Random Renewables Thread

curioustony

Good news for new panels

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41107297.html

shame it took this to force the issue https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2023-03-07/73/#:~:text=Minister%20for%20Finance,-Share&text=Following%20amendments%20to%20Annex%20III,efficient%20low%20emissions%20heating%20systems.

Not sure when it kicks in...

slave1

Let's see the T&Cs...

DC999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120430005#Comment_120430005

Class. Makes complete sense to me.

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120430005#Comment_120430005

Sudden outbreak of common sense in the green party, I expect them to get the situation under control in the next few weeks and we'll be back to taxes and bans 😂

SD_DRACULA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120430886#Comment_120430886

Probably the same clown rules like the UK, if you go and buy the panels yourself you get f*** all but if you use an installer you get the VAT deducted and the installer just bumps price up by whatever the VAT was.

Great if you're an installer and pointless for the consumer, as usual.

the_amazing_raisin

Ugh, if I'd known this was coming I'd have held off the installation 🤦‍♂️

Jonathan

http://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2023/0402/1367779-environment-solar/

The savings will come from the abolition of VAT on the supply and installation of solar panels on homes and public buildings, which will be brought to Cabinet later this week.

Black_Knight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120431977#Comment_120431977

Costs are going up fast enough that it might make no difference if you had.

Cyrus

Folks who are recommended installers for solar? Like with anything like this I'm sure there are cowboys so would rather avoid!

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120432538#Comment_120432538

A list here of members who used companies. https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058243236/solar-pv-

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120432538#Comment_120432538

Sent you a PM with details of my installer

My general advice is to get several quotes and try to balance price versus how professional they seem

I'd also be wary of companies offering flashy sounding products which don't necessarily seem any better than the competition

graememk

Watched the most recent technology connections video, mainly about electrifying the remaining things, and general chat of staying within the supply limits,

About 15 mins in, discussed heat pump tumble driers. Which I agree with him in saying that it's a poor name for them.

It's actually a closed loop dehumidifier tumble dryer. Any heat imparted into the clothes is just a nice side effect.

As it's just a dehumidifier and a motor would explain the vastly different power requirements. Also much easier on clothes too.

My initial thought was that they used a heatpump to take heat from the room and put it into the clothes but being a dehumidifier makes so much more sense

Gerry

That makes a lot of sense.. I had thought they were better at re using the heat, but also know that very long slow drying is not meant to be good for clothes, in terms of wrinkles.. but that "heat pump" dryers avoided that issue. Thanks

silver_sky

This is interesting. Kettle with a vacuum seal. They all seem to be lower power also - up to about 1.8kW. The vacuum seal means that it keeps the water hotter for longer. Handy if you have a few cups of tea or coffee in the day. The lower power would help keep within battery/inverter limits or for those with backup power which may be limited.

Definitely thinking of getting one myself. I have a Bosch kettle with temp control thats getting on a few years now so may replace it this year.

https://vektra.uk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfZTtjKGLQ4

slave1

Seems excessive, if someone has limited backup power and can’t run a kettle then just microwave a cup of water

Jonathan

Our kettle is a stove top model that we use on the induction hob. I picked up a 1kW travel kettle last year for use with backup socket and V2L. Does the job nicely.

silver_sky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120479894#Comment_120479894

Possibly so. It's just a bit random and I came across it, thought it fit in here. :) I need to get one of those 1kW kettles. My backup supply is limited to 3kW so the regular kettle doesn't cut it.

unkel

I can't see a €120 kettle ever paying back for itself, even if that means your current 3kW kettle is running mostly from the grid...

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120480048#Comment_120480048

Combine that with a thermos to keep the water hot and then I reckon you're onto a winner

Bonus points, you can chuck the stovetop kettle into the dishwasher to clean the limescale off

AndyBoBandy

Solis Home app will be no more from April 30th.

I love it for the way it shows daily/monthly/annual production…

paddyk162

Is it worth putting solar panels on a roof that is East/West in orientation? Heard you need to be ideally south facing to get benefit. Thanks

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120487203#Comment_120487203

100% yes, especially if no battery and you are not home during the day (when S facing panels are at their peak) in which case self use is better with E/W versus S

DC999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120487203#Comment_120487203

My roof is E/W and it's perfect. As Slave2 says, it's a lower output but gives a longer day to use the power. I've no battery so E/W works well for me. And if the weather is bad during the day, E/W gives a longer window to produce so more change the weather will blow over. During the longer days, I can get some output to about 8pm on the W panels – which is class. And E starts to produce early too.

Do check how W you are. We’re NW and it produces fine from ~ Mid March to end Sept, but then it hibernates. Sun doesn’t hit it after end Sept until spring.

Or you can use S if you’ve that available on a flat roof or a large shed that isn’t shaded.

jkforde

thought this fella might interest some

https://youtu.be/z7vhMcKvHo8

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120486332#Comment_120486332

SolisCloud does that

the_amazing_raisin

RTE news : EirGrid profits almost triple to €115m due to low winds

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2023/0420/1378154-eirgrid-group-reports-annual-revenue-of-861-6m-up-17

Another sign that the electricity market is broken, Eirgrid makes money for low renewable generation

Okay, I'm pretty sure the profits were actually due to money saved by not having to pay the PSO levy to wind farms

And yes, the profits are being returned to the customer

But this just seems wrong, like it incentivises fossil fuels. If anything Eirgrid should have a minimum target for renewable generation and get fined if it's below target

Busman Paddy Lasty

Negative PSO/money direct to consumer is probably better than a state body paying a fine to the exchequer. Particularly for those struggling with bills at the moment.

I propose a system where vat cannot be charged on the fossil fuel components of the energy mix, with all "suppliers" getting the data from Eirgrid or CRU so it's the same across the board.

Less vat to the exchequer might give government a kick up the ars€ and speed up new renewables rollout or assessing applications such as foreshore licence etc. Interconnectors to French nuclear also.

DC999

Is it not good for a state org to make a profit? Otherwise they need to be subsidised by taxpayers money. I don’t mean fleecing for services, but providing them at a reasonable cost. 

If the story said ‘EirGrid recorded a lost of €114m last year and need to be subsidised by the State’ would that be a better scenario?

I worked for a State org before and they returned profits which went back to the State. That’s a win surely? I was only there for 4 years so I’m not looking with rose tinted glasses saying it’s all perfect.

Every org need to return a profit or at least break even. Or they go bang-wallop in the longer term, or get propped up from some other war chest.

 

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120502838#Comment_120502838

Yeah, they do need to keep investing on the grid etc, and then any excess "dividends" the state gets back,

Bobeagleburger

When was the latest government credit applied? I think Energia have miscalculated my latest bill.