funkycoldmedina
Newbie
Maybe there's the answer, not many around us in the West of Scotland which probably tells a tale.?
Solar panel still worth it or not
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full_throttle
Tour Winner
Tesla may be the answer
With some of the snow you get up there they’d have to be fixed very well, and the snow wouldn’t slide away as easily as if it was a smooth roof, with them being raised causing shelves as such!
cliveb
Head Pro
We've had solar panels since Sept 2011 (a 4kW system, which is the biggest you can have on a standard domestic FIT contract).
My experience is that the saving in electricity usage isn't that significant. Most electricity use tends to be in the evening (lights, TV, etc), when the sun isn't shining any more.
Our consumption from the grid has reduced by about 25-30%. But having said that, we haven't changed our habits to try and maximise use of the solar generation. We run the washing machine and dishwasher whenever we feel like. Our heating and hot water are still on gas. A water heating system that uses spare capacity from the solar panels (Immersun or similar) might make more savings.
The economic advantage of solar panels is overwhelmingly the FIT payments. We get over £2k per year, the payments are index linked and the FIT contract runs until 2036.
That said, we are on the top rate for FIT payments (about 50p/kWh at present). They have significantly reduced for systems installed in later years. I don't know what the current rate is.
There is of course some environmental advantage to installing solar panels.
Quite frankly the FIT system is a regressive tax. Everyone pays extra on their electricity bills to fund the FIT payments to those with solar panels. It was a scheme introduced to try and help with the country's obligations for renewable energy generation, but the law of unintended consequences means that effectively the poor are subsidising the rich. Do I feel guilty taking advantage of it? To some extent yes. But at the time we signed up it hadn't really hit me how badly thought out it was, and frankly it's free money so I can live with it.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I was under the impression that if you had solar panels it became cost ineffective for you to run things at night when the rate is cheaper.
We have cut our leccy bill by me insisting lights get turned off when you leave a room, the tv turned off and not just standby, the washer and dishwasher programmed to come on around 2 am, and dryer only used when the washing line under threat from the weather.
I don't have solar panels or smart meter. I'm happy with my cost reductions
We have cut our leccy bill by me insisting lights get turned off when you leave a room, the tv turned off and not just standby, the washer and dishwasher programmed to come on around 2 am, and dryer only used when the washing line under threat from the weather.
I don't have solar panels or smart meter. I'm happy with my cost reductions
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jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
The only real way is to get a few quotes and work it out for yourself. The rates you get for selling the XS to the grid have dropped a very large amount.
I also believe government subsidies are no longer available.
You will know what you consume and should be able to get an idea of what can be generated bearing in mind where you want to fit them.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
You only get this if you are on a dual meter system.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
One the thing when you hear about the savings made by some people is that it very much depends on life style. Take my brother for example from about the end of April to mid September he and his wife are always jaunting around somewhere in their caravan so the panels are generating leccy which in the main is sold back to grid. So his overall bill is next to nothing.
bobmac
Major Champion
This may whet your appetite, although it was 9 years ago and things have certainly moved on a touch 
rulefan
Tour Winner
Well the gas bill seems ok but the electricity bill
williamalex1
Money List Winner
I jut asked my mate, he's had Solar Panels for 10 years and stays in a 4 bedroom house in North Lanarkshire Scotland.
He said the tariffs were reduced a few years ago, but he's still saving some money.
He reckons it about 6 years to pay for itself.
Says best way to reduce your bill is to try and use you appliances during daylight hours.
He said the tariffs were reduced a few years ago, but he's still saving some money.
He reckons it about 6 years to pay for itself.
Says best way to reduce your bill is to try and use you appliances during daylight hours.
D
Deleted member 21784
Guest
Well the gas bill seems ok but the electricity bill
He said in his opening post he has 2 ponds and they cost £1.50 a day. Wasn't clear if that's total or per pond.. that would be £45 or £90 depending so easy to add up
I'd be more interested in his monthly usage in kwph rather than £££
We average 500kw per month .. which is high usage .. (£65 ISH) if his ponds were £1.50 each per day then that would easily reach £170
More than likely it's both and his underfloor heating costs a little bit but that highlights in a saving in the gas
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
You certainly are on a winner.
I used to sell systems for a living and it was one of the best investments you would ever make,I believe it was over 20% return.
Unfortunately the government once again messed it up setting the FIT too high 51p per unit.
A year later down to 21p.
If they had started it around 20p lots more would of had it.
It’s probably still worth having a system as you could probably get a 4kw for 3k although I don’t know if they still offer a feed in tarif.
I used to sell a 4kw for 19,400 when you could get one for about 4k but I could sell snow to Eskimos.
Wayne go on the government website.
There are different systems now and I do believe you can now get battery packs for older systems although I’m way out of touch now.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
Which I have..
cliveb
Head Pro
Out of curiosity I just googled for the FIT tariffs on systems installed now. The rates are pathetic compared to how they used to be. So scrub my earlier comment that the economic benefit is primarily the FIT payments. It would seem to me that installing solar panels these days would only be worth it if you carefully arrange how you're going to take advantage of the generated power.
bobmac
Major Champion
The Feed in tariffs stopped accepting new applications in March but it has been replaced by a similar system which will still pay you for your unused electricity.
Octopus energy will pay 5.5p per unit
https://octopus.energy/outgoing/?gc...aXJxsVtzZ8xeDknrxPdvlmGF5M2ZF18xoCCAgQAvD_BwE
To get the most from solar panels, you need a battery in your garage to store the solar energy produced during the day while your out and then use that stored power in the evenings.
I'm no expert but it looks like you could get the solar panels and battery storeage installed for under £10,000.
If you're currently paying £170 per month, you could break even after 5-6 years.
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