Why don’t we put solar panels on every home?

[Whyaretheynotdoinganything]

Just as the tile says, I’m wondering why the government or the opposition are not proposing free solar panels for every home as a solution to the energy crisis and energy security?

Surely a cost benefit analysis would show net economic benefit, whereas subsidising household energy bills is expensive with little return for the economy.

One barrier would be the workforce, but we’ve managed mass construction projects in the past eg. post war council house building programme.

We need a radical solution fast, it would at least give us hope even if the returns are not immediate.

Those who don’t want panels can pay market rates. Apparently panels pay for themselves in 7 years. I’d happily contribute a proportion but don’t have the savings to cover it all.

Oh no, never mind. I've looked it up and that replaces a boiler — it does do heating, but isn't a storage heater.

Nithingtoseehere,where do you get 55p export tarrif from? That's more than anyone is paying for their own electricity. We had 12 panels,2 batteries installation in march,council,/green scheme. Cost £8.5k. average 20kw a day. In summer 30,grey raining 3kw. We are with octopus and they pay 15p,per excess kw. Roof was inspected inside and out,by surveyor. It has to be strong,in good condition,as near as perfectly south facing,no trees or buildings shading it between a minimum of 10am and 3pm. We're all bungalows,and in the SE UK. Quotes 10 years ago,were £13k, 13 year pay back, now told it's 3 years. There are some new houses being built a few minutes walk away, the roof purlins are really thin,and there aren't many of them,compared to our 1965 bungalow.

@FourTeaFallOut Sorry I’m struggling to explain it and your not getting my point about the cost or how it’s swapping things around to get the most for your money 😌

A storage heater would be one way of using all your solar power in colder weather, days are short so generation will be low a 4 kw panel system might only produce 6 or 7 kw total instead of 20 kw on a sunny day.

Payback projections are usually optimistic, 12 yrs plus is more likely and you have tied your money up for 20 yrs, however those with panels AND are using the power are doing well now, selling back to the grid at 5p is hopeless.
A battery make it much more usable but is expensive

Swapping things around to get the most for your money only works to an extent. All appliances use units of electricity at a set price per unit. If enough power isn’t bring generated it pulls from the grid automatically. Storage heaters would need to be special ones that link into the solar and take from that but not from the grid at daytime rate. But in theory the principle is a good one which is obviously why they’ve started making smart solar storage heaters

I don't know why they are on all new builds as standard. My DSis had them fitted and was told it would be 11years before she saw any return. But that was about 11 years ago.

You do still have to pay a daily standing charge to your energy supplier,you also use a little power from the grid for making and storage in the batteries for the solar. For over 6 months all we have paid is the daily standing charge. We are exporting around £8 worth a week, plus having my own supply. I have electric cooker,fire in the lounge,and bathroom. Immersion heater, which takes about 20 minutes to heat the tank.

In-laws can't even get someone out to quote for solar panels until next February. They are so popular.

All appliances use units of electricity at a set price per unit

if you’re using gas for heating, then the cost would be higher than using electric for laundry or cooking though, if it’s going to cost me a £1 and hour to use gas central heating or free electric for a storage heater - then use a washing machine and electric stove off the grid - that’s what I’d do

<add in a daily standing charge for gas which could possibly be removed if you are dual fuel and meaning you could be all electric.>

the storage heaters have come a long way from what they were in the 1980s and if they are not able to take from the grid then would ultimately be free fuel

you do need a high level of watts to charge the storage heaters presently and that would mean sufficient solar panels in the winter

it does though get rid of the problem of an expensive battery pack for the house and be able to use stored heating at night without a battery

We should be investing in hydroelectric power too.

The sea and rivers flow all day everyday (extreme drought excepted).

Where I live there was the capacity to power a number of massive factories using just the river a couple of centuries ago. Most of them stand derelict and useless now.

I am aware of one that is running now and there are plans to bring another online soon but there must be so much capacity in the rivers, reservoirs and coastline of the UK.

They are introducing a new windfall
tax on energy companies (U-turn!) but only on renewables! They are corrupt venal
a*holes!

We should be investing in hydroelectric power too.

The MeyGen project has just got funding again — it lost out when it had to compete directly with wind, but tidal/wave had money ringfenced this time.