Associate
A little piece of history
So back in 2010 I was quite excited by the launch of the FIT scheme. Finally we were going to be in a position when Greta Thunbergh would be able to go to school like a normal child. If only...........
I looked to Germany for data on solar. Sources here were diddly squat. Climatically we are very similar to Germany, and at that time, 65% of PV installations were in Germany. The FIT scheme looked too good to be true. In the spring of 2011 we ordered our system. Not long launched were Sanyo's (since rebranded Panasonic) which took PV output to a new level. For reasons I have never understood the 235 Sanyo's had proved themselves more efficient than the 250's. Most people installed 16 x 250 to give them their 4KW system but German data suggested that 17 x 235's would produce an extra 40-60 watts a year. There was no cost difference so I chose the 235's. Installation was to be June, but the Domestic Goddess got wind of my plans and told me that she would "not allow scaffolding all over my tomato plants". "November was the earliest date" came the decree. A little bit of deliberate misunderstanding by me got the installation date fixed for mid October.
Our SAP calculation was for 3560kw/year. FIT rates were 43p/kwh at that time in the UK but during the summer Germany had reduced its payments from 0.35c to 0.30c. With the exchange rate of about 1:1.25, our scheme looked very generous indeed. Add in a tax free element, 25 year contract with prices index linked, and as many KW as you could use, it was a no brainer. 2 weeks after we had our system up and running, it was announced that the FIT rate would halve at the end of the year. They may have reduced the scheme to 20 years at this point or later.
Our Sanyo's did indeed prove themselves to be excellent. We have averaged about 20% above our SAP prediction. Sanyo uniquely guaranteed that all their panels would achieve their stated output at some point in their first year. Being a true solar saddo,I can tell you we first achieved this on the 23rd February 2012 with a peak output of 4022. It then became so common I lost interest a bit.
When I decided to go all out for solar last year, panasonic panels were my only choice. We actually had an installation contract for them. Again we should have had the new system installed in June. Our installers did not normally use Panasonic panels. When they came to order them the week before installation, they were not available. "Would I like to wait a month or use their recommended panels" I was asked. The answer was very happy to wait.
A month went by and still no panasonic available. I was then told that Panasonic had stopped supplying the UK because they were able to sell all the panels they could produce to the citizens of OZ. OZ was closer to where the panels were being made, as well as being the world's largest maket. My original panels had been produced in Japan in 2011 but suspect production had switched to Malaysia by 2021. I tried to find new panasonic panels and did actually discover enough new ones on ebay, but my installer could not allow this. Another installer told me a similar tale about Panasonic withdrawing from the UK in early 2021 becasue of compliance issues following Brexit. Whatever the truth, I was forced to switch panels. I ended up with the Hyundai shingle ones. These allegedly resist shading (thereby drastically reducing output) by being sub-divided into 10 sections. They are fine. My original panels were a bit like the Germans on Holiday who grab all the sunniest slots around the pool, so the Hyundai's looked like a sensible choice. I am convinced that the Sanyo's cannot have deteriorated by more than 2-3%, it could easily be less. Our generation meter (from which we get paid) has output this year so far of 4523kw. Best ever year was 4595 which we will not beat, but in second slot is 4524 which we will better.
Tip of the day.......................medium sized frozen turkey should defrost nicely for Xmas morning if placed in the fridge at 1200 today, reducing the electricity needed for the fridge
So back in 2010 I was quite excited by the launch of the FIT scheme. Finally we were going to be in a position when Greta Thunbergh would be able to go to school like a normal child. If only...........
I looked to Germany for data on solar. Sources here were diddly squat. Climatically we are very similar to Germany, and at that time, 65% of PV installations were in Germany. The FIT scheme looked too good to be true. In the spring of 2011 we ordered our system. Not long launched were Sanyo's (since rebranded Panasonic) which took PV output to a new level. For reasons I have never understood the 235 Sanyo's had proved themselves more efficient than the 250's. Most people installed 16 x 250 to give them their 4KW system but German data suggested that 17 x 235's would produce an extra 40-60 watts a year. There was no cost difference so I chose the 235's. Installation was to be June, but the Domestic Goddess got wind of my plans and told me that she would "not allow scaffolding all over my tomato plants". "November was the earliest date" came the decree. A little bit of deliberate misunderstanding by me got the installation date fixed for mid October.
Our SAP calculation was for 3560kw/year. FIT rates were 43p/kwh at that time in the UK but during the summer Germany had reduced its payments from 0.35c to 0.30c. With the exchange rate of about 1:1.25, our scheme looked very generous indeed. Add in a tax free element, 25 year contract with prices index linked, and as many KW as you could use, it was a no brainer. 2 weeks after we had our system up and running, it was announced that the FIT rate would halve at the end of the year. They may have reduced the scheme to 20 years at this point or later.
Our Sanyo's did indeed prove themselves to be excellent. We have averaged about 20% above our SAP prediction. Sanyo uniquely guaranteed that all their panels would achieve their stated output at some point in their first year. Being a true solar saddo,I can tell you we first achieved this on the 23rd February 2012 with a peak output of 4022. It then became so common I lost interest a bit.
When I decided to go all out for solar last year, panasonic panels were my only choice. We actually had an installation contract for them. Again we should have had the new system installed in June. Our installers did not normally use Panasonic panels. When they came to order them the week before installation, they were not available. "Would I like to wait a month or use their recommended panels" I was asked. The answer was very happy to wait.
A month went by and still no panasonic available. I was then told that Panasonic had stopped supplying the UK because they were able to sell all the panels they could produce to the citizens of OZ. OZ was closer to where the panels were being made, as well as being the world's largest maket. My original panels had been produced in Japan in 2011 but suspect production had switched to Malaysia by 2021. I tried to find new panasonic panels and did actually discover enough new ones on ebay, but my installer could not allow this. Another installer told me a similar tale about Panasonic withdrawing from the UK in early 2021 becasue of compliance issues following Brexit. Whatever the truth, I was forced to switch panels. I ended up with the Hyundai shingle ones. These allegedly resist shading (thereby drastically reducing output) by being sub-divided into 10 sections. They are fine. My original panels were a bit like the Germans on Holiday who grab all the sunniest slots around the pool, so the Hyundai's looked like a sensible choice. I am convinced that the Sanyo's cannot have deteriorated by more than 2-3%, it could easily be less. Our generation meter (from which we get paid) has output this year so far of 4523kw. Best ever year was 4595 which we will not beat, but in second slot is 4524 which we will better.
Tip of the day.......................medium sized frozen turkey should defrost nicely for Xmas morning if placed in the fridge at 1200 today, reducing the electricity needed for the fridge
