Solar Panels UK - is it worth it?

[Mrklaw]

Got complacent. Son not realising to put the tumble dryer on sooner means it ate into the battery, plus was an oven day. And washing machine/tumble dryer overnight. So starting today on 25% battery with a predicted 11kwh solar, with more tumble drying needed..

I need an email alert when the solar forecast for the next day is less than 15kwh.

 

[Pete UK]

Got complacent. Son not realising to put the tumble dryer on sooner means it ate into the battery, plus was an oven day. And washing machine/tumble dryer overnight. So starting today on 25% battery with a predicted 11kwh solar, with more tumble drying needed..

I need an email alert when the solar forecast for the next day is less than 15kwh.

Today looks like it’s going to be a bit grim.

Yesterday was a good day Solar wise, half my batteries have been offline due to a BMS fault for two weeks but the other two batteries got to 100% (19kWh) and I generated 33kWh

I’m down to about 60% (30% really) at 9am today, looks like I’ll be at least covering my base load all day today. Let’s see how much will be generated. I reckon about 15kW but who knows. That’s my guess based on looking at apple weather

Not looking forward to winter. I think I’ll have to up my overnight reserve a bit whilst I’m down half of the battery storage. I’m hobbling along though.

 

[GRiLLA]

Going to be tough today, although I kept the battery at 60% during the cheap rate last night, hopefully I'll make it to 11:30 tonight.

Tomorrow looks better

 

[Mrklaw]

all this automation is lovely, but Givenergy could actually enable their battery charge automation too - that'd be nice.

 

[Pete UK]

all this automation is lovely, but Givenergy could actually enable their battery charge automation too - that'd be nice.

Isn’t it enabled already?

What do you mean?

 

[Mrklaw]

Isn’t it enabled already?

What do you mean?

there is a setting either on dashboard or app that is supposed to automate the level of battery charge dynamically based on forecast solar. So separeate from you manually setting eg charge to 50% during octopus go window. But I think its not active

 

[Pete UK]

there is a setting either on dashboard or app that is supposed to automate the level of battery charge dynamically based on forecast solar. So separeate from you manually setting eg charge to 50% during octopus go window. But I think its not active

Ah, I see, ok. So a solar forecast automation. Using Solcast, I presume.

Interesting….

 

[MrT3]

all this automation is lovely, but Givenergy could actually enable their battery charge automation too - that'd be nice.

forecast for me today was around 10 kWh, which is usually too optimistic so I charged overnight to 65% only for the early rain to clear so I have generated over 15 kWh and exported 6 kWh of that. Still better to buy electricity cheaply overnight than needing to during the day.

 

[Avendit]

forecast for me today was around 10 kWh, which is usually too optimistic so I charged overnight to 65% only for the early rain to clear so I have generated over 15 kWh and exported 6 kWh of that. Still better to buy electricity cheaply overnight than needing to during the day.

Recently I've been bumped to 7.5p export, matching my new IO import. Theoretically, that gives me 10kw of nett metering so I should just fill up on cheap overnight power.

But that felt very weird today where we also got a bad forecast. Trying to get the balance right feels better.

 

[ringi]

Recently I've been bumped to 7.5p export, matching my new IO import. Theoretically, that gives me 10kw of nett metering so I should just fill up on cheap overnight power.

But that felt very weird today where we also got a bad forecast. Trying to get the balance right feels better.

At present it lowers grid CO2 to import as much as possible overnight and export all unused PV in the day time.

 

[Pink Duck]

Best take a look at Energy Dashboard as the grid CO₂ varies during the day a lot as solar/wind produce, so for yesterday 13:00–14:30 was the greenest time to charge EVs from grid. Lowest CO₂ of course to charge when excess solar (hint hint, Tesla). I sort of guiltily accept I’m linked with increased emissions while I’m repaying back my installation costs sooner.

 

[Chimpy McChimp]

Currently getting to grips with my new install and learning how to make most of my set up. It's been sunny the last couple of days so during day my house is being run from solar (the hot tub is currently off!). The battery is getting fully charged and topping off the car when I can. I'm still exporting some to the grid but I don't have a SEG set up yet. Scottish power seems to offer the best rate and I've started the process of applying but it's asking for a DNO confirmation reference number (starting NQC or NC) I don't see that anywhere on my paperwork and my installer has never heard of this. I've asked my DNO but not getting any response (so far)
Anyone else had this or how they got this code?

