Anyone with Solar PV ?

A friend of mine is considering it.

So can you answer a few questions.

1 How many kwP have you installed, and how much to get installed and when was it installed ?

2 what's your daily household consumption ?

3 how much have you exported ?

4 How many kwh a year do you generate ? surely you keep track ?

5 Are you getting the feed-in-tariff and how much is it ?

6 are you glad you got it ? and why did you get it ?

7 does it work for you ?

Thanks

Anyone ?

2011

It is quite rare to see PV panels used in Ireland due to a number of factors including:

1) Very large capital cost.
2) Pay back - in general it will take a very, very long time (if ever) to break even
3) Recession.
4) AFAIK the rate for the feed in tariff is poor compared to other countries such as Germany.

2011

2011 wrote: »

It is quite rare to see PV panels used in Ireland due to a number of factors including:

1) Very large capital cost.
2) Pay back - in general it will take a very, very long time (if ever) to break even
3) Recession.
4) AFAIK the rate for the feed in tariff is poor compared to other countries such as Germany.

Depends on how much electricity you use.

Even a 3 kwp system has huge potential, in winter you might generate 2-3 kw/h per day, however in summer this could be as high as 20-30 kwh per day and including the feed in tariff.

Solar is a lot cheaper installed than wind.

Energy prices are going up, we were promised reduced energy bills with wind energy but that's now proved they were lying as they are companies and their only interest is sheer profit and the more profit the better.

My partners parents in Germany have 13kwp and can generate up to 70 kwh a day in good conditions which is enough for electric driving range of 250 miles.

They send all the excess to the grid and buy it back in the winter for the storage heating.

It will be interesting to see how it works out for them. The feed in tariff is a lot higher though about 4 times higher there but they pay a lot more for electricity.

They paid 20K to have it installed for 13 kwp.

2011

Deleted User wrote: »

Depends on how much electricity you use.

Even a 3 kwp system has huge potential, in winter you might generate 2-3 kw/h per day, however in summer this could be as high as 20-30 kwh per day and including the feed in tariff.

Solar is a lot cheaper installed than wind.

Energy prices are going up, we were promised reduced energy bills with wind energy but that's now proved they were lying as they are companies and their only interest is sheer profit and the more profit the better.

My partners parents in Germany have 13kwp and can generate up to 70 kwh a day in good conditions which is enough for electric driving range of 250 miles.

They send all the excess to the grid and buy it back in the winter for the storage heating.

It will be interesting to see how it works out for them. The feed in tariff is a lot higher though about 4 times higher there but they pay a lot more for electricity.

They paid 20K to have it installed for 13 kwp.

If it is such a good deal why do you think that it has not caught on (for domestic installations) here?

I would expect that the capital cost in Germany is far less, and as I pointed out the Germans are offered a far better feed in rate. Therefore it makes far much more sense in Germany.

If I had €20k to spend on making my Irish home more efficient I certainly would not spend it on PV panels, and I don't think I am alone.

BrianDug

As 2011 has said it is not a good idea financially, I performed a study in the past and the payback was negative.

2011

2011 wrote: »

If it is such a good deal why do you think that it has not caught on (for domestic installations) here?

I would expect that the capital cost in Germany is far less, and as I pointed out the Germans are offered a far better feed in rate. Therefore it makes far much more sense in Germany.

If I had €20k to spend on making my Irish home more efficient I certainly would not spend it on PV panels, and I don't think I am alone.

Indeed, I tried to convince them when they were renovating the house to spend the money on insulation, ie external insulation. But I think he thinks he's make a profit, well and good if they do.

However I do believe most Irish people believe that solar pv just won't work here, and I'm not convinced (yet ) that it won't.

We spend about 500-550 a year in electricity which isn't enough to justify the jump. However I would like if I could generate enough surplus in summer to cover the cost of storage heating in winter.

Wind turbine installation is extortionately high in Ireland. You're talking 15K for a 3kw turbine, though that could generate a lot of energy more than solar. A hybrid system of wind and solar would be best.

