you can get them down to a few cm in size but their sizing limits their voltage output, so to have different sized panels you'd potentially need different inverters for each size, or to be able to connect multiple of the smaller ones up in a different way to the larger ones.
Basically you're looking at potentially a very different standard and a lot of additional/different equipment to be able to use smaller cells alongside the big ones.
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Two 30 cell panels in series should give same voltage as one 60 cell panel I would think.

Maybe a bit more design involved but I doubt physics is the issue.
 
chrcoluk said:
HS2 is just so stupid at this point.

On your tax point, this is why I think we need a cross party agreement, so basically we will have unified policy of investing in our power sources, instead of one trying to put tax cuts or alternative spending against it.
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HS2 is Osborne's legacy.
 
LabR@t said:
Finally broke the £600 threshold


2 Year Fixed​

(2 Year Fixed)


Estimated energy cost​

£613
a month

  • Plan rates​

    Electricity​

    Unit rate:
    72.29p/kWh
    Standing charge:
    46.54p/day

    Gas​

    Unit rate:
    20.51p/kWh
    Standing charge:
    27.52p/day
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Why do I keep seeing so many quotes for 70+ pence per kWh? Even if it goes up 100% it should be around 56p shouldn't it? I know its going to keep going up but 72p seems bonkers
 
Werewolf said:
About 2 weeks ago, 80% plus of our daily usage, but we're exporting some as the battery fills up and doesn't quite last the whole night (or when the cooker and hob are on we exceed the 3k the battery can output).


Our roof is about average size for a 3 bed 70's house, we're lucky in that it's SSE facing so pretty good for most of the day (at the moment it starts generating about an hour after dawn and stops generating about 2 hours before dusk as the sun goes fully behind the house).

4.7k of panels are producing around 30kw a day in this weather, during the much cloudier weather immediately after they were first fitted it was around 18kw.

It's a huge cost :( but for us we reckon the payback under April's cost will be about 8 years, under Octobers projected pricing around 4-5 years. we're not planning on moving any time soon, the key thing is to get a battery to allow you to make use of as much of what is produced as possible so you're not exporting it to the grid (at as little as 1/9th of what it costs to import it).
We took one look at the projected price rises and started doing the maths, as we are very heavy users (around 2.5x average), and were very very fortunate in that we could drop the money now to hopefully protect ourselves a bit in the future (especially if inflation goes how it's looking, as there is no way we're getting ~5-10% interest in the bank).
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How many panels do you have for the 4.7kW array?
I had some JA Solar panels and a Growatt inverter, seems to have done the job pretty well to be honest over the time they've been installed :) I'd hate to think how much less I'd have used electric without the panels I've had installed. Kinda a scary thought really.

What made you go for the battery out of interest? When I was looking at them about 5 years ago, I couldn't warrant one because I used less power over night (aside from when I left things running over night etc.) but generally from when the solar shuts off to when it kicks in in the morning again, 2 to 5 units of electric seemed a bit much to try and save with a battery that would only last about 7 to 10 years (I think might have been even 8 years at the time, maybe less) so to break even would have been difficult..
 
phill9800 said:
How many panels do you have for the 4.7kW array?
I had some JA Solar panels and a Growatt inverter, seems to have done the job pretty well to be honest over the time they've been installed :) I'd hate to think how much less I'd have used electric without the panels I've had installed. Kinda a scary thought really.

What made you go for the battery out of interest? When I was looking at them about 5 years ago, I couldn't warrant one because I used less power over night (aside from when I left things running over night etc.) but generally from when the solar shuts off to when it kicks in in the morning again, 2 to 5 units of electric seemed a bit much to try and save with a battery that would only last about 7 to 10 years (I think might have been even 8 years at the time, maybe less) so to break even would have been difficult..
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IIRC it's 12x 385 watt panels.

The battery is because we worked out without it we'd be putting a lot more back into the grid, as it is the battery is tending to charge in the morning (whilst the dishwasher, then the washing machine run), and then keeping us going until between 10pm and 3am depending on what time we have tea and what we're doing:)
 
Werewolf said:
IIRC it's 12x 385 watt panels.

The battery is because we worked out without it we'd be putting a lot more back into the grid, as it is the battery is tending to charge in the morning (whilst the dishwasher, then the washing machine run), and then keeping us going until between 10pm and 3am depending on what time we have tea and what we're doing:)
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That's a nice size array :) Do you know what their efficiency is at all? What size battery do you have?

I don't believe they do the feed in tariff anymore now so I think its just whatever you export you get cash for, is that correct?? The washing machine is a big drain when its warming the water for the wash, mine peaks about the 2250w number when its heating the water and such... I barely run anything in the evenings, might have the TV and surround sound on for a film or two but then just the standard stuff like the fridge, freezer, network kit (with router) and that's it. Server is off at the moment as I need to perform a bit of an upgrade or downgrade, depending on how you look at it lol :)
I did read or hear that you'd only be able to draw about 10% of the battery capacity from batteries when you where running from them, is that also true??
 
Electricity theft from householders is going to become common. I hope people are going to have internal disconnects for their car chargers and external 13A sockets.

Also the accidental thefts will start to be found out - I knew someone whose shed turned out to be powered off the neighbour's mains, and someone whose 'link detatched' garage was powered by the wrong house. The shed was likely deliberate by a previous owner and the garage a builders error from when the estate was built.
 
Thing gets me I have a house I need to renovate and sort out
So I have near zero electricity or gas.
But I have the standing charge.
 
Loagi said:
Electricity theft from householders is going to become common. I hope people are going to have internal disconnects for their car chargers and external 13A sockets.

Also the accidental thefts will start to be found out - I knew someone whose shed turned out to be powered off the neighbour's mains, and someone whose 'link detatched' garage was powered by the wrong house. The shed was likely deliberate by a previous owner and the garage a builders error from when the estate was built.
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I think an external socket or car charger would be pretty obvious if someone was using it.
 
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