Where's The Catch???

[Bikerhoss]

Anyone had this done, or know of someone who has
http://ashadegreener.co.uk/

Seems to be some good write ups on it out there (e.g. http://www.lovemoney.com/news/the-econo ... nt-exposed) and I can't quite see what the catch is, or of there actually is one? We've got ancient storage heating, and no access to mains gas, so anything to save on fuel bills would be a real boost We seem to hemorrhage leccy

Also looked at government backed loans for renewable energy, but I'm not that keen on owing 'the man' until whatever installation starts making money.

[BlueBoxer]

Are you retired, or work from home? If not you will not be able to use most of the electricity generated. I have panels on the roof, and monitor generation and use.

http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=6274&sid=5001

If you can use the washing machine, kettle, dishwasher and other heavy uses between 11 and 2 when the sun is shining then you will save. A bit of cloud, and the production drops dramatically.

Panels are all about the feed in tarrif, which you will not be getting. Which is why they want your roof space.

You will save a little , but don't expect to notice it.

Steve

[Bikerhoss]

Appreciate that graphical representation Steve

I work pretty unusual hours (just now anyway), so the likes of today I'll be using most electric before the hours of darkness, My wife works offshore, so when she's home, I suppose making sure the washing is done when the panels are making most juice should work in our favour too,
To be honest, even a couple of pounds saving here and there would be a good thing for my bank balance

The fact that the installation/upkeep is free, I knew there had to be more in it for 'them' than the homeowner.

What's the general feeling out there if you were buying a house with this sort of thing fitted

[boxerscott]

Err, Aberdeenshire? do you get much solar irradiation up there? Southern Ireland, Devon or Cornwall are the best areas of Eire and UK for these panels.

That industry would collapse overnight if grants were taken away. Most of the panels are imported from China. A lot of the contractors doing this will mysteriously vanish when grants are reduced and warranty issues arise on duff panell (battery) replacements. They look awful, a good dollop of snow under them and then frost heave. Rather on yours than mine any day.

As Blue boxer says its about FITS and people thinking they can make a few bob out of this, nothing to do with being Green.

Most energy saving boiler? the one thats not switched on. wear an extra jumper and keep active

[Al]

"they" own the equipment and apparently (small print)have access to your roof whenever they want. Not for me even in sunny Devon, and I would not buy a house with them on.
I looked into this as my parents had the forms already to sign as it sounded a good idea and it is, for the installers, as said previously its all about selling back to the grid and most of that goes to the panel companies.

Al.

[r550s]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no 'feed in' to the National Grid - the companies just rake in about 50p for every kWh that is generated....and not used by the homeowner.

That's why my power bills have rocketed - this is all about tipping millions into private pockets via inflated power tariffs.

As said, this is nothing to do with green. There are some very rich individuals out there who make their fortune following one grant-funded enterprise after another

Asbestos removal
Brownfield & landfill reclamation
Vibration white finger/Beat knee/Industrial deafness compensation
Any Private Funded Initiative
The list is pretty much endless

[Bikerhoss]

Err, Aberdeenshire? do you get much solar irradiation up there? Southern Ireland, Devon or Cornwall are the best areas of Eire and UK for these panels.
Most energy saving boiler? the one thats not switched on. wear an extra jumper and keep active

Laffin, The heat in the Sun might lack a bit, that's for sure, but daylight hours are only minutes different from Devon, and that's what counts.

I never mentioned anything about trying to be Green guys, just trying to save a bit, Have also invested in a bioethanol fuel stove, Might not be cheaper than piped gas, but def cheaper to run than storage or panel electric.

r550s, I appreciate your comments, but this particular company gets independent positive reviews from the likes of Which and MoneySavingExpert etc, I'd love to live off the grid totally, and not ever pay 'the man', but it's not an easy thing to do. If you were paying about FIVE times the national average for your electric, I'm sure you'd look at everything too

[r550s]

Solar panels and wind turbines are the way forward, there's no option. The core idea is good - that we all get used to paying the much higher price that green power costs.

