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Post by merlin on Feb 4, 2012 7:23:46 GMT
.......or so the adverts say. Have you looked into Solar Energy?
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Feb 4, 2012 8:29:58 GMT
We have it, not only is it free energy but the government pay you to generate it.  |
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Post by grindle on Feb 4, 2012 8:53:33 GMT
we've looked into the free solar installation but we don't qualify as our roof doesn't face the right way  |
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Post by merlin on Feb 4, 2012 9:01:52 GMT
My South facing garage roof is 20' long so I'm getting quotes but the more I look into it the more sceptical I become.
A sticking point is that we don't use much electric, only £23 a month so unless I can store it it's wasted. Even thought of storage heaters but no room.
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Feb 4, 2012 10:14:11 GMT
I think you are missing the point Merlin, the electricity is free if you use it but it is the money you are paid to generate it that is the big one.
You get paid for the electricity you generate whether you use it or not. If you don't use it it gets pumped into the grid and the electricity board buy it, so you get paid twice for the same electricity.
The return is much higher than any saving scheme, it is guaranteed for the next 25 years and is completely safe.
You need to get your panels up and running before the 3rd March to get the higher rate (well worth doing). If you miss the 3rd March deadline it is still better odds than any other investment.
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Post by merlin on Feb 4, 2012 11:00:31 GMT
I think you are missing the point Merlin, the electricity is free if you use it but it is the money you are paid to generate it that is the big one. You get paid for the electricity you generate whether you use it or not. If you don't use it it gets pumped into the grid and the electricity board buy it, so you get paid twice for the same electricity. The return is much higher than any saving scheme, it is guaranteed for the next 25 years and is completely safe. 'tis all right for you youngsters but according to the 'Energytrust calculator' I'll be 84 before it pays for itself!! I'm still in negotation but unless I can get a much better deal I'll leave the 8 - 10k where it is @ a fixed 6% 3p a kw isn't much, saving 14p would be handy if I coulf find space for storage heaters. Just had phone call invite from someone who has installed it to discuss it all ...must fly! You need to get your panels up and running before the 3rd March to get the higher rate (well worth doing). If you miss the 3rd March deadline it is still better odds than any other investment. |
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Feb 4, 2012 12:42:46 GMT
You are right, age has a lot to do with it, for us it is a long term investment which will pay.
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Post by merlin on Feb 4, 2012 16:19:44 GMT
I've just spent a few hours with a couple who have Solar water, solar electric and ground heat source, they're in their early 50's and had it up and running before December.
He's an engineer and has done much of it himself, knows a lot. He agreed that I would need to use free electric during the day to re coupe outlay. He said there's an electric mat/cables that can be laid under floor tiles that will heat the concrete as well as the room, a sort of storage. This would make good use of the free day- time electric.
it would be a sham if I fail to make use of my South facing roof but I've looked at all the figures, estimates and political angles and will take a lot more convincing.
It will be interesting to see what the Gov will do next month as some say it's unfair in that the poor are subsidising those who have the cash and a large roof. I'm on the side of those who have done it as it's still a gamble unless you've had it running before last December.
Personally I like the idea of independence. Well done WF for taking the plunge when you did.
Wouldn't it be great if we could have one that would heat the greenhouse overnight.
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Feb 4, 2012 17:00:53 GMT
We were lucky with ours, it was a new company and ours was their the first solar installation so we got the panels at cost and a greatly reduced fitting charge. The OH wired it all up so the whole job came in at about 50% less than it should have cost.
We have the heated mats under the tiles in the new greenhouse, they are very economic and work well.
After having the panels fitted we did change when we did things to make use of the free electric. The washing machine goes on during sunny days and we cook at lunch time instead of the evening, which is a lot healthier as well.
I think the price of panels will begin to drop to compensate for the March deadline. The OH is going to wire one up to heating in the greenhouse when the price drops enough.
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Post by merlin on Feb 4, 2012 18:13:35 GMT
You certainly seem to be going down the right route WF, lucky with the price too. I agree prices will come down and I think the panels themselves will become a lot more efficient in time. I've thought about electric matting but don't fancy ripping up all the tiles.
Ground heat is beginning to look interesting as it's 24/7 all year round. You have to bury the water pipe 4' and a yard apart but I'm told the latest way is 35' down vertical! so no disruption in the garden.
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Post by sweetpea on Feb 4, 2012 19:11:13 GMT
I've just spent a few hours with a couple who have Solar water, solar electric and ground heat source, they're in their early 50's and had it up and running before December. He's an engineer and has done much of it himself, knows a lot. He agreed that I would need to use free electric during the day to re coupe outlay. He said there's an electric mat/cables that can be laid under floor tiles that will heat the concrete as well as the room, a sort of storage. This would make good use of the free day- time electric. it would be a sham if I fail to make use of my South facing roof but I've looked at all the figures, estimates and political angles and will take a lot more convincing. It will be interesting to see what the Gov will do next month as some say it's unfair in that the poor are subsidising those who have the cash and a large roof. I'm on the side of those who have done it as it's still a gamble unless you've had it running before last December. Personally I like the idea of independence. Well done WF for taking the plunge when you did. Wouldn't it be great if we could have one that would heat the greenhouse overnight.
I think you had to sink a 50 gallon drum in the floor of the g'house and it was connected to a small solar panel which warmed it up during the day.
At night the heat was released into the g'house in much the same way as the bricks on a south facing wall release their heat at night.
can't recall the costs but it seemed reasonable at the time. |
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Post by merlin on Feb 4, 2012 20:53:02 GMT
Simple but clever SP I bet it got condensation.
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Post by sweetpea on Feb 4, 2012 22:35:08 GMT
Simple but clever SP I bet it got condensation. |
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Post by merlin on Feb 5, 2012 8:38:20 GMT
The idea is sound SP but a standard panel will give about 80 watts. I heat my birdbath with a fish tank heater 75 watts and it still feels cold when I put my finger in it. You would I think need back-up for a dull day.
There's no magic solution....yet, which is why I have serious reservations on solar. Hopefully panels will get much cheaper which will help those less well off and those of us to whome 'Momento mori ' is relative ;D
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Post by jrae on Feb 5, 2012 14:04:03 GMT
We have a neighbor who has solar panels and deep cycle batteries installed in his poultry farm. The power that hasn't been used directly for poultry farm operations is used to recharge the batteries and at night they use the power from the batteries for lights and such. He had paid for everything himself, it's a good investment at least for him but the problem is it works pretty well NOW since it's the summer season (lasts about 7 months in here) and it's always sunny most of the time. I hope finding out that the solar things are useless when the rainy season starts doesn't get him all worked up. We do have a solar water heater and a few solar panels plus some deep cycle batteries that the old farm owner had installed. I think it was a demonstration thing from some company who does renewable energy installations and the old owner paid for everything with a 50% discount. It runs the perimeter lights and the electric stove and oven in summer, but during the rainy season it's useless most of the time. I think wind turbines are better suited for the climate here since it's always very windy come summer or rainy season. Here's some wind turbines up north: www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/multimedia/slideshows/The-Rainbow-Warrior-at-Bangui-Ilocos-Norte/The-Rainbow-Warrior-at-Bangui-Ilocos-Norte/ |
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