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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be utterly confused by solar panels!

15 replies

123LiloLill · 30/03/2022 16:15

I am looking in to getting solar panels installed on my house. I have been doing some research and I am utterly baffled. Obviously the people who sell them are trying to... sell them. They say they are great. However there are people saying that they aren't worth the initial outlay for the return on savings.

What are your experiences with them?

OP posts:
candycane222 · 30/03/2022 16:25

There's an article in Grand Designs this month that seems to cover several different types with some pros and cons of each. They do also suggest getting a battery - not sure how the economics of that stack up, I suppose it depends how much you're at home in the day to use the electricity as it is generated .

candycane222 · 30/03/2022 16:28

Grand designs magazine I mean. The magazine itself I find annoying but perhaps you can lurk behind the birthday cards and flick through a copy in the shop...😄

BrioNotBiro · 30/03/2022 16:32

You can get the mag online from your local library website. There's also a 'Which' magazine feature on them.

FiveForAPound · 30/03/2022 16:34

When we looked before the increases it was going to take 15 years to break even but now it's going to be about 9 years so we are reconsidering it now,

Original poster
123LiloLill · 30/03/2022 16:38

Thank you all, I have been trying to work it all out... dyslexia really is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to things like this!

OP posts:
daimbarsatemydogsbone · 30/03/2022 16:40

Martin Lewis on his BBC Radio5 slot mentioned that the VAT cut for them was making them worth considering again - but only really if you have the cash to spend rather than borrowing for them. You don't get paid to generate the power you use yourself but obviously you save because you are getting some off your roof and not buying from the energy company - during daylight at least.

The VAT cut and the energy price increases mean the return times (how long it takes before you recover the cost of installation) are shorter now - but the feed in tariff (what you get paid by energy co if you generate surplus) and energy prices are variable so unless you can predict the future you can't be certain what will happen.

McT123 · 30/03/2022 16:50

I found this very useful
www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-solar-panels/
And I am getiing my panels installed in 6 weeks' time alongside a 6Kw battery.

I live in the South of England, I have a large, south facing roof and use a lot of energy during the day. For me it makes absolute sense but each situation is a bit different.

mogsrus · 30/03/2022 16:50

Vat should have been cut years ago on them

bluebeach · 30/03/2022 16:52

We have solar panels. Cost £8k two years ago. Don’t think they will ever pay for themselves to be honest. We installed an air source heat pump too which runs on electric so we disconnected our gas supply. Ultimately we need to get a battery. The whole system will cost us around 19k which I doubt we will recoup in our lifetime. However was all done in a move to be greener rather than for saving money.

VanGoghsDog · 30/03/2022 17:00

I think you have to consider them an environmental investment rather than something which is going to pay for itself at any point. Last time I Iooked the pay back was way longer than the expected lifespan. And while energy rates have risen since, they are made up of unit charge plus standing charge and solar panels do not remove the standing charge so you'd be paying that anyway.

For my small house, with batteries, it was c£7k and only to provide c70% of my electric power. I have gas as well though of course I'd probably fit some more electric appliances if I had solar panels to make best use of the power, and use electric radiators during the day instead of the heating, etc. But that's another capital upgrade my cost as well.

Whitacre · 30/03/2022 17:20

We had them installed about 9 years ago (4 kw system, south facing roof). We calculated they had paid for themselves after 8 years, but you’d have to do your sums carefully because the feed-in tariff system has changed AFAIK.

We had the money sitting in savings so it worked out as a good return on the investment because interest rates have been so low for so long.

We don’t have a battery. We calculated it would take a long time to recoup the money for one. We use a lot of the electricity we generate because I wfh and can run appliances when it’s sunny. Also we have it set up to heat water via the immersion heater if we are exporting electricity.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 30/03/2022 18:40

@mogsrus

Vat should have been cut years ago on them
At the risk of going off on another Brexit thread hijack - it was not allowed under EU rules.
Capturetotalelotion · 30/03/2022 18:59

IMHO they are not safe, they can cause fires and your house insurance will go up significantly.

RainingYetAgain · 30/03/2022 19:22

We're idering it too . Well as articles above, I recommend the Energy Saving Trust website.

Brogues · 30/03/2022 19:27

@Capturetotalelotion

IMHO they are not safe, they can cause fires and your house insurance will go up significantly.
Yep okay. Seen tonnes of house fires caused by solar panels Hmm

We love ours (plus battery) but we got a decent FiT so payback for the panels was about 7 years and it’s going to be quicker than that. We struck lucky to be perfectly honest!

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