OT possibly--question about researching solar panels

[Andrew Gabriel]

I have no experience of these inverters, but high power electronics does have limited life, and I would factor in 2-4 inverters in the price to cover that period, depending on the design/build quality (which might not be indicated by price). Even if you found a 25 year guarantee, the chances of the company still being around wouldn't be high.

It's a very bad investment, which is why it has to be so heavily subsidised. PV panels are horribly inefficient, which means there's probably much scope for inventing more efficient products in the coming years.

[Bill Taylor]

If you are prepared to take the subsidies, it's a pretty good investment. Had a quote which would give me just over 10% tax free and RPI linked.

Photosynthesis is 3-6% efficient in producing chemical energy according to Wikipedia. Run of the mill crystalline panels are about

14%, the best readily available panels are just over 20% efficient. That doesn't look too bad to me. (Yes, using the heat in solar thermal panels is more efficient, but heat is cheap, electrical energy isn't.)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Actually they are reasonably EFFICIENT. Just horrendously expensive.

PV panels are horribly inefficient, which means there's

No, but cheaper ones are possible.

There is nor enough energy in a roof however t fulfil most peoples domestic energy needs. If you are frugal, you may be able to do a fair amount of the domestic electrics, though.

[The Natural Philosopher]

actual extractable energy is betweemn 0.1% and 1% allegedly.

[cynic]

Possibly so but that would not have been permitted development and more cabling, excavation of a trench, plus planning application fee - =A3350 in East Yorkshire

[cynic]

SNIP

Aparently the planning fee for solar is zero in Wales (according to a BBC News website) but ERYC think differently. I suppose they have to get money from where they can to top up early retiring executives pension pots and make column inches for Private Eyes Rotten Borough Awards. Even if I had gone down the barn roof route I would have been faced with an old corrugated sheet barn roof. I was even tempted to use a ground mount but I would have had to fence it off from inquisitive livestock etc. At the end of the day I chose the house roof option but console myself the paddock ground in front of the house is clear to bury a ground loop heat recovery system in at some time in the future if the price of oil rises again.

[Chris J Dixon]

I noticed in my local planning applications one for the building of a barn/ animal shelter, on the roof of which it is proposed to mount solar PV panels.

The applicant clearly finds the standard clauses in the Design and Access Statement a bit tedious:

Access The policy or approach adopted to access, and how policies relating to access in relevant local development documents have been taken into account.

"My policy is that users will be expected to make their own way into the development using their own four little legs. There will be no restriction on access as long as they all use the open side and not try to go through the walls."

The planners can't have been too upset - permission granted.

Chris