 

[GRiLLA]

Currently getting to grips with my new install and learning how to make most of my set up. It's been sunny the last couple of days so during day my house is being run from solar (the hot tub is currently off!). The battery is getting fully charged and topping off the car when I can. I'm still exporting some to the grid but I don't have a SEG set up yet. Scottish power seems to offer the best rate and I've started the process of applying but it's asking for a DNO confirmation reference number (starting NQC or NC) I don't see that anywhere on my paperwork and my installer has never heard of this. I've asked my DNO but not getting any response (so far)
Anyone else had this or how they got this code?

Maybe that is specific to your DNO? Here we have SSEN who send an email acceptance of the documents supplied by the installer to accept the G99 Fast Track application. I attached that to my application via Octopus along with the MCAS certificate from the installer.

I've kept with Octopus in this first instance as they seem to deliver timely services, and I'll perhaps switch to someone who pays more next year, not going to be much exporting left. I was surprised by the speed at which SSEN and Octopus dealt with this, I've been earning within 2 weeks of the install, I guess when installers do things right, DNO find it easy and everything clicks into place. I've heard of people waiting months for Scottish Power to do the same.

 

[yessuz]

Regarding Scottish power.

Do you think this schematic will go pass their checks? You cannot have battery storage in order to eligible for their 12p SEG tariff, I believe?

 

[Chimpy McChimp]

Maybe that is specific to your DNO? Here we have SSEN who send an email acceptance of the documents supplied by the installer to accept the G99 Fast Track application. I attached that to my application via Octopus along with the MCAS certificate from the installer.

I've kept with Octopus in this first instance as they seem to deliver timely services, and I'll perhaps switch to someone who pays more next year, not going to be much exporting left. I was surprised by the speed at which SSEN and Octopus dealt with this, I've been earning within 2 weeks of the install, I guess when installers do things right, DNO find it easy and everything clicks into place. I've heard of people waiting months for Scottish Power to do the same.

Thanks but my installer has never heard of it and they work with the DNO all the time. I'll maybe restart the application In case I have entered something wrong and its taken me off track!!!

My export will be minimal but frustrating to see that free electricity not making me something. Even if it will only be enough to buy a few cups of coffee. Scottish power offering 12p per kwh and my purchase rate is 19.23p so not far off what I buy at.

 

[Chimpy McChimp]

Regarding Scottish power.

View attachment 969720

Do you think this schematic will go pass their checks? You cannot have battery storage in order to eligible for their 12p SEG tariff, I believe?

I've been reading through the requirements and it doesn't state no battery anywhere. I can give it a go. They can only say no.

Edit: in the "examples of" section it does show an example showing battery storage. So assume it's ok.

 

[yessuz]

I've been reading through the requirements and it doesn't state no battery anywhere. I can give it a go. They can only say no.

Edit: in the "examples of" section it does show an example showing battery storage. So assume it's ok.

well...

This is due to it being classed as ‘brown energy’, which isn’t eligible for payments in our SEG scheme. The diagram must show where the smart/export meter sits in relation to the renewable installation, battery and grid.

 

[Chimpy McChimp]

well...

If I can get past this code they are asking for I'll apply and see what happens.

 

[yessuz]

after reading all the issues people have with SP...

Scottish Power and SEG - Page 7

I do not have the necessary "Supplier Code" to register

forums.moneysavingexpert.com

I just booked with octopus

It is still pennies in the grand scheme of things and I prefer things to be rolling rather than calling them every few weeks and being paid twice a year after I submit the reading... just cannot be arsed.

p.s. it is easy to get past the requirements - just attach schematics and off you go. but in this case, you might still it there for few months, waiting for answer to get negative... I just tired of all crap happening this year.,.

 

[GRiLLA]

Thanks but my installer has never heard of it and they work with the DNO all the time. I'll maybe restart the application In case I have entered something wrong and its taken me off track!!!

My export will be minimal but frustrating to see that free electricity not making me something. Even if it will only be enough to buy a few cups of coffee. Scottish power offering 12p per kwh and my purchase rate is 19.23p so not far off what I buy at.

EON will offer 16.5p export if you switch your incoming to them, for example their EV tariff which is 33p peak / 9.5p 00-07am. I'm going to reassess this all next year as it's September tomorrow and I'm not going to be export much more this year, my IO offers the lowest purchase price for the winter now at 7.5p.