UK Home energy prices

[petej]

Friend of mine has a medium size farm, 3 large barns and eco friendly campsite, she wants to cover the barns in solar to offset campsite. Nope, 3.6Kw only as her installation would overload the local transformer.. Next to her farm is a mahoosive solar farm!..

Looked down the off grid lane, the battery bank costs were eye watering so not a viable option..

I'm having 5.7KW fitted, with a 10kwh battery. Output will be limited to 3.6kw to the grid, but we have an electric car, and the charger we have can also be set to use excess charge, so anything not used for export or batteries, can be sent to the car.

Considering the price of individual panels etc, and the relatively minor increase in cost for an inverter that can support a higher amount, it seems daft not to just pack as many as possible on the roof. We also have an east/west roof, so are splitting it half and half. Not ideal, but hopefully a smaller amount throughout the day, will be more realistic towards our electricity use too, rather than smashing it all in one half of the day.

That is pretty much my set up but I have a nearly south facing roof. Just shifted my battery settings so it charges to a minimum 30% using off peak electricity overnight. Battery takes priority for surplus then the car and then the grid.

[Raggs]

Friend of mine has a medium size farm, 3 large barns and eco friendly campsite, she wants to cover the barns in solar to offset campsite. Nope, 3.6Kw only as her installation would overload the local transformer.. Next to her farm is a mahoosive solar farm!..

Looked down the off grid lane, the battery bank costs were eye watering so not a viable option..

I'm having 5.7KW fitted, with a 10kwh battery. Output will be limited to 3.6kw to the grid, but we have an electric car, and the charger we have can also be set to use excess charge, so anything not used for export or batteries, can be sent to the car.

Considering the price of individual panels etc, and the relatively minor increase in cost for an inverter that can support a higher amount, it seems daft not to just pack as many as possible on the roof. We also have an east/west roof, so are splitting it half and half. Not ideal, but hopefully a smaller amount throughout the day, will be more realistic towards our electricity use too, rather than smashing it all in one half of the day.

That is pretty much my set up but I have a nearly south facing roof. Just shifted my battery settings so it charges to a minimum 30% using off peak electricity overnight. Battery takes priority for surplus then the car and then the grid.

Right now I'm being blanked for a smart meter by our energy provider. Once the panels are fitted in going to tell them the meter is spinning backwards (hopefully I won't be lying), as that's what got them into gear at my mum's place (different provider). Want to get on the special tariffs, charge the batteries and car overnight when it's cheap etc.

[petej]

I'm having 5.7KW fitted, with a 10kwh battery. Output will be limited to 3.6kw to the grid, but we have an electric car, and the charger we have can also be set to use excess charge, so anything not used for export or batteries, can be sent to the car.

Considering the price of individual panels etc, and the relatively minor increase in cost for an inverter that can support a higher amount, it seems daft not to just pack as many as possible on the roof. We also have an east/west roof, so are splitting it half and half. Not ideal, but hopefully a smaller amount throughout the day, will be more realistic towards our electricity use too, rather than smashing it all in one half of the day.

That is pretty much my set up but I have a nearly south facing roof. Just shifted my battery settings so it charges to a minimum 30% using off peak electricity overnight. Battery takes priority for surplus then the car and then the grid.

Right now I'm being blanked for a smart meter by our energy provider. Once the panels are fitted in going to tell them the meter is spinning backwards (hopefully I won't be lying), as that's what got them into gear at my mum's place (different provider). Want to get on the special tariffs, charge the batteries and car overnight when it's cheap etc.

That's what happened with mine. They were pretty keen to change it once they realised it has gone backwards by about 300kwh

[mat the expat]

Earlier on I said that all new builds should have solar PV fitted as standard..

I'm involved in the planning of a new 200 property site and as part of the application, we proposed PV on every house.

Not allowed! The reason, power supplier has stated that it would breach capacity of local infrastructure. Ie. On a sunny day, the power generated would overload their transformer. Digging a bit deeper and talking to other building firms, this is an ongoing problem. The investment needed in upgrading the power systems is going to the shareholders first..

Exactly the same in Oz - councils are looking into "Neighbourhood Batteries" but very slow.

I just bought a house with a pool so am keen to get solar installed

[TB63]

Earlier on I said that all new builds should have solar PV fitted as standard..

I'm involved in the planning of a new 200 property site and as part of the application, we proposed PV on every house.

Not allowed! The reason, power supplier has stated that it would breach capacity of local infrastructure. Ie. On a sunny day, the power generated would overload their transformer. Digging a bit deeper and talking to other building firms, this is an ongoing problem. The investment needed in upgrading the power systems is going to the shareholders first..

