Solar Panels UK - is it worth it?

[Mrklaw]

I've said this before, but apart from the fact you have to have a powerwall to be on that tariff there's not benefit to having the battery... the grid is your battery when you're on a matching in/out tarriff.

but you wouldn’t get that tariff without the powerwall because the energy provider wants your local generation so catch 22..


Agree it should be smart enough to work on ‘how much energy do I want right now’ and take from solar if possible before the battery, and I’d expect most people to have both solar and battery.

 

[94jdh]

It is yes. Any unit imported, for whatever reason, is 11p (with the usual regional variations), any unit exported is 11p.

It used to be 8p in both directions, went up to 11p for new contracts/renewals etc around April and I don’t believe has changed since. I renewed at 11p in December.

Does this deal exist if you just had a powerwall without solar?

 

[WannabeOwner]

surplus export 24/7 at 11p

I totally missed the significance of that when Tesla emailed me originally.

Any unit imported, for whatever reason, is 11p (with the usual regional variations), any unit exported is 11p.

Looks like that solves my dilemma of Tesla exporting when I don't want them to.

Let's assume I can produce 100% of what I use, then if Tesla choose to export some, and I then have to buy that back, but price import/export is the same, then its net-zero.

Time to switch methinks ... and in Winter as a net consumer the 11P will be nice

 

[WannabeOwner]

Does this deal exist if you just had a powerwall without solar?

My recollection of the original email I got was PowerWall, PV (any brand) and Tesla car charger. Don't rely on my memory though.

 

[WannabeOwner]

there's no benefit to having the battery... the grid is your battery when you're on a matching in/out tarriff.

I get a one second power-cuts once or twice a month here. Each time that reboots all the computers and resets all the clocks and so on. (Power Company says they are working on renewing some old gear that is causing the problem, they've been saying that for a couple of years though ...)

Actually, it doesn't reboot anything since I had PowerWall. I can see the history of all the short and long duration power-cuts in the APP, so I know they are still happening.

I work from home, power-stability is a benefit, and Storm Watch / dedicated-reserve for longer duration powercuts is definitely useful. Not often, but when it is ... it is.

 

[Fred2]

Wow. If you use a fair bit of power, that would offset the extra cost of a PW pretty pronto. Do you personally get any advantage from the battery at this stage tho, other than the cheap import and good export?

It's almost like you are on net metering like the US, where they basically use the grid as a battery if they export anything?

It is basically like net metering yes (minus a small amount of loss in the charge/discharge process). You still get storm watch/backup capabilities. Although I don’t benefit financially from shifting grid imports away from peak periods, those are often times of higher co2 impact of power generation so some intangible benefit there.

I switched nearly at the same time (unplanned - an expensive few months) from an oil fired boiler to a heat pump so I get through a lot of electricity that I can’t shift to sunny days/overnight etc.

 

[Fred2]

My recollection of the original email I got was PowerWall, PV (any brand) and Tesla car charger. Don't rely on my memory though.

Originally there were two different price bands, one with a Tesla Ev, one without but they got rid of that when they changed the pricing in last april

 

[RedMod3]

4 extra panels now installed giving me 5.1kW net generation. Once this Powerwall is commissioned, I’ll be well on my way be being a net power consumer at 5p kWh. Generating over 4.1kW now.

 

[Alset2go]

I have just ordered solar panels with a battery based on a bulk buy initiative by our local County Council. I can't yet advise on savings but my view is that electricity costs are likely to go up significantly in the coming years. The advantage of the battery is that you can store electricity when it is sunny but you can't consume all the electricity generated by the panels. I'm not too concerned about payback because I think solar panels will add to the value of the house.

How is your system doing and what did you go for?

best wishes.

 

[KennethS]

Wow. If you use a fair bit of power, that would offset the extra cost of a PW pretty pronto. Do you personally get any advantage from the battery at this stage tho, other than the cheap import and good export?

