Solar Panels UK - is it worth it?

[init6]

that's far from my experience, with 11 year old panels on a south facing roof in Leeds.

View attachment 746607

That's an average of 3.24kWh per day - not even a kWh different from @26ct2143 figure

 

[PITA]

On our 7.2 kWp system (East / West). 5 kW Inverter.

April : System Installed
May Day Average is : 23.1 kWh
June Day Average is : 27.7 kWh
July Day Average is : 25.9 kWh
August Day Average is : 18.2 kWh
September Day Average is : 15.4 kWh
October Day Average is : 8.1 kWh
November Day Average is : 4.4 kWh
December Day Average is : 2.4 kWh

 

[rnbetsy]

That's an average of 3.24kWh per day - not even a kWh different from @26ct2143 figure

Presumably not a 30kW array though?

My 2021 (yorkshire) stats from a 3.68kW inverter, 6kWp.

 

[init6]

Presumably not a 30kW array though?

My 2021 (yorkshire) stats from a 3.68kW inverter, 6kWp.

View attachment 746680

I've no idea, but your figures also align with @26ct2143 's comment that the winter months are much less productive.

 

[RedMod3]

My figures, south coast, 4kW solar array in kWh

AVG

AVG %

Tot

2013 Gen

2014 Gen

2015 Gen

2016 Gen

2017 Gen

2018 Gen

2019 Gen

2020 Gen

2021 Gen

128​

2.9%​

Jan

1021​

138​

144​

127​

139​

125​

136​

110​

102​

218​

5.0%​

Feb

1964​

181​

244​

206​

224​

165​

293​

268​

197​

186​

368​

8.5%​

Mar

3308​

249​

451​

396​

411​

344​

281​

354​

442​

380​

501​

11.5%​

Apr

4506​

448​

481​

555​

461​

524​

359​

511​

590​

577​

564​

13.0%​

May

5075​

525​

521​

524​

572​

515​

629​

555​

704​

530​

548​

12.6%​

Jun

4936​

531​

617​

584​

451​

575​

597​

525​

558​

498​

578​

13.3%​

Jul

5205​

628​

633​

521​

560​

524​

638​

572​

560​

569​

502​

11.6%​

Aug

4517​

546​

509​

415​

561​

512​

447​

546​

508​

473​

415​

9.6%​

Sep

3737​

343​

419​

471​

373​

354​

465​

425​

445​

442​

275​

6.3%​

Oct

2473​

282​

256​

265​

333​

232​

343​

224​

255​

283​

154​

3.5%​

Nov

1387​

174​

131​

87​

189​

186​

161​

141​

146​

172​

94​

2.2%​

Dec

750​

99​

111​

71​

101​

92​

80​

108​

88​

4344​

100.0%​

Tot

38879​

4006​

4511​

4239​

4363​

4162​

4418​

4365​

4603​

4212​

 

[MrBadger]

We use a Genvex system, what’s your’s Vanilla?

Ours is a vent axia sentinel kinetic

 

[btc1k]

Does anyone use Growatt batteries at all? Got lots of questions which are hard to get answers from installers on"

 

[RedMod3]

Ours is a vent axia sentinel kinetic

Thanks, your system has a similar spec to ours: PREMIUM PREHEAT 300 air ventilation heat pump - Genvex.

BTW, consider getting your filters from: Air Filters | Jasun Envirocare Plc as they are considerably cheaper than the branded ones.

 

[MrBadger]

Thanks, your system has a similar spec to ours: PREMIUM PREHEAT 300 air ventilation heat pump - Genvex.

BTW, consider getting your filters from: Air Filters | Jasun Envirocare Plc as they are considerably cheaper than the branded ones.

Ours is just MVHR, no additional heating or cooling other than mechanical bypass and heat recovery. In a previous property we had warm air heating and the amount of air our MVHR moves around is a fraction of that so I didn't view it as any heat or cooling source although I have thought about preheat on a couple of occasions may have been nice but in reality its never been an issue even on coldest of days. Cooling is a summer bypass which basically means that when outside temperature gets cooler than inside temperature it bypasses the heat recovery system and you just get filtered air at outside temperature, so its an evening/night thing really. Our unit consumes about 28W during the day and 17W overnight so under 8p/day on power.

Thanks for link to filters. I bulk buy the originals every couple of years as extract filter comes in packs of 2, but a different choice would be useful. I end up with a £120 or so order every couple of years - ouch, I hadn't quite realised the cost so an alternative would be good especially as I think I am due an order in a few months. Unfortunately that website doesn't seem to list manufacturers equivalents that I can see which makes getting similar spec more tricky. I'll give them a shout.

 

[RedMod3]

Thanks for link to filters. I bulk buy the originals every couple of years as extract filter comes in packs of 2, but a different choice would be useful. I end up with a £120 or so order every couple of years - ouch, I hadn't quite realised the cost so an alternative would be good especially as I think I am due an order in a few months. Unfortunately that website doesn't seem to list manufacturers equivalents that I can see which makes getting similar spec more tricky. I'll give them a shout.

