My current annual electricity usage is around 6,000kw/h. I received a quote from an installer for a 5kw solar panel system (no battery) with the installer saying that a larger system would be a waste. I‘ve no idea if this is right or not so can I canvas some opinions please!
Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?
- Thread starter GinG
- Start date
Thanks to an installer recommendation here I finally (10 weeks wait) got a solar & battery system installed last week (5.6Kw panels, 5Kw Growatt Inverter, 8.2KWh Givenergy battery, 3Kw Givenergy Inverter, EPS and bird mesh, for under £10k). Impressed so far, after the first day or two for it to get settled in I am now using less than 0.25KWh per day from the grid, always fully charging the battery (though obviously it's August, I'm assuming that will get less common as we move towards winter) and getting some nice export, though sadly that is wasted at the moment as I'm still waiting on all the paperwork to get the SEG set up.
My current estimate of payback time is about 13 years, but expecting that to drop considerably as the energy price cap goes up and also as I start getting paid for the export. Planning on going for Agile Outgoing for export, as that seems a no brainer at the moment looking at the prices they are paying, i.e they were paying an average of about 30p per unit through most of last Friday (higher at the peak) when I exported about 20 units, already with them on a standard import tariff so imagine I will stick with that for import as I don't have an EV so can't get Go (and I couldn't have Go with Agile Outgoing anyway) and the Agile Import tariff seems to be almost permanently hitting the 55p price cap at the moment, which is twice my current rate.
One thing though, I've seen mention of batteries doing a full forced power cycle when they are first set up, but mine has not done that, it's all setup and working properly, connecting to the Givenergy app etc. but wondering if that is an issue? It basically got drained to 0% overnight the first night anyway and then went up to 88% the next day, since then it's been naturally cycling from around 40% - 100% each day.
Also, any other thoughts on tariffs etc. I see quite a few people online going for the fixed outgoing octopus tariff but can't see why, it's been months since the variable rate dropped anywhere close to the fixed rate and it's normally been at least 2-3 times as much and if that situation changes it sounds like you can change any time anyway.
My current estimate of payback time is about 13 years, but expecting that to drop considerably as the energy price cap goes up and also as I start getting paid for the export. Planning on going for Agile Outgoing for export, as that seems a no brainer at the moment looking at the prices they are paying, i.e they were paying an average of about 30p per unit through most of last Friday (higher at the peak) when I exported about 20 units, already with them on a standard import tariff so imagine I will stick with that for import as I don't have an EV so can't get Go (and I couldn't have Go with Agile Outgoing anyway) and the Agile Import tariff seems to be almost permanently hitting the 55p price cap at the moment, which is twice my current rate.
One thing though, I've seen mention of batteries doing a full forced power cycle when they are first set up, but mine has not done that, it's all setup and working properly, connecting to the Givenergy app etc. but wondering if that is an issue? It basically got drained to 0% overnight the first night anyway and then went up to 88% the next day, since then it's been naturally cycling from around 40% - 100% each day.
Also, any other thoughts on tariffs etc. I see quite a few people online going for the fixed outgoing octopus tariff but can't see why, it's been months since the variable rate dropped anywhere close to the fixed rate and it's normally been at least 2-3 times as much and if that situation changes it sounds like you can change any time anyway.
It is only a waste if you won't make use of it, 5kW PV is still a reasonable size array, and self consumption will still be quite low in the late spring and summer months if you are using ~16kWh per day at the moment. Where you'll suffer is in the winter, as less panels and no battery means you'll be producing very little for 2-3 months, and no way to store it.
I sized my array for winter in order to allow some chance or charging my battery, or running my house during the day and I only use ~10kWh per day (excluding EV charging) and have 6.2kW. The important thing to realise it is the install that is expensive not the panels, have you got a quote to post/show here to see the break down? Some times adding 1kW of extra panels is only £300-400 but the whole install might be £7k+ so it's not a big amount to add on top.
IMO you want the biggest system you can fit on the roof, assuming you can afford it and the DNO allow it.
6000kwh is actually quite high consumption, nearing double the typical use.
The costs are all in the installation, if you wanted to add more later it will cost a lot more than adding it now. The marginal cost to add more panels is really quite small. You’ll benefit greatly from a larger array in winter when there is less sun to be had.
Who's that with? I am also in Essex and thinking about installing a system.
Seems like a good price. Who was that with?
A waste now perhaps. But if payback is 10 years + - a lot is going to change in that time. Once you factor in an EV, heat pumps etc. Electric usage is going to increase, as fossil fuel use declines.
Also note - in winter you'll be getting a fraction of that 5kw.
ECH Group, Southampton based but I believe they install nationwide (possibly with some limits). All went smoothly for me so far and very happy with the installation, though still waiting on the various certificates etc. so always the chance there could be some issue.