Outkast_IRE

Lot more clear sky in many parts of Germany too in comparison to the cloudy conditions we get quite often for long periods, makes a difference to solar.

Yes, clear skies help but I still wouldn't write off solar pv for Ireland.

wait4me

I saw this baby in Malmo last week. Its called the Giraffe Not cheap either!

2011

Deleted User wrote: »

Yes, clear skies help but I still wouldn't write off solar pv for Ireland.

I think you will have to unless it suddenly becomes far more financially viable

The numbers simply don't add up.

wait4me

wait4me wrote: »

I saw this baby in Malmo last week. Its called the Giraffe Not cheap either!

No certainly not cheap, 6000kwh a year is not bad.

2011

2011 wrote: »

I think you will have to unless it suddenly becomes far more financially viable

The numbers simply don't add up.

What's a 3kwp set up installed for these days ?

At my consumption it wouldn't be worth it. I use about 2400 kwh per year. average 6.5kwh per day.

2011

Deleted User wrote: »

No certainly not cheap, 6000kwh a year is not bad.

Not bad, it's terrible.

Even at €0.20 per unit it is only €1,200 per year.
I would also imagine that 6,000 units is more aspirational than realistic.

That's 2.5 times my yearly needs, or do you mean the cost to buy compared to kwh generated ?

How many kw was the Giraffe anyway ?

2011

Deleted User wrote: »

do you mean the cost to buy compared to kwh generated ?

Yes

minzabud

Not really relative but in working as a solar installer in Australia doing commercial and domestic installations, mostly 5kw on houses, the cost of materials has dropped dramatically in the last year almost half of what it was, German manufacturers getting modules made in Asia now, 6k will get you a 5kw system over here, almost half the cost of 2 years ago and modules are more efficient now at 250w each.

Yeah 40K is mad, I wonder what a 3 kwp solar set up would cost installed here ?

Wind turbine installations are mental expensive in Ireland. Though the cost of energy is rising and if you can heat your house with the turbine covering most of the cost, I suppose it pays for itself over 15 years then after that your energy costs would be very little.

minzabud

minzabud wrote: »

6k will get you a 5kw system over here, almost half the cost of 2 years ago and modules are more efficient now at 250w each.

The cost has dropped a lot, but Ireland is a rip off and getting contractors to do proper quality jobs at reasonable costs is very difficult.

No one has told me yet what a 3 kwp or 5kw p would cost installed in Ireland, at 6 grand it would be a no brainer.

dathi

northern company on done deal selling 2kw system for 3500 sterling

peter65

After a lot of searching I just got my 6.5kwp installed 2 weeks ago. Very happy with the system so far, but worse time of the year to see returns. One thing I did learn was the amount of cowboys there are installing. It's scary how little I would need to do to become a supplier of the systems. Out of 8 companies that called only 3 actually made it into my house. The 'driveway interview' didn't go well for the other five. ROCK payments make a big difference to the pay back

Well done Peter.

What rate are you getting for excess to the grid ?

It will be interesting to know what you generate in a year so keep us posted.

Yeah there are so many cowboys out there, what problems did you encounter?

May I ask what the system cost ?

ted1

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The cost has dropped a lot, but Ireland is a rip off and getting contractors to do proper quality jobs at reasonable costs is very difficult.

No one has told me yet what a 3 kwp or 5kw p would cost installed in Ireland, at 6 grand it would be a no brainer.

Why would you say that?
The payback period would be brutal.
Probably 20 years or so. The increase on duty on PV cells coming from china isn't going to help reduce the costs.


As regards installers there's not much to it, mount them facing the right direction, link them up and connect them to an inverter, they really are plug and play modular systems.

ted1

Peter , your up north right?
So will have very different REFIT than most people

Stoner

ted1 wrote: »

Why would you say that?
The payback period would be brutal.
Probably 20 years or so. The increase on duty on PV cells coming from china isn't going to help reduce the costs.


As regards installers there's not much to it, mount them facing the right direction, link them up and connect them to an inverter, they really are plug and play modular systems.

ted1 have you installed any in domestic applications, if so have you a link to the kit you used?

