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Lorrainelovesplants

solar panels - how to choose

We have no money to invest, but would like to find out more about renting our considerable roof space to a solar company.
What do we need to know?
RichardW

That in no way do you actually rent the roof to them.


Read the BG contract terms & they just fall short of taking your first born. YOU have to guarantee that THEY get the payment NO MATTER what happens. So if it breaks, the scheme is pulled, you sell & the buyer wont sign to take it over (and I would not) then YOU have to pay them the FULL FIT rate for the balance of the 25 years.



It is very early to see what effect it will have on the property's price & sale ability.


So whats in it for you?

Limited free elec when the sun shines.


Now depending on how good you are at balancing the supply & demand could see you saving some money but could also see you paying more if you get it wrong.

There are a few devices that can balance the load & supply actively but they do cost about £2k by the time they are installed. Do it by hand & if you then start to use more day time units that could have been night time E7 ones & your bill could rise. Load matching is quite hard to ensure that the peak load does not go over the changing peak supply.
moulesnfrites

Try the money saving expert (Martin Lewis) forum where free solar PV gets a big thumbs down. Some of the major mortgage companies will not lend against homes with rent a roof schemes.
Mutton

How are your DIY skills?

You could go for solar hot water. With a big roof space you probably don't need to buy the modern, efficient panels.
You'd be surprise how much heating water costs especially if you are doing it with electric.

See http://www.builditsolar.com/ for DIY ideas with test results on some of how they performed and what they cost to build. In the 100 rather than 1,000s.
(and no, I don't get a commission Laughing )

Also on ways to build the kind of giant tanks that you really need with solar hot water to even out the dull days.
Colin & Jan

Please don't rent them your roof. I've had a few 'companies' round now as I have been considering putting a 10kw PV system on a barn roof. I have had a string of snake oil salesmen turn up in a shiny suits, when what I wanted (and asked for) was an engineering type who could discuss roof fixings.

I am no engineer but half-a-dozen hours on tinterweb has given me a fair understanding of the fixing requirements and a good handle on Feed In Tariffs. All the slimy salesmen wanted was for us to rent them the roof (and then we would have free electric?). When I asked them to have a look at the barn two actually declined saying it was outside of their scope.

In typical salesman fashion they had to be persuaded to leave; one most forcefully! Only one of them has made a follow-up call.

Maybe I was being quite demanding, however when determining whether to spend £50k+ I think I had some right.

Colin
Lorrainelovesplants

So glad I asked the question! Shocked

Thanks guys!

We were going to do the solar hot water thingy ourselves anyway....
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