Solar Panels UK - is it worth it?

[PITA]

you are in midlands, but sounds like you are located in outbacks

Haha... yep it's fun isn't it

 

[PITA]

It all sounds like MADNESS... until it isn't...

10,999 homes & infrastructure off-line.

Mobile phone services - emergency calls only.

Our house... full electricity, full communications, full autonomy.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Our house... full electricity, full communications, full autonomy.

full "rubbing it in" too - good job, well done

 

[PITA]

full "rubbing it in" too - good job, well done

It would be 'rude' not to get at least one photo... just for the memory book

 

[David T]

my charger is Pod Point.

my batteries and inverter will be in the loft,..

anyhow, will have to think about it some way

I have a Pod Point and all its wiring etc is in the meter box. My Givenergy inverter doesn't "see" EV charging as a house usage so currently I cannot divert excess solar to the car. Pod Point have remotely changed settings on the charger so it is allegedly solar compatible, but only up to 4kW (>4kW would be from the grid). As a non-electrician, to me it's a simple case of putting a CT clamps on the cable feeding the charger, but my solar system installers are not sure and are looking into it for me. If I get an update, I'll post it here

 

[HenryT]

what I can do in cases when I will have excess power - I will be able to use mobile charger with granny to drip in some solar electrons

Yep, we do likewise - if the sun's cracking the flags and there's too much electric going back up the pipe we plug my wife's ID.3 in with the granny charger for a few hours.

Never got round to claiming the 4p feed-in tariff.

 

[PITA]

Never got round to claiming the 4p feed-in tariff.

I did, and it was a PITA

I honestly felt Octopus Energy couldn't have made it any harder for me.

But doggedly I continued and finally got it set up.

 

[yessuz]

I have a Pod Point and all its wiring etc is in the meter box. My Givenergy inverter doesn't "see" EV charging as a house usage so currently I cannot divert excess solar to the car. Pod Point have remotely changed settings on the charger so it is allegedly solar compatible, but only up to 4kW (>4kW would be from the grid). As a non-electrician, to me it's a simple case of putting a CT clamps on the cable feeding the charger, but my solar system installers are not sure and are looking into it for me. If I get an update, I'll post it here

Yea, thank you! My clamp from pod point is in meter box as well so looks like we are at the same position. Only my pod point is a bit older now (3 years) and out of warranty

 

[RedMod3]

Before I gave the contract for my extra solar and Powerwalls, I checked Companies House Find and update company information - GOV.UK to make sure the company's accounts indicated they were in good shape before I signed contracts; this is especially important as the installers do not seem to like Credit Cards and the protection they offer.

 

[HenryT]

I did, and it was a PITA

I honestly felt Octopus Energy couldn't have made it any harder for me.

But doggedly I continued and finally got it set up.

Well done.

Paid for your holidays has it?

 

[yessuz]

Before I gave the contract for my extra solar and Powerwalls, I checked Companies House Find and update company information - GOV.UK to make sure the company's accounts indicated they were in good shape before I signed contracts; this is especially important as the installers do not seem to like Credit Cards and the protection they offer.

well that's the beauty - I took the one which does not ask for payment until installation is finished and commissioned

 

[WannabeOwner]

I took the one which does not ask for payment until installation is finished and commissioned

I can see the benefit in that, for the punter, but I look at that as putting themselves at great risk - how many failed payments would they need to go bust? I am doubtful that it is worth their while to re-errect scaffolding to recover their "stuff" on an unpaid invoice (and unless their Ts and Cs says that they retain "title" I doubt they would be able to, even if they wanted).

 

[yessuz]

I can see the benefit in that, for the punter, but I look at that as putting themselves at great risk - how many failed payments would they need to go bust? I am doubtful that it is worth their while to re-errect scaffolding to recover their "stuff" on an unpaid invoice (and unless their Ts and Cs says that they retain "title" I doubt they would be able to, even if they wanted).

Ts&Cs state the interest (5% annual) on the unpaid amount. In general they could just go legal way.

Otovo is quite successful in Norway and been a year (or more!?) In UK.

We will see - at least I do not risk anything

 

[David T]

Well done.

Paid for your holidays has it?

4p per kWh - it's daylight robbery. I want to switch my SEG to Scottish Power as they are offering 12p per kWh but I can't get through to them...

 

[Avendit]

I think we made £20 last year from export. Combination of using the majority of generation plus rubbish pay rate. I have a (very) small interest in a community wind turbine, and they are getting something like 14p a unit, and are literally at the arse end of no where. My units generated in Edinburgh should be worth more as they can be used locally without really involving the national grid.

 

[David T]

I never really factored in selling surplus solar to the grid as it's just not worth it. Apart from car charging, I've been "off grid" for all of march since I've got quite low usage during the day. Just really need a solution for putting excess solar into the car, without forking out on a Zappi unit, when I've got a perfectly good Pod Point.....

