Pros & Cons of solar power

[Micky_T]

What GOT really needs at 1.30am just before a Bank Holiday Monday is a question about solar panels.

Thanks to the Tories, Brexit, Starmer and most recently the orange turd we're all feeling a pinch in the pocket so I'm thinking about getting solar panels on my roof and battery storage.

I've had a quote to get 11 panels and 11.5kWh battery. They say it'll produce 4,400kWh per year which is roughly the same as my annual usage at the moment. Total cost is £8k which they claim will pay for itself in 4.7 years but as my electricity bill is about £1,000/Yr surely it'll take at least 8 years to pay for itself.

Anyone recently invested in solar and got any hints, tips, pros or cons to share? I'm happy to admit it's not something I know anything about so I need it explaining to me like I'm a 5 year old.

 

[Chewbacca]

I’d do it just to remove septics world dominance

 

[Gwladys St. Glory]

What GOT really needs at 1.30am just before a Bank Holiday Monday is a question about solar panels.

Thanks to the Tories, Brexit, Starmer and most recently the orange turd we're all feeling a pinch in the pocket so I'm thinking about getting solar panels on my roof and battery storage.

I've had a quote to get 11 panels and 11.5kWh battery. They say it'll produce 4,400kWh per year which is roughly the same as my annual usage at the moment. Total cost is £8k which they claim will pay for itself in 4.7 years but as my electricity bill is about £1,000/Yr surely it'll take at least 8 years to pay for itself.

Anyone recently invested in solar and got any hints, tips, pros or cons to share? I'm happy to admit it's not something I know anything about so I need it explaining to me like I'm a 5 year old.

Terrible ROI in your environment. Almost 80% of your days, for 6-7 months, are overcast/cloudy. Here in AZ it makes sense but in the UK it's like flushing money away unless you're happy with having to buy new panels etc before you even see a return, IDC what the salespeople tell you. If you're hellbent, look at doubling/tripling your storage capacity and don't plan on tapping into it until you hit 95% capacity.

Solar power's been commercially available for like 70 years so you think it'd be ubiquitous by now but it's not, even here...that should be your "lightbulb moment". I'm sure it's fine if your idea of problem resolution is just throwing money at your issue (ie. Tesla solar) but the real world tends to get in the way of that being sustainable.

 

[IllinoisBlue]

I’d wait a few years. The cost of panels will come down and become more efficient, making it a better investment.

 

[Milk]

What GOT really needs at 1.30am just before a Bank Holiday Monday is a question about solar panels.

Thanks to the Tories, Brexit, Starmer and most recently the orange turd we're all feeling a pinch in the pocket so I'm thinking about getting solar panels on my roof and battery storage.

I've had a quote to get 11 panels and 11.5kWh battery. They say it'll produce 4,400kWh per year which is roughly the same as my annual usage at the moment. Total cost is £8k which they claim will pay for itself in 4.7 years but as my electricity bill is about £1,000/Yr surely it'll take at least 8 years to pay for itself.

Anyone recently invested in solar and got any hints, tips, pros or cons to share? I'm happy to admit it's not something I know anything about so I need it explaining to me like I'm a 5 year old.

1) is the proposed roof strong enough to support the installation? Do you live where wind could be an issue ... and it is highly likely your house insurance premium will go up do factor that in to the returns
2) does the roof face the sun when it's at its strongest ie from midday to 4pm?
3) is it likely to be in shadow from a nearby tree or building for any length of time over 30 minutes?
4) are you prepared to clean the panels annually?
5) are you happy to accept that the salesperson is talking bull and output will, at best, be closer to half the amount quoted?
6) are your neighbours likely to object?

Good news is that panels are getting very cheap (Lidl are going to be offering plug in panels for £400) so if you are determined to go down the solar route, shop around

 

[Eggs]

…..daughter has just got solar panels fitted on a section of their house, looks good and she’s delighted with the impact.

 

[chrismpw]

Octopus energy apparently offer some good off peak rates. In theory you could forget the panels for now and just have batteries. Or have just a few panels for now. Charge them at night (cheap) and use the leccy from batteries during the day. The charging isn't 100% efficient so you will lose power, but you'll save money.

If you have a leccy car don't bother with batteries - you'll easily dump a day's charge into the car and the car will barely notice.

 

[Tony Hibbert's Wife]

I’d wait a few years. The cost of panels will come down and become more efficient, making it a better investment.

I read something recently that suggested solar panels had pretty much become as efficient as their theoretical limits, so improvements in efficiency and cost savings were unlikely now or ever.

They were contrasting this with battery tech which, due to large scale investment in electric cars, was continuing to improve rapidly and the price per kwh battery was US$78 (down from something like US$4,300 pkwh in 1993).

 

[Kurt.]

I once shaved off all of my hair to try and create a self-made solar panel for a sex machine, alas this has not worked must be the climate I live in.

 

[Brightonblue]

I’ve been involved withe industry for 25 years now and can confirm that the efficiency and longevity have improved 10 fold
The new charging systems make the panel draw power even on cloudy days.
The way this world is going Autonomy is sensible way forward

 

[FCBarça]

We have 10 panels in an ideal position and a battery for 2 years now (20k CHF with same pledge it would pay itself off in 8 years), geothermal heating and solar thermal heating of the water tank for hot water. Sustainability is the goal

We will get an electric car in coming months and add a few more panels to accommodate

 

[Bryan+]

some absolutely mad shouts here about why it’s not a benefit. Christ.

Thinking of getting it myself.

 

[Rita_Poon]

some absolutely mad shouts here about why it’s not a benefit. Christ.

Thinking of getting it myself.

The uk has the greatest coast line by distance of any collection of isles in Europe. Further the Severn estuary has the second largest tidal range in the world. (Mersey second in the uk). We have hydro power availability untapped. France put the La Rance tidal barrage in in 1966. Paid for itself in under 20 years. The filth scum tories keep chorusing away about the sun not shining and the wind not blowing. The moon keeps floating around in space regardless. (gravity). Then there is the Hebrides, 70% uninhabitable, so no one moaning about the view being interrupted. The wind off the north Atlantic is some force, and turbines on shore are safer and more easily maintained than at sea. QTC (Quantum tunnelling composites) are available now for energy transfer (it's not like connecting britain is like going east coast to west coast across the usa) and topological advantages for energy storage is available in the immediacy geographically for feeding market demand.
Solar is all well and good, but is more suited closer to the equator. Shame boris never delivered on all those nuclear plants, hospitals, schools, and everything else year on year. Peppa pig though...

 

[Micky_T]

We have 10 panels in an ideal position and a battery for 2 years now (20k CHF with same pledge it would pay itself off in 8 years), geothermal heating and solar thermal heating of the water tank for hot water. Sustainability is the goal

We will get an electric car in coming months and add a few more panels to accommodate

Have you noticed any financial benefit on your utility bills in the couple of years you've had your solar?

 

[Micky_T]

I’ve been involved withe industry for 25 years now and can confirm that the efficiency and longevity have improved 10 fold
The new charging systems make the panel draw power even on cloudy days.
The way this world is going Autonomy is sensible way forward

In your 'expert' opinion, is it worth a £8k investment in 12 panels + battery for someone with a 5,000 kWh annual usage?