ian
Member
36 Indre
Posts: 42
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Post by ian on Jul 29, 2023 19:32:40 GMT 1
I have a barn roof, maybe 40 M2, facing due south. I ought to utilise it. But, I'm deluged with offers to install solar panels from assorted companies who, I suspect, were selling pellet stoves last year. Or, heat pumps. Or. whatever...
Can anyone point me to an organisation, or company, who'll give me an honest answer/quote/contract?
Thanks
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Aardvark
Non-gamer
Living in soggy 22 and still wondering what's going on.
Posts: 2,172
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Post by Aardvark on Jul 30, 2023 8:46:16 GMT 1
Possibly the first port of call would be to ask your energy supplier if they have a list of recommended and qualified fitters. Then the fun begins trying to work out the truth amongst the claims of the benefit to the user.
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Post by houpla on Jul 30, 2023 8:55:41 GMT 1
I've been trying to get quotes since January. The good companies are inundated with work leaving the cowboys to do the hard sell. Do you read French, Ian? There's an excellent French forum on the subject....(hope it's OK to post a link, Mods?) forum-photovoltaique.fr/viewforum.php?f=21The best method by far is personal recommendation, so ask around and even knock on doors of likely-looking houses and ask for feedback.
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Post by cernunnos on Jul 30, 2023 9:00:30 GMT 1
I looked into solar, had two reps come and visit and give a quote , the cheapest was just a consultant that then found a company that would do the work ( and take his commission) ,he was very pushy and quite upset when I said no thanks, the second was a local company that was just branching out into solar , so was not very knowledgeable. We never took either. There is a lot of info online ( as you know) If you do the calculations , then solar panels are worthwhile if you can outlive their life , but don't forget that they need replacing too.
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Nifty
Member
Posts: 5,034
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Post by Nifty on Jul 30, 2023 9:31:59 GMT 1
The question that is on my mind is this change of of energy source going to make much difference to the problems said to be brought on by the use of fossil fuel, oil etc? The switch is vey apparent. If you drive through Spain or France but what about the rest of the world?
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ian
Member
36 Indre
Posts: 42
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Post by ian on Jul 30, 2023 9:48:20 GMT 1
Thanks, everyone.
As I suspected, a possible minefield.
houpla - thanks for the link, I'll look at it @ cemunnos - the panels will definitely see me out
Cheers
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Post by chrisell on Jul 31, 2023 11:20:16 GMT 1
Have a look at IKEA - they have a partnership with one of the larger installers - it's reasonably competitive.
Avoid anything with EDF - it's not EDF and you'll pay way over the odds - like 10k plus. Their work is fine but prices are OTT and it's very heavy sign now sales practices
Most installers are still quite local so it's local recommendations. If your on FB there are lots of french solar groups - read through and you'll get a better idea on pricing or get local advice
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Post by robertarthur on Jul 31, 2023 12:34:08 GMT 1
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ian
Member
36 Indre
Posts: 42
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Post by ian on Jul 31, 2023 14:27:01 GMT 1
chrisell, that's great information, thanks. IKEA would do me fine, and I suspected that EDF might be pricy. @ robertarthur, thanks for those links. I've never used deepl, but I can try and learn.
Cheers
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ian
Member
36 Indre
Posts: 42
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Post by ian on Aug 17, 2023 20:04:39 GMT 1
Well, I've looked at the sites, and I've looked at other sites. Seems to me that that the payback period for solar panels is around ten years.
Since that's longer than I may be alive, it doesn't look like a good investment!
Thanks for all the input. For a younger person, it would have been invaluable.
Cheers
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Post by houpla on Aug 17, 2023 20:31:45 GMT 1
Um, I've heard anecdotal reports of 3-4 years for a carefully worked out auto-consommation system? That seems to be the most popular option now that EDF have dropped the feed-in tariff and you get taxed on the profit to boot! Typical French government practice...give grants with one hand and then tax with the other
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exile
Member
Massif Central
Posts: 2,686
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Post by exile on Aug 17, 2023 21:25:19 GMT 1
I actually have no problem with that. If the government have given a subvention, is it not fair (as effectively a shareholder) that they get some of the profits - lean though they are?
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Post by houpla on Aug 17, 2023 21:41:45 GMT 1
If you can turn a blind eye to the manipulation aspect. Ever since we've been here, it's become apparent that most of the grant schemes and many laws are aimed solely at creating employment with very little or no concern for the ultimate benefit (or not..more often not) of the consumer. Do you also agree with the levying of the 3 taxes on electricity bills which then have TVA added?
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exile
Member
Massif Central
Posts: 2,686
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Post by exile on Aug 17, 2023 22:17:08 GMT 1
I agree with the job creation comment but is that a bad thing if, in the end, the country is in a better place - and not just with employed people paying taxes, but with better insulated houses, using potentially more environmentally friendly energy sources?
As to taxes on taxes - 'twas ever thus. Bought any petrol or diesel recently with taxes on the producers, duties and VAT?
It is the age old argument, if we want the services that the state provides, we have to pay for them (if not now then later) and the debate then degenerates into who and how much. And there it seems it is impossible to agree. I personally pay quite a lot of tax but am happy that in return I and the community receive pretty good services. I am not about to throw my toys out of the pram over one particular set of taxes (on electricity) because to maintain those services, any reduction there, would just result in an increase somewhere else - which may or may not benefit or penalise me.
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Post by Polarengineer on Aug 18, 2023 6:41:53 GMT 1
Beware the solar panel revolution. As an example, in Holland the government has just realised that home producers and consumers are no longer paying tax on power they would normally just consume from the net. Producers have also realised that all the overproduction caused due to very sunny days has overloaded the national grid. When this happens, the producers cannot sell the power at a profit and sometimes make a loss. (There is/was a rule that producers had to forecast the supply to the grid 24hrs before, I was confronted with this rule when I was into a wind energy busness, if too much energy above that forecast is supplied, the producer is fined). The producers loss is expected (in Holland) to be added to the solar panel's owner as an extra fee and the argument now is that all the producer's client will have to pay the fee whether they have solar cells or not. Meanwhile, the government are looking to tax solar panel owners for the power they produce, whether self consumed or fed into the net. Another meter in the house?. With this in mind, one can imagine that your PHEV or EV will not be charged up free from your solar array in the near future in France, even though the French gov. are already well ahead of the Dutch regarding taxing solar array production above a certain kVA (at the moment, but maybe for not much longer)
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