 

[yessuz]

I never really factored in selling surplus solar to the grid as it's just not worth it. Apart from car charging, I've been "off grid" for all of march since I've got quite low usage during the day. Just really need a solution for putting excess solar into the car, without forking out on a Zappi unit, when I've got a perfectly good Pod Point.....

Well, either just use UMC via granny (2.5 kw) or same UMC via commando socket with adapter up to 32 kw..

to be fair I was thinking of 16 amp commando in the garage. No user cabinet changes required (feed into garage is adequate), up to 3.7 kw charge of the same circuit as solar

Looks like win win

 

[Chimpy McChimp]

I never really factored in selling surplus solar to the grid as it's just not worth it. Apart from car charging, I've been "off grid" for all of march since I've got quite low usage during the day. Just really need a solution for putting excess solar into the car, without forking out on a Zappi unit, when I've got a perfectly good Pod Point.....

We got calculations of how much we could sell back to grid based on our size of system and location. And selling back to the grid was so minimal we didn't factor it in to our decision.

 

[RedMod3]

Here demonstrates the value of solar and battery:

Peak and Off Peak by DAY Peak and Off Peak by DAY

Day	Consumption	Peak_kWh	OffPeak_kWh	Peak_CostiV	OffPeak_CostiV	Day_Cost	TotalCost	Count
01/03/2023​	70.63​	4.36​	66.27​	0.68​	3.31​	3.99​	4.24​	48​
02/03/2023​	61.22​	1.33​	59.89​	0.21​	2.99​	3.2​	3.45​	48​
03/03/2023​	33.93​	0.06​	33.87​	0.01​	1.69​	1.7​	1.95​	48​
04/03/2023​	45.93​	0.05​	45.88​	0.01​	2.29​	2.3​	2.55​	48​
05/03/2023​	61.43​	0.95​	60.48​	0.15​	3.02​	3.17​	3.42​	48​
06/03/2023​	50.42​	0.06​	50.36​	0.01​	2.52​	2.53​	2.78​	48​
07/03/2023​	53.66​	0.06​	53.6​	0.01​	2.68​	2.69​	2.94​	48​
08/03/2023​	68.29​	7.9​	60.39​	1.23​	3.02​	4.25​	4.5​	48​
09/03/2023​	60.98​	1.28​	59.7​	0.2​	2.98​	3.18​	3.43​	48​
10/03/2023​	69.34​	0.06​	69.28​	0.01​	3.46​	3.47​	3.72​	48​
11/03/2023​	54.21​	0.31​	53.9​	0.05​	2.7​	2.75​	3​	48​
12/03/2023​	59.16​	0.15​	59.01​	0.02​	2.95​	2.97​	3.22​	48​
13/03/2023​	45.71​	0.26​	45.45​	0.04​	2.27​	2.31​	2.56​	48​
14/03/2023​	10.4​	0.05​	10.35​	0.01​	0.52​	0.53​	0.78​	48​
15/03/2023​	37.22​	0.05​	37.17​	0.01​	1.86​	1.87​	2.12​	48​
16/03/2023​	42.06​	0.17​	41.89​	0.03​	2.09​	2.12​	2.37​	48​
17/03/2023​	23.38​	0.06​	23.32​	0.01​	1.17​	1.18​	1.43​	48​
18/03/2023​	26.67​	0.05​	26.62​	0.02​	2.66​	2.68​	3.11​	48​
19/03/2023​	17.94​	0.05​	17.89​	0.02​	1.79​	1.81​	2.24​	48​
20/03/2023​	44.11​	0.05​	44.06​	0.02​	4.41​	4.43​	4.86​	48​
21/03/2023​	24.48​	0.05​	24.43​	0.02​	2.44​	2.46​	2.89​	48​
22/03/2023​	13.02​	0.06​	12.96​	0.02​	1.3​	1.32​	1.75​	48​
23/03/2023​	16.58​	0.05​	16.53​	0.02​	1.65​	1.67​	2.1​	48​
24/03/2023​	30.26​	0.05​	30.21​	0.02​	3.02​	3.04​	3.47​	48​
25/03/2023​	23.89​	0.05​	23.84​	0.02​	2.38​	2.4​	2.83​	48​
26/03/2023​	29.82​	0.05​	29.77​	0.02​	2.98​	3​	3.41​	46​
27/03/2023​	25.55​	0.05​	25.5​	0.02​	2.55​	2.57​	3​	48​
28/03/2023​	14.23​	0.05​	14.18​	0.02​	1.42​	1.44​	1.87​	48​
29/03/2023​	64.83​	0.04​	64.79​	0.02​	6.48​	6.5​	6.93​	48​
30/03/2023​	44.33​	0.05​	44.28​	0.02​	4.43​	4.45​	4.88​	48​
31/03/2023​	48.62​	0.05​	48.57​	0.02​	4.86​	4.88​	5.31​	48​
​	1272.3​	17.86​	1254.44​	2.97​	83.89​	86.86​	97.11​	​

Net Bill off Octopus was £97.11 and solar cash-back was £62.19, making a net cost of £34.92.