I'd prefer the heat pipe system myself, but a small PV system to drive the pump might be something that was cost effective if it could be run from a battery charged by PV, but once again i don't think this should be cost effective, but I'd rather use the power then sell it back and buy it back at a much higher rate.

[QUOTE=Stoner;88032350
I'd prefer the heat pipe system myself, but a small PV system to drive the pump might be something that was cost effective if it could be run from a battery charged by PV, but once again i don't think this should be cost effective, but I'd rather use the power then sell it back and buy it back at a much higher rate.[/QUOTE]

Do you mean solar hot water panels ?

I think solar PV has a lot more potential than hot water solar. At least the excess you can send to the grid, but you have more potential from PV.

In winter the heating heats the water, so you would take a long time to get a pay back.

Stoner

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Do you mean solar hot water panels ?

I think solar PV has a lot more potential than hot water solar. At least the excess you can send to the grid, but you have more potential from PV.

In winter the heating heats the water, so you would take a long time to get a pay back.

Heat pipes are quite efficient and used a lot here. You don't really get much back for the electricity you generate from PV. Using the energy at source is good IMO, but have you used a decent domestic PV kit ?

Stoner

Stoner wrote: »

Heat pipes are quite efficient and used a lot here. You don't really get much back for the electricity you generate from PV. Using the energy at source is good IMO, but have you used a decent domestic PV kit ?

Ah I get it "heat pipes" I thought we were talking about solar hot water panels that you usually see on the roof.

Heat pipes, as in geothermal ?

I've been in houses that have had it installed and they were unhappy with electricity bills being so high ?

maybe they are better today, or maybe the installer is the problem or both ?

NO I've not used a Solar PV system but solar pv dies work in Ireland. Maybe not as good as spain but over 20 years it would save a lot of money especially the more you use, for me with my 2000 average kwh yearly sage it may not be so good, but 2kwp over 20 years would make a big difference.

Energy prices are going one way and despite all the promises of wind energy making bills much cheaper bills are not going down.

For Ireland a hybrid system of solar pv and wind would be best.

Solar and wind can also power the geothermal system.

Don't forget you get paid for any excess you send to the grid.

If you generate only 500 watts over 6 hours in winter that = 3 kwh, that's just under half my daily average as calculated by the energy monitor. In summer that would be 7 kwh generated from just 500 watts being generated !

A 3 kwp system would have good potential 5kw much more.

ei9go

I suggest you have a look at this link

http://tramoreweathercam.com/weather/

This station has a device for measuring the amount of watts hitting the sensor.

Just checking now and the sky is clear but there is only 58 watts per square meter being detected.

If you watch you will see a peak between about 11 am and 2 pm and after that very little energy.

Solar PV is only practical when the government pays grants and subsidies which is why you see houses all over England covered with PV panels.

freddyuk

ei9go wrote: »

I suggest you have a look at this link

http://tramoreweathercam.com/weather/

This station has a device for measuring the amount of watts hitting the sensor.

Just checking now and the sky is clear but there is only 58 watts per square meter being detected.

If you watch you will see a peak between about 11 am and 2 pm and after that very little energy.

Solar PV is only practical when the government pays grants and subsidies which is why you see houses all over England covered with PV panels.

1. There is no sun so that is why there is very little solar radiation being measured. The fact it is seeing a small amount of watts proves the point that in very low light levels the solar system will still output some energy in the form of DC electricity. Multiply that by say 30 m2 for a 5kw system and you will have around 300 -400watts of free power which will keep many homes ticking over. Once the light levels rise then you can switch on the heavy loads.
2. Of course maximum energy will be seen between 11am - 2pm. On any day if conditions remain stable.
3. The UK is not exactly covered in Solar panels. Compared to Germany it is insignificant. I know that is not exactly what you said but the cash benefits are no longer a real attraction, it is more about investing now to inflation proof your energy bill. Companies are still investing in solar as the returns are attractive when you get free power and can offset the capital cost against your tax liabilities.