Solar panels and battery - any real world reccomendations?

[tamzzy]

It's interesting if you look at the value in export only at 15ppkWh, using the figure from the other page of about £860 per kWp installed, then you only need to export 5700kWh to pay for each kWp installed.

Is that export only with PV or do you mean using the batteries with octopus flux?

For a full battery system my ROI is something in the region of 15 years from my man maths calculation (also not counting flux - just standard Vs eco7/EV tariff)
Assuming 6kwh/day and excluding standing charge (which is my use case)...

10kwh battery system + inverter
Price capped tariff = £1.40/day
Eco7 EV tariff @ 7p/day = 42p/day (full off-peak battery charge)
So difference of 90p/day and assuming £5.5k installation = 6100 days to break even

if i got a 5kwh battery system + inverter
price capped tariff = £1.40/day
eco7 EV tariff @ 31p peak and 7p off peak = 73p/day (a full battery charge won't last the day so estimate 1kwh use at peak time/day)
difference of 70p/day and assuming £4k installation = 5700 days to break even

 

[Journey]

Is that export only with PV or do you mean using the batteries with octopus flux?

Solar only, no battery install, only exporting, no self consumption.

 

[tamzzy]

Solar only, no battery install, only exporting, no self consumption.

ah, £860 per kwp is hard to hit
mine was £1200 per kwp, so 7.3MWh export @ 16.5p to break even

 

[Journey]

ah, £860 per kwp is hard to hit
mine was £1200 per kwp, so 7.3MWh export @ 16.5p to break even

Yeah, that is why that price posted was such a good offer. I think so solar only deals are becoming really good value if the installer isn't just keeping the extra money from the hardware price reductions, even more so if you get a hybrid inverter installed so easy add for a battery.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

@Ron-ski

The strings connected to your house Ron

Glad to see they went with TCR as opposed to Scalextrix

 

[maddness]

Doesn't make sense going solar only

Battery only yes
Battery and Solar yes

(for the average home user)

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Of course it makes sense to go solar only

In fact with FIT being as high as it is now its probably never been better to get just solar.

 

[Journey]

Doesn't make sense going solar only

Battery only yes
Battery and Solar yes

(for the average home user)

It does if you are getting a low price fully installed, kWh pricing of LFP is tumbling and adding later could cut years off payback (if you care) or give you a huge amount more storage for the same cost.

 

[Gammawolf]

Of course it makes sense to go solar only

In fact with FIT being as high as it is now its probably never been better to get just solar.

This is the conclusion i came to when looking at all the options. For fastest payback, solar only is the way to go for my situation (still retaining gas heating and having a flat electric usage profile 24/7). About to hit the buy button for 5kW of panels and do a self install. Should hopefully get it in for around £450 per kWp and see payback in 2-3 years if i can get on the payments with a self install and octopus. If not then by the time we move i'll have had most of it back through savings and hopefully it'll make the house more saleable.

 

[200sols]

I doubt a standard DIY install will increase value to be honest. If you cant get on the export for whatever reason it may even be detrimental. If moving in the next few years solar still makes little sense IMO.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I doubt a standard DIY install will increase value to be honest. If you cant get on the export for whatever reason it may even be detrimental. If moving in the next few years solar still makes little sense IMO.

Yep agreed.
I would expect potential issues with solicitors in this situation.

 

[maddness]

Of course it makes sense to go solar only

In fact with FIT being as high as it is now its probably never been better to get just solar.

If you had this up and running, FIT is not available now is it?

If you install a lets say 12 panel solar only kit now, you can SEG it out in good weather, in the winter months, you won't export much and be pulling in from the grid majority of the day

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

If you had this up and running, FIT is not available now is it?

If you install a lets say 12 panel solar only kit now, you can SEG it out in good weather, in the winter months, you won't export much and be pulling in from the grid majority of the day

Sorry I meant feed in tariff. SEG is just the current name.

Its not about when you do it its about how much.
The export pricing is now very good so the when is pretty irrelevant.

As ever the main consideration is how will it play out longer term. Its pure guesswork as its moved so much in 18 months since I had mine installed I wouldn't want to predict anything

 

[maddness]

OK fair enough, I'm only a couple of weeks in with my setup, but so far with the 19kwh battery pack, I'm not pulling from the grid in the day even when the suns not belting it out

With air con / hot tub usage, I probably can get away with topping batteries over night, and use it in the day

Obviously the solar generation exporting and keeping the batteries topped up and providing to the home is all a bonus and helping with accelerating towards ROI

Let's see how my end of month bill fairs up

 

[Journey]

Yep agreed.
I would expect potential issues with solicitors in this situation.

Not sure why solicitors need to get involved, this isn't the old FIT days and rent-a-roof. As long as it's signed of to the current electrical standards at the time of install the ability to have paid export is irrelevant.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Not sure why solicitors need to get involved, this isn't the old FIT days and rent-a-roof. As long as it's signed of to the current electrical standards at the time of install the ability to have paid export is irrelevant.

I didn't say need to, I said expect potential issues.

They tend to be badly advised generally with this sort of thing and will seek to establish there is no risk, which of course is their job.

 

[200sols]

Its not just electrical work, if you are taking a mortgage they have no idea if the panels, roof mounting was done correctly without the certification. I'd expect some form of indemnity insurance to be required.

 

[Journey]

I didn't say need to, I said expect potential issues.

They tend to be badly advised generally with this sort of thing and will seek to establish there is no risk, which of course is their job.

Fair enough, soon enough I guess they'll just have a tick box with, is it FIT, if not ignore and pretend like it is just another light switch.

 

[Journey]

Its not just electrical work, if you are taking a mortgage they have no idea if the panels, roof mounting was done correctly without the certification. I'd expect some form of indemnity insurance to be required.

So if the buyers lender asks for indemnity insurance then you get some at the time for a few quid (or make them get it), or just move on to the next buyer in line?

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Its not just electrical work, if you are taking a mortgage they have no idea if the panels, roof mounting was done correctly without the certification. I'd expect some form of indemnity insurance to be required.

Exactly.

Ins cos I expect to start paying more attention to this in future as well.

I have an insurance policy from my installer to cover the installation if they go bust and something needs doing/fixing.

Its the sort of thing that self install wont have.
Personally I don't think I would buy a house with self installed solar.