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Post by Seaboots on Oct 10, 2021 7:30:03 GMT 1
Does anyone have solar panels on their roof ?
Is this a viable option for a suitable property ?
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Post by ForumUser2 on Oct 10, 2021 7:59:08 GMT 1
When we returned to UK 10 years ago we rented a house with solar panels that heated the water. It was quite unreliable but the owner did say that he felt the installation was sub-optimal (crap?).
I believe modern installations are much more reliable.
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Post by hal on Oct 10, 2021 9:44:44 GMT 1
Does anyone have solar panels on their roof ? Is this a viable option for a suitable property ? 'suitable' being the operative word. I am in SW France and have solar panels for water both on house and gites down the drive. I leave the immersion elements switched on all the time, but according to the little counter beside each switch, they get used rarely. Never a shortage of hot water. I have PV panels on the house that cost 12000€ eight or nine years ago and return me 1400€ on average each year. As it is tax free and in theory low maintenance, a good return on investment. |
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Post by Seaboots on Oct 10, 2021 10:24:52 GMT 1
Sounds good Hal. I’m assuming there are no electricity bills ?
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exile
Member
Massif Central
Posts: 2,686
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Post by exile on Oct 10, 2021 11:20:53 GMT 1
Depends what you mean by Solar panels - photovoltaic or other systems/wet systems.
Our plumber installs all sorts of green energy systems but has taken photovoltaic off his list of offerings. If pushed he will install it for a client but he considers it a rip off. The low payment from EDF for the power generated and the high cost of installation means that (according to him) if you take out a loan for the installation it will take about 20 years to pay back. The expected lifetime of the cells is around 15 years.
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ibis
Banned Member
Posts: 1,376
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Post by ibis on Oct 10, 2021 11:34:22 GMT 1
Just until a few years ago, the energy to produce a solar panel would be higher than the panel every created but that has changed recently; now it is 3-4 years until they are in the positive.
If you find a correct company/installer who will not rip you off and uses top of the line materials it is a good investment.
Just remember that when the grid is down so is the electrical system in your home. A onsite storage system is the only away around this and increases the cost a lot.
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Post by Seaboots on Oct 10, 2021 11:57:50 GMT 1
I believe grants are available ?
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Post by hal on Oct 10, 2021 12:00:20 GMT 1
Sounds good Hal. I’m assuming there are no electricity bills ? Yes, indeed there are! I am all electric with two pools, an Aga and aircon. The PV return covers maybe not half my electric bill. The system France uses I believe is still the same as my installation, in that the PV panels are directly connected to the grid for which I get paid. The UK had, maybe still has, a system whereby you use the electricity from your PV panel first and sell surplus to the grid. I stand to be corrected on the detail though! The subject is contentious. I have been in many a gathering where it is all doom and gloom - and in part, I agree. Governments should do more (I belive they do in Germany) to encourage home electricity production. I understand that in the UK, the Govt appointed a panel of experts to look into the situation of home production, but the only experts they appointed were frm the likes of EDF, who of course said the whole idea of home production is daft, and so all subsidy and promotion stopped! It certainly works for me. I am no expert on the technicalities, but if PV panels last 15 years, then I am happy with the 170% projected return! The overriding thing in all of this is sun. Plenty of sun good, but anything less is suspect. |
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Post by Seaboots on Oct 10, 2021 13:04:00 GMT 1
Thanks for the info.
There is plenty of sun down here fortunately.
I have a meeting with EDF ENR in a couple of weeks so a lot will become clearer hopefully.
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dilly
Member
near Limoges, Haute Vienne
Posts: 105
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Post by dilly on Oct 10, 2021 15:14:46 GMT 1
Hal said: Not necessarily.
We have "auto-consommation" PV panels and only the surplus is fed to the grid (installation 2 years ago).
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Post by Seaboots on Oct 10, 2021 16:40:47 GMT 1
That’s what I was told in the original chat with EDF ENR. I thought thy said the usual length of use was 25 years.
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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 Oct 10, 2021 18:12:10 GMT 1
Any way you slice it, they don't last forever and you will have to replace them. And they certainly don't look like getting any cheaper as time goes on.
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Post by Seaboots on Oct 10, 2021 18:25:59 GMT 1
Well, I will be selling within a few years so it would be a good selling point ?
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