Solar as an investment

[SRE]

Sedgy, in the nicest possible way, before you give any more advice to customers it might be a good idea to spend the weekend reading up a bit ;-) I'd be a bit concerned that a customer (FB) knows more about the limits of installation than you do. It doesn't take long and the information is readily available. You might want to have a workd with the people that did your training though - it doesn't look as though they've covered some of the essential info. Good luck

 

[Gavin A]

ive been told you cant do that 1x4kw per mpan number only on domestic dwellings!

you've been told wrong, or asked the question in the wrong way.

you can install as much as you want on any MPAN as long as you have permission from the DNO to do it, and receive the appropriate FIT payments on all of it.

If there is already an existing 4kWp installation, then anything added would just get paid at the rate of the next band down, but the original 4kWp would remain on its existing rate.

 

[sedgy34]

Sedgy, in the nicest possible way, before you give any more advice to customers it might be a good idea to spend the weekend reading up a bit ;-) I'd be a bit concerned that a customer (FB) knows more about the limits of installation than you do. It doesn't take long and the information is readily available. You might want to have a workd with the people that did your training though - it doesn't look as though they've covered some of the essential info. Good luck

thankyou for the advice, but will decline on the weekend reading as it will interfere with me and stella

 

[sedgy34]

you've been told wrong, or asked the question in the wrong way.

you can install as much as you want on any MPAN as long as you have permission from the DNO to do it, and receive the appropriate FIT payments on all of it.

If there is already an existing 4kWp installation, then anything added would just get paid at the rate of the next band down, but the original 4kWp would remain on its existing rate.

The bit id forgot about/misunderstood then was the 2nd array on domestics the FIT 4/10kw rate, if DNO allows it

 

[moggy1968]

you can install a hundred panels if you like, it just requires prior consent as it falls outside G83!
just as a correction to the above. I would presume fitting an additional 4kW will drop the FiTS on your existing install as well as the new one as you are going over 4kW, otherwise, all you would needon a large install is to put some on, then add the others as a modification. FiTS is like stamp duty (another government rip off!), it's on the whole amount, not just the bit thats over the threshold.

 

[Earthstore]

Moggy, as I have learnt too, if you already have an install of say 4KW on a high tariff, it stays on that and then the additional is on the current tariff that is applicable, ie add another 4KWP it would then be on the 4-10KWP tariff at the time of install, as you now have 8KW.

Of course you can not install 4KWP one day register that and then install another 4KWP the next day as that would be fraud, there needs to be a reasonable time between installations (whatever that is???) ie isn't this PV great, lets have some more, if you see what I mean.

All DNO rules need tp be applied for though, G59 ETC..
I hope this helps.

 

[moggy1968]

POOOFF!

that was the sound of a moggies head exploding!!
interesting info, I might bear that in mind then for larger installations!
question is, what is a reasonable amount of time?

 

[Earthstore]

Maybe TEDM, the font of all knowledge could answer that one for us.

Ted?

 

[FB.]

I would think that if I add a second array, with a second inverter and second generation meter, that my new array would be 16.8p (pre-31st July) and my old array would remain 45.4p.

If I add more panels to my existing array (although 3.75kWp into a 3.6 inverter is about maxiumum capacity on bright days), I would expect a pro-rata adjustment of my generation meter reading by my FiT provider, so that the FiT would be split into a 45.4p-eligible and a 16.8p-eligible component. So if I add another 3.75kWp of panels to my 3.75kWp, but retain one inverter and one generation meter, I'd expect half of the generation meter reading would be assumed to be 45.4p and the other half 16.8p.

 

[Earthstore]

I would say that is correct, but make sure ( I am a sure you will)you get this confirmed by your FIT provider before it is installed.

The only problem that I can see with installing more panels onto your inverter, is it may run at maximum for long periods, therefore reducing its service life, so affecting your financial returns, also, if the panels are generating too much for long periods the inverter may shut down anyway.
Just a thought.

 

[FB.]

Hi Earthstore.

Yes, I don't think that adding more panels to my already maxed-out inverter would be very effective.

I was planning on a new inverter (or two, or three) for the additional array(s) and a new generation meter for the 16.8p FiT-eligible installation.

I must admit, though, that I'm going off the idea of adding more due to lack of time to do it properly without rushing, and the risk that I'd miss an obscure but important little footnote in the bureacracy which screwed-up my best-laid investment plans (such as finding something comparable to losing my 45.4p FiT), or miss a crucial planning restriction which later requires removal of the array.
I also feel that I'm rather "on my own" on this project - in unchartered waters with not many installers really interested as they generally seem much more interested with the straightforward stuff of domestic <4kWp bolted to a roof - especially given the apparent pickup in business recently.

So I might just fritter the cash on picking-up some bombed-out investments in the wake of the latest (or next....or next....) Euro crisis. At least I fully understand the "rules of the game" when it comes to financial markets, so I won't feel "on my own in uncharted waters".

It's just a shame that my enthusiasm for renewables can't be encouraged; my soft spot for it would persuade me to forego higher returns as a financial predator on the markets. For what it's worth, I also grow a lot of chemical-free fruits and veg, and have done considerable trials/experiments/comparisons on growing good quality food without needing to spray a dozen times a year with chemicals.

 

[Energetic]

Going back to the other forum thread, there was mention of commercial properties. Covering his commercial property would allow him to charge a higher rent due to the free electricity provided to the tenants and also claim the FiT from it, and he wouldn't have to put up with a terrifying blemish in his conservation area...

 

[FB.]

Going back to the other forum thread, there was mention of commercial properties. Covering his commercial property would allow him to charge a higher rent due to the free electricity provided to the tenants and also claim the FiT from it, and he wouldn't have to put up with a terrifying blemish in his conservation area...

If there was time to grab myself a buy-to-let, I might consider it.
But housing transactions (other than auctions) seem to take at least three months and sometimes six months (I've done three housing transactions in the last ten years and none was quick nor painless).

 

[Energetic]

If there was time to grab myself a buy-to-let, I might consider it.
But housing transactions (other than auctions) seem to take at least three months and sometimes six months (I've done three housing transactions in the last ten years and none was quick nor painless).

Was thinking of the other OP on the thread you linked to, had the impression he meant a business premises.

Another option nobody seems to think of these days is spend it and enjoy yourself...

 

[FB.]

Another option nobody seems to think of these days is spend it and enjoy yourself...

I do try to enjoy myself and I don't wish for much more than I already have.
I must confess, though, that the ongoing Euro crisis and the uncertainty over how badly it might end is causing me to hold back a bit, or think twice about splashing out cash.

These recessionary times are likely to be with us for several more years; we're going through a super-bust with many similarities to the Great Depression. People might appreciate a bit of money behind them by the time the recession has finally passed because I fear that families will have to pull together to support the unfortunate members.
No government - nor the whole world's governments - is powerful enough to stop this once-in-a-generation super-bust; at best they can moderate the severity of the economic collapse, but at a price of prolonging the duration (i.e. we can have long and shallow on-off recession, or we can have short and very deep depression).