Government and solar PV

[Futurenthusiast]

Hey guys, I am new here and will aim to help around with solar PV stuff as much as possible.

But for now I was wondering if someone can shed some lightt onto how the government can help increase uptake of domestic solar PV? I believe that uptake is still quite low despite many installations per day. The potential is huge (surely)! Anyone got any ideas? Looking to get some sort of discussion flowing

Thanks!

 

[Baddegg]

Search for jouleflow mate, he might have some opinions on this...

 

[Gary K]

There was plenty of interest before the FIT cuts!

 

[Futurenthusiast]

Search for jouleflow mate, he might have some opinions on this...

Sure thing, thanks

 

[Futurenthusiast]

There was plenty of interest before the FIT cuts!

But the FITs have been so low for some time now and I don't think that was a driving force for consumers to adopt PV anymore, hmm.

 

[snowhead]

I don't beleive PV is / was economic without FIT, otherwise there would already have been millions of existing P.V installations before FIT came into being.

It will be economic in the future when Electricity costs rise significantly against a lower rising cost of a P.V installation.
That's providing the cost of replacing panels and Inverters on existing ageing systems doesn't prove P.V to be totally uneconomic.

 

[solarsavings]

Scrap the feed in tariff and the mcs scheme and all the b locks that goes with it. If that was done kit prices would drop and it might be viable. As it is, unless you use the power when it's available(forget battery storage) then it's a waste of money.

 

[Futurenthusiast]

I don't beleive PV is / was economic without FIT, otherwise there would already have been millions of existing P.V installations before FIT came into being.

It will be economic in the future when Electricity costs rise significantly against a lower rising cost of a P.V installation.
That's providing the cost of replacing panels and Inverters on existing ageing systems doesn't prove P.V to be totally uneconomic.

I partially agree here. I think the high capital cost is the real reason that we don't see millions of home with PV. Most people just don't have that much disposable income.

PV is close to reaching grid parity, but yes, it still will take a little longer.

 

[Futurenthusiast]

Scrap the feed in tariff and the mcs scheme and all the b locks that goes with it. If that was done kit prices would drop and it might be viable. As it is, unless you use the power when it's available(forget battery storage) then it's a waste of money.

I don't understand how the prices will drop if the FIT was scrapped? The FIT was there to support people with the high costs of PV. Hence, as the tech has declined in cost, the FIT has also been cut.

The MCS makes a ton of cash from its fee paying members. They have nothing to do with the cost of the technology, surely?

 

[solarsavings]

I was installing solar back in 2005 when kit was cheaper to buy and install. Then labour decided to bring in the micro generation scheme and feed in tariff along with a load of suits to regulate to the last squeak. Costs went up inline with the feed in tariff. The mcs became ever more officious to the point the many gave up on it before the market began to draw it's dying breaths.
Now you have to pay out more than a grand a year to be a member on top of your scheme fees.

 

[Gary K]

Alot of people are making good money from the FIT (me included) payments which is why the payments were cut rapidly when the rent a roof brigade appeared.
If the FIT payments were altered so that they paid back the initial investment plus perhaps 10% at a decent rate before coming to an end, housholders would then put up the initial capital as after say 4-5 years they would have recouped it and be left with reduced electricity costs for the life of the system.

 

[a-z electrics]

I suspect solar PV will make a bit of a comeback along with home battery storage once electric vehicles take off..