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15 comments on Currys To Stock Photovoltaics

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ziz on August 2, 2006 - 11:01am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I have an 80 yard bank facing due south adjacent to my house (10 miles NBO of M/cr) on which I can erect an almost limitless array, (without the costs of roofing work etc.,) and have access to wholesale supplies.Doing most of the work myself I have examined the costs on a regular basis.

Even with grants - which are not as available as you might imagine the return, even factoring in 10% per annum electricity price rises, is well over 20 years - in which time you would be into complete replacement.

One factor that must be taken into account in any installation, is insurance for accidental damage (or high replacement / maintenance cost) both the Dutch and German experience is of high damage by kids - a company exists in Germany to repair panels.

As my array would overlook a school my insurers will not even consider it.

The CIS building in Manchester project the biggest use of Sharp panels in the UK uses 7,000 photovoltaic panels which they claim to produce "181,000 units of renewable electricity each year" - equivalent to the energy needed to power 55 homes for a year" (CIS press release)  = 127 panels per house.

The project started in 2004 at a total of £5.5m project which included a £885,000 grant from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and a £175,000 grant from the Department of Trade & Industry.It would not be unreasonable to assume that Sharp offered a very favourable panel price for this landmark project.Even so at 55 houses that = £100,000 per house give or take the odd penny.

One factor of course was that the 40 year old building required it's mosaic facing replacing anyway.

Read the full story here

http://www.cis.co.uk/servlet/Satellite?cid=1116834043935&pagename=CoopBank/Page/tplBlank&c=P age

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ziz on August 2, 2006 - 11:08am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Oops missed out ...

Each megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity generated is eligible for benefits under the governments Renewable Energy Obligation Certification Scheme. The value of the certificates earned by the Tower is estimated to be approximately £9,271 per year.

Whoop di do.

As the building is listed, the blue panels (the only colour manufactured) have raised a lot of hackles amongst conservationists locally.

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Nagorak on August 3, 2006 - 11:13pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
In the long run, why would damage from kids be that large a concern?  Do kids regularly go around breaking windows and/or burning houses down?  As solar panels become more accepted the unusualness that might attract attention for vandalism will disappear.  I'm not saying that changes the situation now, but in the long run I think such concerns will turn out to be meritless.  
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biffvernon on August 4, 2006 - 2:04am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Instead of pv on your 80 yard bank you could grow your own solar array from willow. With a three year coppice rotation you could provide your home with a sustainable and carbon neutral supply of useful energy to heat your house.
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Jenks on August 4, 2006 - 6:45am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I don't have an 80 yard bank - but there is an area that willow could be relevant.
There are many types of willow available - assuming I want to run a log burner, rather than make cricket bats...

 - which is the type that has the growth factor for a 3 year rotation ?

Is there a good website reference?

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