How PV is heading maybe?

[Earthstore]

This is just a thought, and wondered what the rest of you may think?

The government's original plan for PV was to kick start the industry with a generous FIT, then gradually reduce it, which we are all aware they monumentally cocked up.

However, now the FIT is less than half of what it was and all the additional complications, EPC, MCS, and all the other various add ons (of which there are many), what would happen if you fitted a system with no FIT at all, just the energy savings?
Install one of the units that opptimise your generation into hot water or heating etc to make full use of your generation, maybe undersize a system instead of fitting the maximum you can, cut out all of the other costs, most do not need planning now either. Just install and G83, job done.

The trade cost of the systems has been driven into the floor, so maybe it will not be long before this is possible?
I am aware this may open the door for some bad practice, but let's be honest this industry has been blighted with that already.

Your thoughts?

 

[JulianC]

I think energy prices need to increase a fair bit more to make something like this attractive to joe public. We are embarking on some LA work fitting publicly funded PV to private houses. It's not eligible for FIT so we're pushing for the "smaller system with useful add ons" approach to maximise the benefit to the householder, rather than filling up the roof with panels. Trouble is, the more component costs fall, the less the overall installation costs fall. Scaffolding/structural surveys/labour aren't coming down.

 

[jason121]

Just had two days at the Lamma Show 40,000 plus visitors over two days
Feed back from installers is slow going but it is the worse time of year
Also customers are unsure if solar is still worthwhile. They dont trust installers due to some of them in bankruptcy and packing in installing.
Also not trusting equipment ie why is my panel better than my competer.

 

[Worcester]

This is the situation in Germany i.e. 'Grid Parity' however they pay up to €0.30 / kWh ....

 

[solarfred]

One little cloud on the horizon is a potential looming trade war. Costs could rise dramatically from Far East as the first punch may have been landed.