Just look at the overhang!

[SolarRoofSols]

For the record - we did NOT install this!! South West facing, sandwiched between 2 x 2 storey houses and just look at the overhang on the top l/h corner.

Would love to see how their generation figures are measuring up to what they were quoted!

 

[D Skelton]

There's a house down the road from me that has the entire north facing side of the roof covered, to add insult to injury it's shaded from the entire east side by a 50ft oak tree!

This house is the very reason I decided early on that I wouldn't be involving myself in the whole solar scam. A complete waste of money, time and effort to install a solar panel in the UK. A joke to then install them badly

 

[SpitfireW'sale]

Because some people do things badly it doesn't mean that thing is not worth doing. Interesting profile picture by the way.

 

[D Skelton]

I think my point was that it's not worth doing it anyway. Doing it badly then just makes it laughable. Solar panels are what, about 30% efficient on average? Then deduct a further 80% from that initial 30% for a solar panel in the UK and what you're left with is a rather expensive mess on your roof, an invitation to thieves and a danger in high winds. All this for an astronomical sum of money that won't be recuperated for at least 25 years. I'd say anyone buying a solar PV system is either completely bonkers or has been missold the product!

I don't blame the installers for fitting them (well, that is), they are just supplying a service for which there is still a tiny amount of demand for. Neither do I blame the fitters for installing completely useless North facing systems when the FIT rates were still at criminally high levels. I do blame the government however for allowing this misrepresentation of solar power to go on for this long.

 

[JulianC]

Never let the facts stand in the way of a good moan!

 

[D Skelton]

As near as makes no difference they are facts mate. Solar PV in the UK is about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike! Solar thermal is the only system I would ever consider fitting to my own house (provided the figures worked out[initial outlay costs, money saved per annum, timeframe of recuperatio etc.. ]).

 

[JulianC]

As near as makes no difference they are facts mate.

But they're not though are they? They're just your misguided understanding of the facts. How are they 30% efficient and why are we deducting 80% of that and how is that of any relevance anyway (I'm assuming you don't pay for sunlight)? Expensive mess on your roof? That's an opinion, not a fact. Invitation to thieves? Good luck to them - if they can get up there, remove the panels and then sell them on they probably deserve it. By that rationale, I'd better not park a car on my drive. Money that won't be recuped for at least 25 years? Again, wrong.

I can understand people not liking them but at least get the facts right before making an informed decision.

 

[D Skelton]

They are about 30% efficient at extracting energy from it's source, there are other types of renewable energy that are 90% efficient at extracting that energy. That is a fact my friend, or at least it is until tecnological advances mean that solar power is more efficient than it is currently. So given that a solar panel can extract 30% of the suns energy, a figure that is calculated when the panel is exposed to as much sunlight as it can gather, for example facing up in Ethiopia, in the UK however they perform at roughly 80% of what they would on the equator. Again, I say that these are facts, not made up gumpf.

 

[JulianC]

They are about 30% efficient at extracting energy from it's source, there are other types of renewable energy that are 90% efficient at extracting that energy. That is a fact my friend, or at least it is until tecnological advances mean that solar power is more efficient than it is currently. So given that a solar panel can extract 30% of the suns energy, a figure that is calculated when the panel is exposed to as much sunlight as it can gather, for example facing up in Ethiopia, in the UK however they perform at roughly 80% of what they would on the equator. Again, I say that these are facts, not made up gumpf.

Whether it's a fact or not (and it sounds like tenuous pseudo-science to me, comparing apples with oranges), it's of absolutely no relevance to justifying whether or not it is worth sticking solar panels on your roof here in the UK.

 

[telectrix]

i think that whoever invents a device that can generate electricity from rain will be on a winner. what is this "sun" you talk about? :13:

 

[SibertSolar]

They are about 30% efficient at extracting energy from it's source, there are other types of renewable energy that are 90% efficient at extracting that energy. That is a fact my friend, or at least it is until tecnological advances mean that solar power is more efficient than it is currently. So given that a solar panel can extract 30% of the suns energy, a figure that is calculated when the panel is exposed to as much sunlight as it can gather, for example facing up in Ethiopia, in the UK however they perform at roughly 80% of what they would on the equator. Again, I say that these are facts, not made up gumpf.

Pardon?? Can you elaborate on these "facts" please, for the benefit of those who don't have any understanding of what you are talking about?

