Non-motoring > Solar panels Buying / Selling
Thread Author: legacylad Replies: 10
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 11:58 
 Solar panels - legacylad
My house is on an E/W axis, but in 2022 I plan to turn the roof on my 20’ x 20’ garage so that one roof pitch has a due South aspect.

Neighbour adjacent has suggested I fit solar panels as it is 100% the correct alignment for max sun....I’ll research the option, but would appreciate an gut feelings here.

I’ve no idea of tariffs for leccy dumped into the grid so not making any assumptions at the moment, apart from solar panel installation companies telling me it’s a good thing to do !
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 12:23 
 Solar panels - PeterS
South facing gives a higher peak generation, but East / West gives generation for a longer period. If you’ll use the power yourself that might make a difference. Exporting to the grid pays you roughly 25% of what you’d pay for power on a per KWH basis - the big subsidies have disappeared. The savings come from using the power you’ve generated rather than buying it, so matching generation to useage, or possibly storing if you’ve got a big battery pack sitting in a car already, will give you the best financial return. And of course save the planet…
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 13:51 
 Solar panels - smokie
... wot PeterS said, plus you need to remember that you tend to produce more at those times you need it least (i.e. summer, daytime) - and of course the converse (you don't produce at night, or much during the winter).

Batteries are the way to smooth that out but still aren't that cheap.

As said above, with the small subsidies now available I think you'd have to accept that you are doing it as much for the planet as for yourself.

It took me 8 years to recoup what I'd spent to buy them on mine - a relatviely modest setup when the costs and the payments were high. I don't know how long that might be now.
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 14:08 
 Solar panels - PeterS

>> It took me 8 years to recoup what I'd spent to buy them on mine
>> - a relatviely modest setup when the costs and the payments were high. I don't
>> know how long that might be now.
>>

It’s probably not changed much…the cost of the panels/invertors etc is now much lower, and the panels themselves have higher outputs. On a commercial scale, the cost per KWH of the panels is around a 10th of what it was in 2010 and half what it was in 2015, though they’re only part of the cost. Grid connection, mounting structures and installation haven’t followed the same trajectory. Even so, in 2015 a 5MW ground mount solar site would have cost you around £1m a MW. Today it’s under £650k. I looked at a commercial install last month (300KwH) that has a projected 7 year payback with a conservative assumption on energy price inflation.
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 14:39 
 Solar panels - sooty123
I think the way large scale solar farms are paid for their electricity has changed recently. Its become more viable to fund them now. I believe there's loads of applications gone in in such places as Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Suffolk etc.
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 15:29 
 Solar panels - PeterS
The regime changed in 2015 from the ROC (Renewable Obligation Certificate) system where the subsidy was in the form of a published amount per MwH with an unlimited pot to a CfD (contract for difference) scheme to support renewable generation. Under the new scheme there are auctions (there have only been 4 since 2015) in which developers bid for a contract at a price per MwH that gives the return they want. The capacity required and funds available in that round of auction are fixed, so if they price it too high there’s a risk they don’t get anything. If the planning applications are very recent they could be off the back of the December 21 auction as there hasn’t been one since 2019.
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 18:11 
 Solar panels - sooty123
I can't remember the exact changes, but they sent straight to the government rather than councils. I think it sad to do with up funds required. I see if i can find the link. I don't think they were at planning application stage more companies announcements.
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 18:38 
 Solar panels - PeterS
If they were announcements then I expect those making the announcements were doing so off the back of the CfD auction earlier this month. They’ll have already identified a site/sites and done the design work before or as part of their auction bid. The economics of sites vary widely, mainly on available grid connection and any upgrade work required, which is usually at the developers cost, as well as distance from the sub station and of course solar resource in the area. The funding has always been central, and planning remains a local authority responsibility as far as I’m aware.
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 19:06 
 Solar panels - Kevin
British Solar Renewables have just submitted plans to Basingstoke Council for a 28MW array just down the road from us in Preston Candover.
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New Wed 22 Dec 21 22:24 
 Solar panels - sooty123
The planning for the ones mentioned were above the threshold for straight to central gov, something that is of national infrastructure strategic planning (NISP?) I think for solar farms its above 50mw. These were in the hundreds of megawatts.
.
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New Thu 23 Dec 21 00:03 
 Solar panels - Terry
I have also looked at a domestic installation. Costs have come down a lot over the last 5 years - 1n ~2016 a 4 kw array installed would have cost ~£12k. They are now advertised at £5-6k installed. This would deliver ~8-12 kwh per day.

With grid energy costs increasing it is beginning to seem like a worthwhile deal even without earlier subsidies.

PV probably work best with a battery pack to ensure that you make best use of the energy generated. Selling electricity back to the grid does not pay. Cost varies on capacity but probably need to spend an extra £3-6k.

From March to October this could deliver most of our electricity needs. During the winter months with less sun and more consumption they would still make a contribution.

Over a year I would expect a payback of 4-8% on cost - better than a savings account. There is a maintenance cost risk and also a question of how long the kit would last.
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