It's almost like you are on net metering like the US, where they basically use the grid as a battery if they export anything?

I am surprised with the cost of electricity today (which is only going to move higher IMHO) that more people are not interested in the Tesla Octopus Energy Plan. For us it has been excellent, although we are a very high usage house so the import cost benefit 24/7 is more useful than a home which is using far less electric and can time shift more substantially to take advantage of a dual rate structure.

Although we gave up any control over the battery, it still provides protection during any local power outages. Outages are relatively rare in our area, but there have been several very short outages recently and we only know because the PowerWall maintains a log. I recognise that whilst the import and export unit rates are matched, there are losses associated with the inverter process. I have seen figures ranging from 5% to 15% on the conversion loss but the substantial discounted rate on electric imported, coupled with our high usage figures, makes me not concerned with the losses.

Many seem worried about the impact on battery lifespan. The warranty on the PowerWall is unaffected by participation in the Tesla Energy Plan. In our 18 months experience the battery is topped up each night from around 2am and goes into discharge mode at 4pm until it has run down to approximately 20%. So a single cycle per day, which is no more abuse than if we kept the battery to ourselves and retained complete control for our home use only. They make a rudimentary attempt to leave room in the battery for excess solar production during the coming day. It's not perfect by any means but they do make an attempt to factor it in.

Sorry if it sounds like a paid advert. Just wanted to weigh in for anyone considering the option.

 

[Mrklaw]

I assume at least some with solar and octopus go or similar will be estimating based on a net unit price of below 11p based on maximising utilisation of solar plus topped up by off peak

 

[RedMod3]

I assume at least some with solar and octopus go or similar will be estimating based on a net unit price of below 11p based on maximising utilisation of solar plus topped up by off peak

Yes, and diverting as much power usage to the cheap 4-hour period as is possible, and with battery storage, hopefully use little or no power during the 20-hour peak rate period.

 

[roadcred]

My recollection of the original email I got was PowerWall, PV (any brand) and Tesla car charger. Don't rely on my memory though.

Yeah think thats right.

 

[roadcred]

I assume at least some with solar and octopus go or similar will be estimating based on a net unit price of below 11p based on maximising utilisation of solar plus topped up by off peak

I'm sure they are making a fortune offit. But as long as it gives me power at a low predictable rate who cares. Its win/win.

 

[Simavon]

I'm sure they are making a fortune offit. But as long as it gives me power at a low predictable rate who cares. Its win/win.

Indeed our average unit price on Go from the end of August was about 11.5p, despite the relative lack of solar output over that time. We get FiT payments and so we have a bunch of units with a negative price. It is getting to the time of year where solar is increasing rapidly and our effective unit price will be lower still.

Come the end of August this year our unit price will go up. Lots

 

[94jdh]

Heard on the radio today, there is going to be a government backed incentive announcement this week for going solar.
However, knowing the government what conditions are required to meet the conditions are likely to be something like on benefits, low income etc.....

 

[Simavon]

Heard on the radio today, there is going to be a government backed incentive announcement this week for going solar.
However, knowing the government what conditions are required to meet the conditions are likely to be something like on benefits, low income etc.....

It's less than 3 years since they withdrew the old FiT system. If they are having to make yet another U-turn this just illustrates the short-termism and lack of planning from this government.

 

[Limey]

2nd givenergy battery came online at the weekend, averaged 0.5p from the grid and doesn't include the amount mitigated from solar.

 

[94jdh]

2nd givenergy battery came online at the weekend, averaged 0.5p from the grid and doesn't include the amount mitigated from solar.

What's the total capacity of your battery system if you don't mind me asking?

 

[phil4]

I'm not sure they need to incentivise things just yet. Every solar installer I've spoken to is crazy busy/overloaded/backlogged with people wanting solar due to the recent leccy price hikes.

As such I very much doubt that making installs cheaper will move anything any quicker. But since when has logic made any sense to the government?