Very disappointed I had a net cost in March, but this was caused by the poor weather resulting in more heating (air-sourced heat pumps) and lower FIT. I will be in profit in April, there is no doubt.

Analysis was done by loading Octopus 1/2 hour readings into Access and using SQL to look up the correct rates as my tariff changed mid month.

 

[94jdh]

Here demonstrates the value of solar and battery:

Peak and Off Peak by DAY Peak and Off Peak by DAY

Day	Consumption	Peak_kWh	OffPeak_kWh	Peak_CostiV	OffPeak_CostiV	Day_Cost	TotalCost	Count
01/03/2023​	70.63​	4.36​	66.27​	0.68​	3.31​	3.99​	4.24​	48​
02/03/2023​	61.22​	1.33​	59.89​	0.21​	2.99​	3.2​	3.45​	48​
03/03/2023​	33.93​	0.06​	33.87​	0.01​	1.69​	1.7​	1.95​	48​
04/03/2023​	45.93​	0.05​	45.88​	0.01​	2.29​	2.3​	2.55​	48​
05/03/2023​	61.43​	0.95​	60.48​	0.15​	3.02​	3.17​	3.42​	48​
06/03/2023​	50.42​	0.06​	50.36​	0.01​	2.52​	2.53​	2.78​	48​
07/03/2023​	53.66​	0.06​	53.6​	0.01​	2.68​	2.69​	2.94​	48​
08/03/2023​	68.29​	7.9​	60.39​	1.23​	3.02​	4.25​	4.5​	48​
09/03/2023​	60.98​	1.28​	59.7​	0.2​	2.98​	3.18​	3.43​	48​
10/03/2023​	69.34​	0.06​	69.28​	0.01​	3.46​	3.47​	3.72​	48​
11/03/2023​	54.21​	0.31​	53.9​	0.05​	2.7​	2.75​	3​	48​
12/03/2023​	59.16​	0.15​	59.01​	0.02​	2.95​	2.97​	3.22​	48​
13/03/2023​	45.71​	0.26​	45.45​	0.04​	2.27​	2.31​	2.56​	48​
14/03/2023​	10.4​	0.05​	10.35​	0.01​	0.52​	0.53​	0.78​	48​
15/03/2023​	37.22​	0.05​	37.17​	0.01​	1.86​	1.87​	2.12​	48​
16/03/2023​	42.06​	0.17​	41.89​	0.03​	2.09​	2.12​	2.37​	48​
17/03/2023​	23.38​	0.06​	23.32​	0.01​	1.17​	1.18​	1.43​	48​
18/03/2023​	26.67​	0.05​	26.62​	0.02​	2.66​	2.68​	3.11​	48​
19/03/2023​	17.94​	0.05​	17.89​	0.02​	1.79​	1.81​	2.24​	48​
20/03/2023​	44.11​	0.05​	44.06​	0.02​	4.41​	4.43​	4.86​	48​
21/03/2023​	24.48​	0.05​	24.43​	0.02​	2.44​	2.46​	2.89​	48​
22/03/2023​	13.02​	0.06​	12.96​	0.02​	1.3​	1.32​	1.75​	48​
23/03/2023​	16.58​	0.05​	16.53​	0.02​	1.65​	1.67​	2.1​	48​
24/03/2023​	30.26​	0.05​	30.21​	0.02​	3.02​	3.04​	3.47​	48​
25/03/2023​	23.89​	0.05​	23.84​	0.02​	2.38​	2.4​	2.83​	48​
26/03/2023​	29.82​	0.05​	29.77​	0.02​	2.98​	3​	3.41​	46​
27/03/2023​	25.55​	0.05​	25.5​	0.02​	2.55​	2.57​	3​	48​
28/03/2023​	14.23​	0.05​	14.18​	0.02​	1.42​	1.44​	1.87​	48​
29/03/2023​	64.83​	0.04​	64.79​	0.02​	6.48​	6.5​	6.93​	48​
30/03/2023​	44.33​	0.05​	44.28​	0.02​	4.43​	4.45​	4.88​	48​
31/03/2023​	48.62​	0.05​	48.57​	0.02​	4.86​	4.88​	5.31​	48​
​	1272.3​	17.86​	1254.44​	2.97​	83.89​	86.86​	97.11​	​

Net Bill off Octopus was £97.11 and solar cash-back was £62.19, making a net cost of £34.92.

Very disappointed I had a net cost in March, but this was caused by the poor weather resulting in more heating (air-sourced heat pumps) and lower FIT. I will be in profit in April, there is no doubt.

Analysis was done by loading Octopus 1/2 hour readings into Access and using SQL to look up the correct rates as my tariff changed mid month.

Is that with the Tesla tariff? How does it model when that ends and going on to Go/Intelligent/Flux etc.?