Latest on the court challenge!!!

[Eco Deal]

coz they know F ALL

 

[pwboston]

Anyone explain why a big name company would spec a SMA SB3300 for a 4KWp system though? Roof is SE or ESE so maybe they expect the panels never to produce full output?

SMA themselves may advise this inverter if you have no shading issues etc, if you use SMA software then it would suggest an SB3300 for 16 panels, this could depend on where you live etc, just because it has 3300 in the name, it is a 3600w inverter.

I have just run the figures through for my region, and put in the details of temperatures etc for my region of England and the suggested inverter by SMA is the SB3300. Not too sure where you live, and im sure there is many an argument for other inverters, but your supplier/quoter maybe following the guidelines of the manufacturer.

 

[SolarCity]

Anyone else notice that the BPVA supported the Government in Court? Be aware this is not a true association but a business owned by an individual. They seem to provide marketing services. As a member you could not vote this individual off or have a say in opinions put out on your behalf. They also scuppered a challenge in the House of Lords last year by giving ill informed and ill conceived information to a Peer. Not a supporter of Our Solar Future either.

All the real work is done by The Solar Trade Association. This is policy, technical standards, lobbying and much much more. All the big hitters belong, and work for the benefit of the industry.

Huhne has just praised these weasles in Parliament. That says it all. They are traitors. If you are a member, resign now.

Absolutely. BPVA do not speak for my company and they never have. I don't see what they offer the industry anyhow.

I would welcome a visit from them so they can take a look at my order book and explain to me exactly what I'm doing wrong.

 

[SolarCity]

I think that's good advice thanks, I had pretty much decided to just compare the quotes with Sanyo panels and SMA inverters and hope for the best with the results!

Anyone explain why a big name company would spec a SMA SB3300 for a 4KWp system though? Roof is SE or ESE so maybe they expect the panels never to produce full output?

Please keep to topic. If you start a new thread, I'm sure your questions will be answered.

 

[pwboston]

well it looks certain that its going to drag itself out for a long time, so there is not much point in selling at anything other than 21p

If people get the 43p then they will have to wait and see it as a bonus, but it wont be anytime soon will it.

 

[powervan]

pvkits direct ! government appeal will take 6 weeks to be accepted! if accepted then could take a YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SRE]

I can't believe the panic buying, where are all the customers coming from? Hardly any stock at 2 of my regular suppliers ....

 

[Earthstore]

Been as flat as a witches --- for 6 weeks and today, bang, off we go again.
I feel this whole thing will cost the Government ££££'s, I did not think there would be a rush again, but me thinks different now, well up to March the 3rd anyway..

 

[SolarCity]

Likewise. Just priced a system at bare bones and the payback is still at 14 years on SAP. I can't imagine he'll falling over himself to pick up the phone and sign contracts.

This is one of the "two for the price of one" customers that Greg Barker has been chirping on about.

 

[SolarCity]

SolarCentury have resigned from the BPVA.

Does anyone have any idea exactly why the BPVA supported the DECC? Have they made any statement about this?

 

[powervan]

been as flat as a witches --- for 6 weeks and today, bang, off we go again.
I feel this whole thing will cost the government ££££'s, i did not think there would be a rush again, but me thinks different now, well up to march the 3rd anyway..

uve been going out with the wrong witches

 

[pwboston]

already fixing kits have gone might abandon for 6 weeks and carry on contracting

 

[DomB]

With DECC saying they're going to take this to the supreme court I can't quite understand why all the stock's going

 

[The Solar King]

SolarCentury have resigned from the BPVA.

Does anyone have any idea exactly why the BPVA supported the DECC? Have they made any statement about this?

Something to do with background of chairman I think. Here is some biog:

Reza Shaybani is a Serial entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in managing technology-focused companies in the optical disc manufacturing equipment and semiconductor industries in Europe and Middle East. For the past 5 years Reza has been involved in the solar PV industry as the Managing Director of Scheuten Solar Middle East and Solar Technology Centre in the UAE, founder of Solarjobs.com a global job board in the solar industry, Managing Director of System Photonics and Director of The Electric Roof Company in the UK.
In 2010, Reza and a group of companies with interest in the UK solar PV market (the founding members) formed the British Photovoltaic Association.