Exactly the same in Oz - councils are looking into "Neighbourhood Batteries" but very slow.

I just bought a house with a pool so am keen to get solar installed

I've built pools and heated them with evacuated tubes arrays quite successfully..

[mat the expat]

Earlier on I said that all new builds should have solar PV fitted as standard..

I'm involved in the planning of a new 200 property site and as part of the application, we proposed PV on every house.

Not allowed! The reason, power supplier has stated that it would breach capacity of local infrastructure. Ie. On a sunny day, the power generated would overload their transformer. Digging a bit deeper and talking to other building firms, this is an ongoing problem. The investment needed in upgrading the power systems is going to the shareholders first..

Exactly the same in Oz - councils are looking into "Neighbourhood Batteries" but very slow.

I just bought a house with a pool so am keen to get solar installed

I've built pools and heated them with evacuated tubes arrays quite successfully..

It's already in place - cheaper with subsidies to get the Solar array. Plus, due to idiot politicians, and having limitless gas and solar opportunities, our electrical prices are off the charts...

[weegie01]

I'm surprised by the chat on PV, I thought it was generally uneconomic.

We own a property that is all electric. Heating is by storage heaters that must be 20 years old and I would assume there are more effective modern alternatives, so we'd been thinking about replacing them with something more modern. But we'd assumed there was little mileage in looking at PV or batteries. Is that not the case?

[TB63]

Depends on roof space and aspect.. Cover as much as possible with PV, go down battery route and charge your (new) storage heaters up at night from batteries. All depends on sunlight of course..

[TB63]

Exactly the same in Oz - councils are looking into "Neighbourhood Batteries" but very slow.

I just bought a house with a pool so am keen to get solar installed

I've built pools and heated them with evacuated tubes arrays quite successfully..

It's already in place - cheaper with subsidies to get the Solar array. Plus, due to idiot politicians, and having limitless gas and solar opportunities, our electrical prices are off the charts...

https://www.jouleuk.co.uk/joule-acapell ... al-system/

Fit these and heat pool direct (through a heat exchanger inline with pump, whilst your at it, bung in an inline chlorine dispenser..).

[Raggs]

I'm surprised by the chat on PV, I thought it was generally uneconomic.

We own a property that is all electric. Heating is by storage heaters that must be 20 years old and I would assume there are more effective modern alternatives, so we'd been thinking about replacing them with something more modern. But we'd assumed there was little mileage in looking at PV or batteries. Is that not the case?

Batteries aren't necessarily the best bet, but if you've got a high electricity usage they're a bit better. PV though, especially with the current electricity prices, are definitely worthwhile in my mind. Guess it depends on how long you plan on staying in your current house, we're not planning on moving, so want to setup as much as possible.

[Tichtheid]

I've built pools and heated them with evacuated tubes arrays quite successfully..

It's already in place - cheaper with subsidies to get the Solar array. Plus, due to idiot politicians, and having limitless gas and solar opportunities, our electrical prices are off the charts...

https://www.jouleuk.co.uk/joule-acapell ... al-system/

Fit these and heat pool direct (through a heat exchanger inline with pump, whilst your at it, bung in an inline chlorine dispenser..).

The guy in this article is a good friend of mine, he had the idea of using old bedsteads as a means of heating water for a rural hospital in Tanzania

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scot ... tal-877919

[weegie01]

I read an article on the BBC about people getting upset about new pylons to carry renewable enegy to where it would be used. It does seem rather like 'I love green energy and saving the planet, as long as there is no impact on me' nimbyism.

However, there are reference from protestors in the article to an 'offshore grid' to replace the onshore. Google tells me nothing other than in relation to bringing offshore windfarm power onshore into the existing grid.

Does anyone have any nowledge about this?

[mat the expat]

I've built pools and heated them with evacuated tubes arrays quite successfully..

It's already in place - cheaper with subsidies to get the Solar array. Plus, due to idiot politicians, and having limitless gas and solar opportunities, our electrical prices are off the charts...

https://www.jouleuk.co.uk/joule-acapell ... al-system/

Fit these and heat pool direct (through a heat exchanger inline with pump, whilst your at it, bung in an inline chlorine dispenser..).

I'll be getting a full PV array - it's subsidised here

[Insane_Homer]

I read an article on the BBC about people getting upset about new pylons to carry renewable enegy to where it would be used.

Never done the fluorescent tube under power lines trick?

[weegie01]

I read an article on the BBC about people getting upset about new pylons to carry renewable enegy to where it would be used.

Never done the fluorescent tube under power lines trick?

That is new to me.

Whilst some people complain of the proximity to cables, most of the complaints seem to be about lost views and spoiling the countryside.

[Slick]

Is there any point in looking around for deals at the moment or is all still much the same?