 

[saint]

There's a house down the road from me that has the entire north facing side of the roof covered, to add insult to injury it's shaded from the entire east side by a 50ft oak tree!

This house is the very reason I decided early on that I wouldn't be involving myself in the whole solar scam. A complete waste of money, time and effort to install a solar panel in the UK. A joke to then install them badly

It is clear to all of us who read and post regularly that you are not informed enough to comment accurately. I suggest you get some knowledge on the subject and come back to us with and informed opinion. I'm pretty sure it will be different to the opinion you have now.

 

[D Skelton]

Pardon?? Can you elaborate on these "facts" please, for the benefit of those who don't have any understanding of what you are talking about?

Here you go:

World Record Solar Cell with 44.7% Efficiency ? Fraunhofer ISE

WORLD RECORD at 44% efficiency. I said they are "about 30% efficient", which your average solar panel is. That means it's efficiency at converting the sunlight into energy as a product.

On top of this is what the solar panel is rated at under standard test conditions which is a flash test in the factory that has been calibrated to deliver the equivalent of 1000W/sqm of sunlight intensity, well here in the UK at the very most we can expect to get 75% of this on the very hottest of days as we are not in the most direct path of sunlight. Well how many of these scorching days can we expect to receive here? maybe 8 weeks per yer, average day being overcast for at least a partial day? On average we can expect a solar panel in this country to produce 20-30% of what it is rated for under STC.

Enough elaboration for you?

It is clear to all of us who read and post regularly that you are not informed enough to comment accurately. I suggest you get some knowledge on the subject and come back to us with and informed opinion. I'm pretty sure it will be different to the opinion you have now.

Read above reply.

If we can only expect on average 20-30% of what STCs tell us a panel can generate on a south facing roof, what hope in hell have solar panels on a shaded north facing roof got of producing any power at all?!

Now I throw your rather petty accusation back at you!

My only point was that solar power is crap compared to other renewable energy sources, ESPECIALLY when it has been installed badly.

Read what I said again and stop the petty dramas. I haven't called anyones integrity into question so would you all please stop acting as if I have!

 

[JulianC]

Seriously fella, time to stop digging :rofl:

 

[D Skelton]

Seriously fella, time to stop digging :rofl:

Seriously fella, time to start explaining why I should stop 'digging'!

 

[Darkwood]

I was so apprehensive of opening this thread ... going by the title i thought it was going to be a pic of you tea bagging and bragging ..PHEW!!!!...

 

[JulianC]

Seriously fella, time to start explaining why I should stop 'digging'!

I think Saint pretty much summed it up with his post. Your arguments as to the unviability of PV in the UK are neither relevant nor accurate.

 

[D Skelton]

Listen mate, don't just sit there comfortably tapping away telling me I'm wrong, explain how! People have asked for elaboration and I have elaborated, I have provided the knowledge I have on solar panels as well as data from manufacturers. At least afford me the same courtesy! I'll concede that my points are irrelevent to the content of the OP as I have digressed somewhat from the main topic, but my points are accurate none the less.

If I'm wrong then provide some sort of evidece that supports that claim and I'll listen, until then, I will continue to think that people who blindly sing the praises of a power source that has been proven to be highly innefficient are slightly mad!

If you are going to make money from installing it then why not, if you or the customer are going to get a good deal out of doing so then even better! but don't sit there telling me that solar power is the best thing since sliced bread because that would simply be a lie!

 

[JulianC]

It's no great secret and the information is freely available. See here for starters: Solar electricity PV (photovoltaic) panels explained - benefits, costs, savings, earnings, suitability

Don't confuse your ignorance of the subject as evidence that it's a waste of time (I don't wish that to sound rude so please don't take offence). Cell level efficiencies are irrelevant in so far as you are not paying for sunlight, therefore the amount of light a panel converts to electricity is not relevant (available roof space notwithstanding).

My 3.7kW is not ideally sited (split over a south and west roof at 50 degrees), shaded at times, will generate around 3000kWh per annum and will pay for itself in around 7 years. That's a fact, not information copied and pasted from the internet.

 

[D Skelton]

My 3.7kW is not ideally sited (split over a south and south-west roof at 50 degrees), shaded at times, will generate around 3000kWh per annum and will pay for itself in around 7 years. That's a fact, not information copied and pasted from the internet.

Fact from where? I have a friend with a 3kW system (all south east facing) and his produces roughly a third of that?! Explain that?