Obviously wrote this himself. Don't look at his facebook page, you will puke.

Without being racist, what does this person know about UK politics?

 

[powervan]

ITS not WORTH the STRESS 6 weeks is a good idea!

 

[SolarCity]

Does anyone know if he actually gaged the opinion of his members before he declared the BPVA to be supportive of the DECC actions?

 

[Somecamel]

Does anyone know if he actually gaged the opinion of his members before he declared the BPVA to be supportive of the DECC actions?

Obviously not

 

[solarsavings]

Something to do with background of chairman I think. Here is some biog:

Reza Shaybani is a Serial entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in managing technology-focused companies in the optical disc manufacturing equipment and semiconductor industries in Europe and Middle East. For the past 5 years Reza has been involved in the solar PV industry as the Managing Director of Scheuten Solar Middle East and Solar Technology Centre in the UAE, founder of Solarjobs.com a global job board in the solar industry, Managing Director of System Photonics and Director of The Electric Roof Company in the UK.
In 2010, Reza and a group of companies with interest in the UK solar PV market (the founding members) formed the British Photovoltaic Association.

Obviously wrote this himself. Don't look at his facebook page, you will puke.

Without being racist, what does this person know about UK politics?

Didn't we see something from this electric roof company early last wanting sub contractors to work for peanuts around St Albans.
When I saw that I thought the blokes a ***t now I know he his.

 

[mdovey]

Does anyone know if he actually gaged the opinion of his members before he declared the BPVA to be supportive of the DECC actions?

I misread that as "gagged the opinion of his members"...

 

[Gavin A]

SolarCentury have resigned from the BPVA.

Does anyone have any idea exactly why the BPVA supported the DECC? Have they made any statement about this?

I'm a member so get their emails, and attended a BPVA organised meeting with DECC and around 50 BPVA members from across the industry in November, so probably have a reasonable handle on their position.

Basically as I understand it, BPVA after consulting with members (to some extent) worked out what most on here have been saying, which is that the 21p rate is actually ok, and also that the FIT budget is already massively overspent, so the most productive long term position is to work out a compromise position with decc, to not antagonise them further with court action, and to look to the bigger long term picture.

SO, instead of ****ing about with court challenges that have merely exacerbated the problem through increased delays and uncertainties, and might result in customer who've bought at 21p anyway being further rewarded with 43.3p that they didn't need, they opted to draw a line under that side of things and look to the main danger from the consultation which is the proposed band C for EPC's.

I believe BPVA have been lobbying heavily for either no energy efficiency rating or the Green Deal version which is far less stringent, this was certainly the message that DECC would have taken from the meeting I was at where the support for this position was pretty much unanimous.

I understand they are also now in discussions with DECC about the future shape of the FIT scheme, to negotiate further cuts on a more regular time table. The last email I had on that indicated further cuts in April and July are being proposed, probably with 6 monthly cuts after that.

I'm not really sure what cuts they could actually bring in in April, probably only the original planned 8% cut that I think would still be allowed under the original FIT legislation, and I think maybe they'll leave it to give time for all the already proposed changes to take effect and focus on a cut in July instead, but this is just guesswork.

So, basically the reason BPVA took the stance they did is to try to forge a long term partnership with DECC to try to influence deccs decision making behind the scenes before they actually announce their decisions via a consultation. Personally I think they've played this far far better than STA who've gone for the full frontal attack option, and focussed on the aspect of the situation that's ok legally the most troubling, but is also ignores entirely the most troubling long terms issues for the industry (EPCs and the FIT budget itself).

I'd have liked more consultation from BPVA about their position in advance, and they're far from perfect, but I have to admit that their strategy probably has been largely correct, and STA's has been largely counterproductive in the long run.