EPC and PV...

[solarcat]

Dear All,

Do you know how to estimate if and when a PV system will bring a building's EPC to C rating?
Are you aware of any free online tools to get EPC rating estimates?

Thank you!

 

[TedM]

PV on its own is very unlikely to bring a property up to a C, unless it is a borderline high D in the first place.

There are some online guides but most are pretty poor - Home Energy Check / In your home / Home (United Kingdom) - Energy Saving Trust
EPC online: Software for Domestic Energy Assessors | National Energy Services

To be valid an EPC must be produced by an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor.

 

[solarcat]

Thanks TedM,

yes that's my worry, so many dwellings (the vast majority in fact!) have no chance of even getting close to C, so that PV could then bring the property up to C...

This means that effectively any properties in this situation are denied the possibility to benefit from PV, which is rather stupid really...

 

[moggy1968]

that has rather been the crux of many a post on here since it was announced. I believe an earlier post stated 85% of properties need more than £5000 spending on them to achieve that rating. Of course many will never achieve that rating.
The EPC requirement is what will kill the industry, not the 21p tariff, which just gave it a rather nasty flesh wound!

 

[SRE]

I heard Greg Barker quoting 100's of installers had responded to the consultation saying they couldn't make the 21p work and the industry guys recknoned they could make it work and that EPC's would kill the industry which we are all pretty much agreed on I think (the EPC bit)

So 2 questions:

Can we work with 21p ( I think we can just about do it but it'll be tight)

If, in the initial panic someone has said that we can't manage to keep a business sustainable on 21p in the consultation can that be edited if in hindsight and with new prices trickling through they feel they can manage now or once you've submitted your consultation is that it?

As someone pointed out a couple of weeks ago the argument has moved from the 21p issue to the EPC issue which really will kill off the industry but it would be a bit of a pain if you'd already submitted a consultation based on your original argument.

 

[moggy1968]

As I suggested a while ago. I think (hope) the EPC was a smokescreen to make the 21p rate a slightly less bitter pill to swallow

 

[solarcat]

Thank you all above,

yes the debate has focused a lot on the 21p tariff, which as many of you say is a bit too low to use EU modules but can be made to work by keeping margins very tight and using Chinese modules...

The issue was mentioned during the meeting with industry leaders tonight but frankly I think they all stubbornly kept focusing much more on the 21p tariff other than the EPC issue...

It is really important that we all take part to consultation and explain that asking for C rating means than only about 1 dwelling in 10 will be eligible...

 

[powervan]

i rec i pv installer in every county should deal with the demand

 

[moggy1968]

he's not going to be very busy!

 

[GaryM]

It's alright discussing if the installer can make 21p work but what about the customer?
Will they accept 21p? I know a few who really wanted PV before it dropped to 37p, never mind 21p.
Also there's the trust issue. Will they really believe that the tariff will be a cast iron guarantee for 25 years?
To me, I see a hell of a lot more risk for potential customers. at 43.3p, there was a real financial incentive to take a risk, especially as the payback time was much lower.

 

[The Solar King]

The EPC is only there to strangle take up of PV.

Here is the real dilemma. If as an industry we make it work at 21p, the Government will cut that figure again and quickly to keep spending inside the artificial envelope they have created.

This means we will be always be rushing to stand still to each announcement made at very short notice. This is why we need an agreed and viable binding arrangement that takes the industry from now to the point of grid parity.

This is what we are fighting for.

 

[sbrown2]

Can I ask what is the cost and time and training involved to become an energy assessor. The builder I work with says its not worth becoming an assessor because it on costs £50 per property. I would imagine the large companies will carry there own assessors and I wonder what direction some the assessments will go in!!!!

 

[The Solar King]

Energy Assessors thick on the ground. If EPCs come into force, find yourself a tame one. I think you will find the big outfits will have their own or train them for this reason. Need i say more?

 

[sbrown2]

Still think that if you are looking to survive in renewables it could be beneficial to go down this road, even as a one man band. I have just completed my MCS and CPS with NAPIT but for heat pumps. But I see on their website they can assist with becoming a EA. I will look into it some more.