Are Solar panels worth the initial cost

[neilyoungismyhero]

Hi. Advice needed please.
We're thinking about solar panels. Not sure if it's relevant but we are early and mid 70s in age. Small property. Our current monthly usage, is between £70 - £100 max.
We've been quoted 12K for 8 panels plus a battery and advised that Octopus currently offer the highest buy back prices for electricity.
It sounds reasonable but we would have to borrow the 12K initially or more likely put the amount on an IF CC. I'm wondering if it's worth it to be honest, it sounds like a no brainer but wondered what other people with the panels think. TIA

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Updated by MNHQ
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No but in the uk you could never generate enough for this to be reliably possible

However we use our solar to help heat our home via a heatpump which means we could turn our gas off- we no longer pay a standing gas charge

How does this work because in the winter when you are using your heating most you're not going to be generating much electricity by solar?

I said help heat not heat!! 😀. In the winter it doesn’t admittedly. But in the shoulder season like now it does help. And between April and October it heats pretty much all our hot water.
we love not having gas, but we do pull a lot of electricity from the grid in winter. However the last two Junes we barely pulled anything at all from the grid.

I would say not if you have to borrow (we've just had panels installed, switching on literally today)!

I do wonder about a solar hot water array though? I know quite a few people who have those. I wonder if the figures would stack up better for that?

Just get a few panels and no battery. Cost will be a lot less, you won't generate more than you use, so no need for the battery and no paperwork to do about sending it back to the grid as you won't need to.
It just lowers bills.

We have four, which work well and generate something most days, but obviously a lot more in summer.

But battery is where the big eco difference/effect occurs. That is when you flatten the duck curve by using plentiful cheap electricity at night (to charge a battery) which can then sustain you during the peak evening period when the extra electricity required has to be generated by firing up gas and coal power stations. If only it just worked!

We find that the battery is as much use as the panels tbh because it stops us pulling from the grid on a day where there's a bit of cloud so the sun is in and out. It also means that during the winter we can charge from the grid during cheap periods and then use it when it suits us to avoid paying for more expensive power during peak demand periods. Sometimes we're even paid by our supplier for every unit we use so we can get charge it for free.

But depends on the price of the battery? We couldn't afford the battery plus solar panels without borrowing money so just got the panels.

Was going to ask where you live. We are SE UK corner 10 minutes away from the sea. Almost pitch perfect south facing roof, bungalows,no trees or houses to create shade. 2 days ago,we made 20kw, I did 2 wash loads, one dishwasher,cooked oven meal for 3,(all electric) exported 7kw. Similar age,in the summer months we make around 30kw per day. 12 panels,2 batteries, emersion heater. It does all our requirements, plus we get approximately £80 a month export. That stays to cover the winter bills. Also octopus. Had them installed exactly 2 years ago, council run scheme. £8.500 used DH pension lump sum.

The paperwork for the grid was an absolute nightmare, once we got that it took about 3 months to get the smart meter and export sorted out.

Definitely worth it. We have minimal electricity bills. If it wasn't for the standing order wed have more months free. Even in winter we don't pay anything like a full bill.

There is a caveat on this. When you come to sell you need all the paperwork or your house will be harder to sell.

How many kWh did you generate over the last 12 monhs?

What is the nominal kW capacity of your panels?

What paperwork was this? We never had any, just applied for a particular tariff with octopus. We don’t send a lot back to the grid, but we do a small amount in summer

I have only of complicated paperwork when the panels are leased as opposed to owned outright, which ours are

We have generated 485kw this year so far,10.8mgw in 2 years. Capacity is 6.5kw. one certificate was MCs, can't remember the other one. It had to be registered with the grid for our area. We also were not told you have to inform your building insurance company. We own them outright.

A DNO, you have to notify the national grid. We also had to apply for a smart meter.

ah. Our installer organised the DNO at no bother to us- it will still be in place when we sell so no future issue that I’m aware of. Our smart meter came quickly but I do know people who’ve had issues having them.
yes I informed insurer but there was no additional cost

See this shows that you just can’t tell from other peoples experiences. Two days in ago we also had a good generation day for the time of year but generated 5.4 kwh

Thank you for all of this information

It is very interesting

So octopus is mentioned - is that the best company in your collective MN opinions and experience Please?

Does anyone have bird guards fitted?

we have crows around us so do they pose a problem trying to attack the panels?

Or are they useless against crows?

Bird protection a must. Birds don't attack the panels, they nest underneath, nice and warm and cosy. Installers wanted an insane amount of money,so DH, did it the following day. None of the roads around us, have it, and they all have pigeons underneath. We had already signed up with octopus, for our fuel, because they had the best customer service. No increased insurance, but as it's a structural alteration,you have to notify them.

My mum has had them for about 20 years. They were guaranteed for 25 years - not sure what happens then.

They paid off in 9 years and since then she's had about £1200 per year cashback and cheaper electricity (not free). So obviously for the last 11 years it's been worth it but now she's selling the house and the new buyer will benefit.

Given your ages, I wouldn't do it. I would if you knew you would stay in the house for 25 years and if you had that money spare now. You'd be mad to borrow money for something that someone else would benefit from. It would only take one nasty fall for you to want to move home. You'd take the debt with you.

We got quotes 10 years ago, they were really expensive. This deal was Solar Together and local council. Obviously they go for the cheapest quote. We had problems, the boss was an arsehole,we complained to solar together, the installation company threatened us, made us ill. We paid to be rid of them. Neighbours did them last year, different installers. They paid £500 each side,(small 2 bedroom bungalow like ours,) for scaffolding,we didn't have scaffolding. The scaffolding went right over our property, almost to our greenhouse, they erected it at 8.30 pm, right outside the bedroom window where our grandson was trying to sleep. Their bungalow has a different pitch to ours,so they have 8 panels each side, on the back garden area, facing north east.you wonder why the surveyor thought this was a good idea!! In the summer months,we used the emersion heater,no gas, just the DSC. Installers never informed us of the certificates required, I just happened to have kept articles in the paper.