I've been quoted £6,800 for a 6kw install and £7,600 for a 7kw. Panels are 340W JA mono with Solis inverters. Adding a Givenergy battery will cost an additional £4.6k for 5.2kw and £5.7k for 9.5kw. To allow the battery to be used as back up during a power cut will add an extra £700 for whatever required.
I can't stand installers who try and rip you off for batteries. 6.5kWh battery, with installation included at £2,900 here. That is still not cheap, but bear in mind that is 20% VAT included where as the one with your Solar would be 0% rated. All you need to do is make sure they install the correct hybrid inverter for you, so you don't need any extra equipment to charge it, would hopefully add little to nothing to the bill. Let us be honest though, they hope you won't actually do any research and just accept the price.
Soldato
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Getting my second survey this afternoon so hopefully some movement for me soon
Had the first one last week and he said would be about a week to get quote back to me so hopefully anytime soon.
Benefit of this thread is that I have in my mind a reasonable price for the kind of recommended system so I don't feel the need for many quotes.
Especially if I do get a quote from both potential installers thats somewhat close.
A few bits from last guy, prices have been increasing a lot and as many are suggesting, supply is a real issue.
The cost of scaffolding he suggested would be around £1k for what we decided to go for which is a simple straight install on by back roof. (Not sure of exact measurement by something like 8m or so)
He said at least 50% more if we spanned the side and front which was the original plan.
I guess scaffolders are doing ok at the moment as well!
Had the first one last week and he said would be about a week to get quote back to me so hopefully anytime soon.
Benefit of this thread is that I have in my mind a reasonable price for the kind of recommended system so I don't feel the need for many quotes.
Especially if I do get a quote from both potential installers thats somewhat close.
A few bits from last guy, prices have been increasing a lot and as many are suggesting, supply is a real issue.
The cost of scaffolding he suggested would be around £1k for what we decided to go for which is a simple straight install on by back roof. (Not sure of exact measurement by something like 8m or so)
He said at least 50% more if we spanned the side and front which was the original plan.
I guess scaffolders are doing ok at the moment as well!
I'd call some scaffolders as that price is just stupid tbh, unless your house its as long and tall as a castle. for reflection two roof 6m front and back, so totally separate, for £400 (which was cheap) but even the next quote I just have a few weeks back was £575. Midlands prices to be fair, so that may have some reflection.
Soldato
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I will wait it out and see what he comes back with, he could have just been managing expectations.
There is still housing being built not that far from me so I can take a look round for scaffolders there if its excessive.
He also came from closer to London to me so its possible hes influenced by prices from there.
He did ask if I knew any locally as he hasn't got one that he knew of close to me but I said no.
I would expect my prices to be somewhat similar to midlands in the east.
Soldato
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Been going through this thread a fair bit and considering Solar + battery.
Last years electricity usage was 4700kwh which I guess is low (2 people in a semi detached with gas central heating). Nearly Half of that is my EV (about 2100kwh). Not sure how good a candidate we are? To be honest I’m seeing it as a no brainer with how energy is looking at the moment that things won’t just go back to how they were anytime soon and it does take a degree of unpredictability out of your bills.
Does anyone have any experience of good solar providers in the Northamptonshire?
Last years electricity usage was 4700kwh which I guess is low (2 people in a semi detached with gas central heating). Nearly Half of that is my EV (about 2100kwh). Not sure how good a candidate we are? To be honest I’m seeing it as a no brainer with how energy is looking at the moment that things won’t just go back to how they were anytime soon and it does take a degree of unpredictability out of your bills.
Does anyone have any experience of good solar providers in the Northamptonshire?
It might be a typo as the 9.5kw battery seems well priced. Apart from that 6.6kw battery, everything else seems reasonable unless I’m missing anything?
7kW PV for £7.6k installed isn't terrible, I'd say average. I'm not a fan of the smaller wattage panels unless going with an in-roof system, especially when paying a that sort of cost, the 340w panels you mentioned are around £100 each, and ~7kW means 20-21 panels, but it does keep the suppliers cost low, but increase your mounting costs and points of failure in the system.
What was the price for the 9.5kWh battery?
£5.7k
Is that for the battery, a charge controller and the fitting? Are they keeping the same solar inverter in the system?
On battery, you could buy 3 PylonTech 3000C at £1300 odd each (ie £3900) inc vat to add 10.5kwh of storage. The Solis is a hybrid inverter so adding batteries is very simple. For example: https://www.itstechnologies.shop/pr...000c-3-5kwh-li-ion-solar-wind-battery-storage
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On my Givenergy battery installation the power cut protection (EPS) cost £200, that was to wire in a fuse box with an RCD and the two "little switched blocks from the consumer unit" (they probably have a proper name) that control my sockets throughout the house. So £700 sounds a little steep.