Solar Panel advice

Soldato
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Your right, how can the homeowner be liable for repairs if they don’t own the equipment. I’d never sign up for that kind of liability.

I also agree with the point about net metering, would have made way more sense. The only issue with it is that it discourages the use of storage.
 
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Speaking as someone without solar, but would certainly like solar. I think the scheme should have never existed in the first place, the government should have been pushing for a scheme where people want solar panels to offset their energy bills, not to profit from them with generous FIT schemes.

I personally think and this is in my own opinion is that the reason it was pushed was because it makes money to put back into the grid. It's free energy that's generated despite the cost for install. Roof spaces where the perfect solution so it was marketed in such a way nobody would say no.
 
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@mrbell1984 you have a rent a roof type setup? That’s a whole mother area to those highlighted in that news article.

Sorry missed this point but I keep re-reading. Yes, I have this setup.

It's a massive shame that the tech has been stigmatised by cowboys. Every new build should be orientated to maximise solar power and should have them in my opinion.

Personally it would have been 100% better to put it on new builds and make sure ALL new builds are south facing ensuring direct sunlight as much as possible. The reason I got mine for free was because they where only offering it to houses first that where south facing on the new FIT scheme.
 
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Caporegime
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Sorry missed this point but I keep re-reading. Yes, I have this setup.



Personally it would have been 100% better to put it on new builds and make sure ALL new builds are south facing ensuring direct sunlight as much as possible. The reason I got mine for free was because they where only offering it to houses first that where south facing on the new FIT scheme.
Every single property in our development has them, orientated for maximum sunshine for each one.

The rear of our house is sw facing, so it is on the rear side of our roof, etc
 
Soldato
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Got my first payment through after moving onto a house with a 2.5Kw system in place, got the FIT transferred to myself for the next 14 years.

Generation Payment [10/07/2019 – 03/09/2019]

FIT Year 10: Days: 56 Generated: 387.88 kWh Generation Tariff: 17.87p Generation Payment: £69.31 Exported: 193.94 kWh Export Tariff: 5.38p Export Payment: £10.43



11388.34 kWh Your closing meter reading 11776.22 kWh

So during that period you generated

387.88 kWh

For each kWh you receive 17.87p

So your generation payment is £69.31

During the period you exported 193.94 kWh For each kWh you receive 5.38p

So your export payment is £10.43

Total payment £79.74​

Considering my electricity bill was £18 for the both months, i'm pretty happy with that!​
 
Soldato
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I keep getting calls about 'free' energy via solar panels being installed, when I counter that there's no such thing as free they say that with the government feed in tariffs I'll actually make money and they'll also install the panels etc. for free, as soon as I mention that the FIT's have finished they say there's another one in the pipeline that will pay more than the original ones!!

I tell them to do one and hang up the phone, bloody cowboy companies, suppose they've got to fill the void by left by the PPI calls somehow.
 
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I keep getting calls about 'free' energy via solar panels being installed, when I counter that there's no such thing as free they say that with the government feed in tariffs I'll actually make money and they'll also install the panels etc. for free, as soon as I mention that the FIT's have finished they say there's another one in the pipeline that will pay more than the original ones!!

I tell them to do one and hang up the phone, bloody cowboy companies, suppose they've got to fill the void by left by the PPI calls somehow.

I highly doubt there will be another one in the pipeline. I haven't heard anything about it. If you have any links or information please let us all know.
 
Soldato
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Every single property in our development has them, orientated for maximum sunshine for each one.

The rear of our house is sw facing, so it is on the rear side of our roof, etc

With consumer based panels available at 400+ W there should be no excuse for putting at least a 2kW system on every new house.

It's good that your developer has chosen to opt in.
 
Soldato
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I highly doubt there will be another one in the pipeline. I haven't heard anything about it. If you have any links or information please let us all know.

That's what they were telling me, I also cannot see another one in the future and that's why I tell them to sod off, it's another hard sell ploy they're nearly as bad as 80's double glazing salesmen
 
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That's what they were telling me, I also cannot see another one in the future and that's why I tell them to sod off, it's another hard sell ploy they're nearly as bad as 80's double glazing salesmen

Miss selling at its best again. I keep watching the news online to see if there’s any progress with it see how far it’s got too. Can of worms everywhere.
 
Caporegime
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I think the government rather than setting up all these schemes which got abused. Should have just gotten in touch with several major leading solar companies and set up a deal where if someone buys panels through them. They will pay for 40% of the installation costs. This would only last 5 years. After that it ends.

Then after an install is complete. They provide evidence such as pictures of the install, certificates, etc. Then they get 60% from the customer and 40% from the government.

People aren't making any money who are on the recent FIT schemes. I think I get like 5p total. 3p from FIT and 2p from the energy company. the 3p is on 100% of what I generate and the 2p on 50%.

Lucky to get like £20 in the winter quarter. I should breakeven after 10-15 years i reckon. But I'll need to pay for a new inverter too so yeah 15 years.

Luckily I have a lot of stuff on during the day as much as possible. I set dishwasher to come on around noon, etc. I have grow lights for plants that come on during daylight hours. I have cctv cameras, etc on all the time.

So I am using a lot of what I generate because I have a lot of smart tech in my home. Thinking of getting a robo vac set it to come on after we leave home say 10am and do some cleaning should be back on the charging point by 12 noon so it charges using the free leccy.

My advice is it's not worth it in terms of saving money. You would be better off taking the £5K and stick it towards buying a new build with much more efficient regulations. New boilers, new insulation, etc. That should bring your bills down. I might move before mine even pays me back 50% of what I paid for it. I wouldn't buy again unless you knew you never would move house again.
 
Soldato
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You know what Sonny. New propery for me, and now due to your post I will now have to completely change my way of thinking! Im putting the washing on at night etc. Need to use up all that lovely free leccy when Im at work! C
 
Caporegime
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You know what Sonny. New propery for me, and now due to your post I will now have to completely change my way of thinking! Im putting the washing on at night etc. Need to use up all that lovely free leccy when Im at work! C

oh yeah it's pointless using massive amounts of leccy at night if they can be timed to come on during the day.

i have a timer on washing machine, dishwasher, smart plug for grow lights.

to get the most of them you do need to organise stuff to come on during the day. which is why charging a car doesn't really work. you take it to work during daylight hours or to a train station, etc. so when you drive the car back home it's dark and now you're paying to charge it.
 
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