Thing is, to get this thing rolling the Government (Europe actually) decided to make it very favourable to the providers, very very favourable.

Last year the super-inflated intial feed-in tariffs were due to end. Guess what, the Governement lawyers, bless me, left a loophole in there, so the providers won their battle and tariffs have stayed high.....

[Bikerhoss]

I'd love a wind turbine, we're in a good location for one, open fields all round, but the estimated £15,000 installation cost for a 2.5kwh system kinda put me off even with energy grants, probably still need to find £8,000....... not happening if I ever want a new bike

[r550s]

Under the current tariffs, that pays you a pound an hour - tax free - when it's spinnin'...

And you can keep the electricity all for yourself, even throw it away if you've got too much.

Of course, if you were a big provider, you'd easily lever some public-funded sugar on top of that...how about compensatory payments when it's too windy and you've got to stop generating?

The 'pound an hour' is the Generation Tariff that your leccy supplier is obliged to pay you...for generating electricity that neither they, nor anyone else, ever sees.

Don't worry, the 'Current Tariffs' are guaranteed for twenty years.

[boxerscott]

Biethanol? Can you drink that? sounds too good to waste on the fire, , Energy prices are high for a reason and that is to scare old people off trom switching on their heating appliances in winter. This saves a lot of money in pension payouts, gains cash back in death duty and is less of a burden on the NHS when the coffin dodgers pass on to Hypothermia.
On the plus side it makes the CO deaths statistics looks good for the pensionable, however these fatalities will rise in the pallet burning sector

The energy system is corrupt to the core,

Another , wind turbines need an electric supply to initially kick the turbine off when generating wind speed is acheived

We all can be reassured that our nuclear provision is in safe hands as the Japs have bought in These guys know how to handle this stuff!

[Blackal]

Another , wind turbines need an electric supply to initially kick the turbine off when generating wind speed is acheived

!

Surely with residual magnetism exciters on the alternators - they are "self exciting" ?

(that's not the "self excitation" that you get on a Friday night )

Al

[BlueBoxer]

Under the current tariffs, that pays you a pound an hour - tax free - when it's spinnin'...

And you can keep the electricity all for yourself, even throw it away if you've got too much.

Of course, if you were a big provider, you'd easily lever some public-funded sugar on top of that...how about compensatory payments when it's too windy and you've got to stop generating?

The 'pound an hour' is the Generation Tariff that your leccy supplier is obliged to pay you...for generating electricity that neither they, nor anyone else, ever sees.

Don't worry, the 'Current Tariffs' are guaranteed for twenty years.

I believe the £1 and hour days are over. For an installation registered after the 1st December the generation rate for a small wind turbine is 21p a kw, or ~50p an hour when the wind is blowing. To make this return the wind needs to be blowing at >20 mph. How often is the wind speed >20 mph

With an annual average of 5 mph, a return of ~£1000 could be expected.

Wind turbines have a requirement for an annual service. Say £250, so net income is ~£750.

As with solar, to save on usage, you'd need to use electricity when the wind is blowing.

Steve

[Daveg2812]

I'd never heard of this company, but on Friday, I saw one of their vans. HTH

[wicker]

"they" own the equipment and apparently (small print)have access to your roof whenever they want. Not for me even in sunny Devon, and I would not buy a house with them on. Al.

Would suggest you check with your mortgage lender if going down the road of 'renting' your roof to a solar company. Read on a few of the financial forums about people running into problems with this (when seekign to remortage, etc) as in essence you have given someone else (i.e. the solar company) a contractual right over part of the house.

I have seen a lot of solar panels fitted to houses, barns, industrial buildings or even free standing in fields in places like Germany as I am riding past in the sun. Very sceptical abou tthe economics of solar in this country especially in the Scotland where overcast geey days seem all to common and 20C+ is considered a hot day worthy of news print!