I bought mine from them based on the specification and size. I ordered the F7 intake and G4 extract filter; they will make them to your required size if you specify L, W and height. I paid £129 for 4 inlet and 4 outlet filters,

Ours does have a mini-heatpump inside which is reversible and so can provide a little heating in winter of cooling in summer; but I find it more efficient to use our air-air sourced heat pump for that which heats and cools our place well; we don't use gas. I do find in winter that I can sometimes feel the cool air coming though the vents.

The next time I am in the attic, I'll put a watt-meter in series with the supply and check consumption.

I too have a summer by-pass, but I have to manually swap out the aluminium heater exchanger for that, and it givies me the good opportunity to clean it before it goes back in for the winter.

Like you, I believe the biggest benefit is preserving the fabric of the building by eliminating condensation and noting the fresh air.

 

[Battpower]

The issue for the DNO's is not so much the local cabling (unbundling aside), but rather the aging transformers they often have. There was a guy from Western Power Distribution at Fully Charged Live in September who explained this better than I can, but in effect the LV networks weren't designed (20 years ago) with equipment that could support large amounts of local generation.

From what the guy was saying WPD were trying to do as much as they can to help, but ultimately there's no quick fixes here.

I'm replying while only half way through the current thread length so sorry if this point is already made.

My experience and discussion with local DNO (which happens to be Western Power) confirms transformer infrastructure can be a big issue.

In one sense, on-grid solar etc isn't a big help if the DNO still has to cover worst case (winter) loads. Batteries can help buffer load, but again can also put additional load on the network when charging - making transformer loading even harder to deal with.

On the broader issue of battery or no battery, in summer I can vouch for the benefits of batteries, and I have had lead acid since 2014 and they are still providing the same storage benefit (in energy terms) as when new, with the rider that I only discharge them to 50% on a regular basis. I have Pylontech and LG Chem lithium based battery subsystems too, and on balance for me I think expensive batteries while having some benefits are a ticking depreciation that can negate most or all the energy cost benefit.

Unless off-grid is your dream, I think keeping a close eye on keeping battery cost low to at least get some buffering is very worthwhile. In my case the batteries have had equal financial benefit as the panels themselves.

As long as multi-hour cheap rates exist, there is always going to be a very difficult balance to strike to determine optimal charging strategies and when you add EVs, heat pumps and other discretionary loads (at least when the loads are in use) it becomes even harder.

An idea I am thinking of investigating is rather than having just big PV arrays, look at known, fairly predictable loads like heat pumps, and power them from a UPS type inverter with PV input that will never export but provide a high proportion of the energy for one main load.

 

[Marvin03]

Any recommendations for solar/battery installers around sussex BN6 area?

 

[RedMod3]

Any recommendations for solar/battery installers around sussex BN6 area?

Good luck; I applied to Tesla for a Powerwall quote two months ago, but I've had no response and there is no phone number to call. Tesla do not answer emails either.

 

[ACarneiro]

Don’t even bother trying to speak to Tesla directly. Best to go through installers, and even then you’ll be lucky to get one this year…

 

[jlz78]

You won’t get a Powerwall for about 6 months. That seems to be the rough waiting time at the minute.

 

[scdoubleu]

My experience with the Tesla Powerwall enquiry was fairly positive. Submitted enquiry through the Tesla website on August 10th, 2021. Contacted by local installer (Carbon Legacy Ltd, Notts) on August 24th to discuss requirements. Solar panels and Powerwall installed the week starting October 4th.

Steve

 

[ACarneiro]

That's good to know. I suppose everything Tesla seems to have an element of lottery to it. I'd play Euromillions if were you

 

[PITA]

That's good to know. I suppose everything Tesla seems to have an element of lottery to it. I'd play Euromillions if were you

... plus the DNO Lottery for getting signoff

 

[Marvin03]

You won’t get a Powerwall for about 6 months. That seems to be the rough waiting time at the minute.

Not bothered about Powerwall - beyond what I need. Just need a few good installers around Brighton/ Haywards Heath area for battery/solar. Have a few option in mind and this thread v useful!

 

[megd]

Interesting thread, thanks everyone.

Having got my M3LR in December, I’ve now had a Wallbox Pulsar Plus installed (with the grants) and so next step is solar panels - 11 panels for a 4.5kW install.

Going to cost c.£5k but I can borrow that interest free in Scotland, so repayments going to “cost” me £42/mth which I hope to save in electric savings - especially with new rates coming in April!

We of course then plan to then try to use appliances (washing machine / dishwasher etc) during day & when sunny to achieve the savings.

Pulsar Plus also works with solar, apparently so that it will only charge car when excess electricity is being generated & not used (see the ‘full-green’ setting mentioned here: How to use the Eco-Smart feature - Wallbox Academy).

I’ve two questions however - if anyone can help:
1) it says that in full-green mode “charge starts only if the surpluses are equal to 6A (1380W) or more” because that’s what an EV needs - but is that going to be the same for my M3LR? Or does it need a higher rate to start charging??

2) Any ideas / suggestion as to how often that will be generated from a 4.5kW system (roughly)? I.e. will this only work on REALLY sunny day in June when nothing is being used? Or actually will an ok Winter day when tv is on still be ok for the charger to kick in??

(Appreciate Wallbox can supplement solar with grid power to charge, but just trying to get an idea of how everything will work together. So any estimates / calculations helpful at this point…)

Thanks in advance for any help…