Are solar panels worth investing in now as part of the energy crisis?

[thebellagio]

I’m getting quite scared about the energy impact. My dd is £250pm and it still tells me I’ll owe about £500 at the end of that term.

I’ve just upgraded my boiler (the previous one was 40+ years old!) but I’m wondering whether to invest in solar panels in a bid to lower bills. The house we’ve just moved into has a south facing garden plus it’s our forever home. but I have absolutely no idea about whether it’s worthwhile, whether it would make a difference, how long it would take to see a reduction in bills etc…

I was under the impression that it costs ££££ to do, and it takes at least a decade to see any return on investment. Is that true? In which case I’m wondering if it’s worthwhile…

For anyone who has them - have they been worth the investment and do you think it’s made a difference to your energy supply?

Please can I ask what government grant and how you accessed that? 😊

We used to live in an old cottage that was always draughty and cold. We replaced all the windows and doors and put in new loft insulation.

It made not one shred of difference.

Not for that reason, but we ended up moving to a new build a couple of years later and couldn't believe how hot it was all the time!

Second thread about solar panels I've seen today!

@cherrylicious2

It's a myth that you 'sell' back to the grid. Excess electricity is stored in a battery in your home then anymore is fed back into the grid.

It isn't a myth. I assure you we sell back to the grid. We have done for a couple of years now. We get the money as a feed in tariff from British Gas, and a cheque comes every quarter. Amounts vary a fair bit but in summer it has been as much as £200 or more.

Our panels are about 3 years old but we only got our battery less than 6 months ago.

You definitely sell back to the grid. We get about £1100 a year "back" although I think we are lucky because we got the panels in 2011 when the tariff of what you get paid was higher.

True, the original feed in tariffs were a lot more generous but then the capital costs and efficiencies have got better so its swings and roundabouts to a certain extent.

@TopCatsTopHat My Dad paid for them, then I inherited and moved into his house so we've been very "lucky" because we didn't pay for them but will benefit from them and the tariff will remain the same for 25 years. Can't complain

@TopCatsTopHat

Please can I ask what government grant and how you accessed that? 😊

Via warma uk. If you look at their website all details are there of how you qualify. And how to apply.

With my I can use the electricity generated and any excess I can sell back to the grid. The rate they give you is quite a bit less than what they charge for a unit so it’s best to use what you need first and then if you any left over it is just bonus money.

warmauk.com/solar-panel-grants/

I also got funding last year to replace my boiler. The boiler wasn’t free but the grant covered about 50% of the cost.

We got photovoltaic ones late last summer and have covered a lot of our everyday needs in daylight since then, as well as excess energy going into heating hot water tank first, before going out to the grid. So we've had hot water most sunny days all winter long and not needed the heating so much (hoping for almost no gas bill in summer, as we'll only need it for cooking then).

We don't have batteries, but we can set timers on the washing machine and dishwasher to run at different times when we expect the sun to be shining (different times so that both use mostly solar electricity rather than grid electricity). And doing any baking and roasting in the afternoons rather than evenings as much as possible.

But even on a cloudy day, we can cover the general needs of 2 people working on computers and needing a light each, and general baseload (fridge, various chargers plugged in etc) for most of the day with what we have.

But there is a big upfront cost to offset those savings - we did it last summer but grants in Ireland have changed recently which may make it better, but general costs have increased and there is a problem with supply due to so many people wanting to get them installed.

Does anyone know how long solar panels last for? I would also like to get them but I don't know how long they last & do they need upgrading?

Windows and loft insulation made the biggest difference to our bills.

WE spent some of our savings. The savings on electric use is enormous compared to the tiny 0.1% we were getting as interest. We still see the grid being used for dishwasher and washing machine. You get some charge even on dull days.
We do have a battery with it which put up the cost by about £2000 but still worth it.14 panels cost us about £6000 - extra as I said for battery. Scaffolding connection etc took two days no mess at all.

Stupid question, but how are the panels wired in? Are there trailing wires from the roof/loft to the electricity meter? Do you need a smart meter?

We've refused a smart meter so far as it's much bigger than the existing one & wont fit in the space. Will that be a sticking point?

Would anyone know how many solar panels you need for a 3 bed detached cottage? We have a thatched roof is can’t put them ion there, we do have a south facing garage roof- and am just wondering if that would be be enough space to put them in there.

We used to live in an old cottage that was always draughty and cold. We replaced all the windows and doors and put in new loft insulation.It made not one shred of difference.Not for that reason, but we ended up moving to a new build a couple of years later and couldn't believe how hot it was all the time!

Never have I been more glad we are in an new build with an A rating for energy saving. Got fed up long time ago with trying to make my 'character filled' old properties warm and cheap to maintain.

@Duchess379

Does anyone know how long solar panels last for? I would also like to get them but I don't know how long they last & do they need upgrading?

This question is answered in the video I posted upthread (along with more info). You should get many years from the panels though the dc/ac converter might need replacing in that time.

@Proudboomer

warmauk.com/solar-panel-grants/

I also got funding last year to replace my boiler. The boiler wasn’t free but the grant covered about 50% of the cost.

That's great, thank you!

The higher and longer energy prices are the more sense it makes as the payback period is reduced because greater savings are made.

A decent setup can give you free hot water through the summer months by powering immersion heater, saving on gas usage - nigh on nil usage other than for cooking if you have a gas hob.

However the suppliers and installers also know this. I suspect interest in them will be up and they will be increasing their quotes a bit.

My friend is an expert on all this so i forwarded him all the info i got from the 3 companies i contacted...best deal was 5k inc one battery....he told me to get another one for extra storage so will do that...yes fit is now lower but you can store and make use of sunny days to use washer etc...we will fit next year as on a cheap long term fix for now.

Thank you 💕

Really interesting

@earsup please check out the company that’s quoted you £5k as that’s very cheap - too cheap infact. There are a few companies who charge prices that low simply due to the fact the panels are produced in China using slave labour. It’s entirely your choice who you use of course but if possible, make sure the company you’re going to use doesn’t follow such awful practises.

I've been looking at options & getting busy for solar panel companies as expected so I feel pressured to make a decision. I'm generally feeling happy about taking the financial risk on solar panels & batteries as a catastrophist/mini prepper. Looking at £12-14k for panels & battery for 5.5k, installation in May currently.