Who's sticking around?

[itty]

I thought long and hard last night about my future after letting the expected news sink in. The upshot is I cannot continue in this industry.

I am tired of continuously lowering my prices to beat installers that were obviously just slinging the thing in. I do not have the energy to go through it all again and reinvent my business model to offer installs at £9k to offer the ROI that would be attractive. This time there is EPC to contend with and that will make it impossible to survive as a specialist solar pv installation company. On top of this, once we get the industry moving again the gov will hit us again. They showed their cards yesterday when sanctioning 2 new power stations – they hardly have renewables at heart anymore.

I feel for all reputable companies. Dedicated pv installers will obviously be hit most, but I would not like to be relying on any renewables at the moment – where will they strike next?

I am doing my last 3 (assuming stock levels) and binning it. I cannot continue, not because of 21p FIT, EPC or finances, but because I cannot allow myself to be involved in an industry that attracts and accepts knee jerk reactions.

How do you all think after having time to reflect?

 

[SolarCity]

We're sticking with it. To be honest, we'd stick with it even if the FIT vanished completely. We intend to diversify and move into other areas of renewables. I believed in the green idea when I first started in PV and I still do. The world has no choice but to invest in green and nuclear energy. If we don't we're ****ed. Simple as that.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell Greg Barker and his peckerhead mates.

 

[pcollins]

I love your ongoing abuse of Mr Barker, it's improving my outlook (albeit a teeny amount)

We're sticking with it for now, I agree with Biggs on this, and it has been the plan, it's just going to have to happen a little sooner. Amusingly or not, our MCS reassessment from Napit is 4th January, we renewed in Sept so have already paid for it.

Mr Barker, may your next bowel movement be a hedgehog...

 

[Easters]

After 8Years of solar with all the hard time that have come with it I will not give up there will be an upserge its just waiting to see when.

 

[JulianC]

We're also sticking with it. We're small (2 of us), lean and adaptable. The plan always was to diversify. It'll just happen a bit sooner that's all.

My first diversification might be into screen printed T-shirts. First design is "Barker is a c**t". Reckon sales of that one should see me OK until the summer.

 

[will547]

if your new project comes of, well have four of those t shirts

 

[Markc]

We're also sticking with it. We're small (2 of us), lean and adaptable. The plan always was to diversify. It'll just happen a bit sooner that's all.

My first diversification might be into screen printed T-shirts. First design is "Barker is a c**t". Reckon sales of that one should see me OK until the summer.

I'll have two of them. Come next summer it would be a good advert!

 

[SRE]

and another 2 here :stuart:

 

[Markc]

We'll stick with it for now. Let the dust settle and see whats left. Come April it will hit again. Got to look into the EPC, training costs etc.

 

[dansk]

Im sticking around - i love PV work, as hard as it is - its been cheaper than going to the gym, all the stretching over the roof and walking on egg shells (slates)

PV and most renewable is the way forward and im also looking at getting MCS for another tech, maybe ASHP, also RHI is coming along.

 

[MorganPVI]

Diversification is the word of the day. I'd like to do hydro but its too flat around here, wind is out too. Batteries are on the way up, so maybe off grid has potenial.

 

[andyemms]

We are in an ever changing market and we all know that new technologies are out there. We all just need to adapt to the changes in the market place as does any business. I will be sticking with it but keeping a close eye on other technologies... Diversification is indeed the word of the day.

 

[PAGE Renewable]

@pcollins - our assesment date is the same day! We plan to stay in (until next September anyway when our renewal is up) - and judge the market then (this is part of our main company that I basically set up myself so we can still survive without the income stream). I still believe in PV, even with the reduced FiT (although the cut was required, it was damaging to the industries public perception to do it this fast), but I have to report that in the 2 years we have been in this business I have not yet had a customer even mention having an installation because of anything other than "money".

 

[Wiggers]

"My first diversification might be into screen printed T-shirts. First design is "Barker is a c**t". Reckon sales of that one should see me OK until the summer."


How about some banners for our vans?

 

[pcollins]

@Page, well at least there shouldn't be a hurry to get any little non-coms rectified! Fully agree with you - PV does still have its place and we did do one install where customer wasn't entirely in it for the dosh (though it was a sweetner). Plus we have one booked for before April to avoid the EPC rating, so some encouragement there.

Finally, borrowed from Scrubs, but a suitable award for he who shall not be named (much)

Dr. Perry Cox: Jerk-Off of the Year. No, ******* of the Year! Uh, don't you tell me! Guy I Despise So Much, I'd Pay Someone To Kill Ya and Stuff Ya and Leave you by my Bed, So That When I Wake Up in the Morning, I Could Roll Over and Punch You in the Face... of the Year.