[Yeeb]

Is there any point in looking around for deals at the moment or is all still much the same?

Depends how much time you have , it’s sadly not quite a flex as car insurance where you can usually phone up and whinge and get them to chop 20% off

Quicker to just wear an extra jumper in the house, even if you end up like this:

[Blackmac]

Is there any point in looking around for deals at the moment or is all still much the same?

Price cap expected to fall to £1660 in April so any deal will be short term gain.

[tabascoboy]

Is there any point in looking around for deals at the moment or is all still much the same?

Price cap expected to fall to £1660 in April so any deal will be short term gain.

Saw that too, but who knows at this time what global events might happen before then? Still, I'm not thinking that a fixed tariff now is a good move

[derriz]

However, there are reference from protestors in the article to an 'offshore grid' to replace the onshore. Google tells me nothing other than in relation to bringing offshore windfarm power onshore into the existing grid.

Does anyone have any nowledge about this?

Might be a reference to something like the HVDC link between Scotland and Wales? I think they're planning something similar for the East coast of the UK.

It's a very expensive way to avoid pylons and much more expensive and difficult to maintain. Faults typically take about a month or longer to repair compared to days for onshore overhead transmission. Capital cost obviously is multiples of that relatively simple pylons and there must be serious concern now about security given recent demonstrations of how vulnerable underwater energy infrastructure is.

[fishfoodie]

However, there are reference from protestors in the article to an 'offshore grid' to replace the onshore. Google tells me nothing other than in relation to bringing offshore windfarm power onshore into the existing grid.

Does anyone have any nowledge about this?

Might be a reference to something like the HVDC link between Scotland and Wales? I think they're planning something similar for the East coast of the UK.

It's a very expensive way to avoid pylons and much more expensive and difficult to maintain. Faults typically take about a month or longer to repair compared to days for onshore overhead transmission. Capital cost obviously is multiples of that relatively simple pylons and there must be serious concern now about security given recent demonstrations of how vulnerable underwater energy infrastructure is.

Hey, that's crazy talk !

It's not like a hostile power recently completed an enormously expensive refit to one of their nuclear submarines to make it capable of destroying undersea infrastructure, & has been seen nosing around numerous locations where such critical infrastructure passes thru

[derriz]

Particularly worrying I'd say as electricity becomes the primary method of transporting energy and more and more applications like transport, domestic heating and cooking, industrial processes etc. are electrified.

Btw, these underwater "cables" are quite complex - more like pipelines with the actual conducting core suspended in a bath of synthetic oil as an insulating fluid. I'd imagine deliberate sabotage/a couple of underwater explosions would f*ck it up beyond repair.

[petej]

Pricks are smacking a large increase on the standing charges again. This is to subsidise those with inefficient large houses again. Not enough that electricity cost already subsidise gas use (heat pump coefficients of performance not ccgt efficiency dictate the electricity to gas cost which is not in anyway suspect).

[Raggs]

Bit of an old thread, but seems a suitable place. Just had my heatpump survey done by octopus, hopefully good to get one fitted for around £1750. Our boiler is old and I suspect on it's last legs anyway, so figured this isn't a bad option. With solar and batteries, it's definitely a sensible choice. Might need to get more batteries though!

Anyone got one? We're lined up for the cosy 6, the water tank will end up in the garage, might have a small amount of piping coming into our bedroom then up into the loft, but might be lucky and it can go straight up, but have to wait and see.

[Yeeb]

Bit of an old thread, but seems a suitable place. Just had my heatpump survey done by octopus, hopefully good to get one fitted for around £1750. Our boiler is old and I suspect on it's last legs anyway, so figured this isn't a bad option. With solar and batteries, it's definitely a sensible choice. Might need to get more batteries though!

Anyone got one? We're lined up for the cosy 6, the water tank will end up in the garage, might have a small amount of piping coming into our bedroom then up into the loft, but might be lucky and it can go straight up, but have to wait and see.

Fatcat can help with advice on servicing old boilers

[Raggs]

Bit of an old thread, but seems a suitable place. Just had my heatpump survey done by octopus, hopefully good to get one fitted for around £1750. Our boiler is old and I suspect on it's last legs anyway, so figured this isn't a bad option. With solar and batteries, it's definitely a sensible choice. Might need to get more batteries though!

Anyone got one? We're lined up for the cosy 6, the water tank will end up in the garage, might have a small amount of piping coming into our bedroom then up into the loft, but might be lucky and it can go straight up, but have to wait and see.

Fatcat can help with advice on servicing old boilers

Plan is for it to be gone, so won't need to :D.

Then I'll look to switch to a gas supplier without a daily standing charge, they usually charge more for the first few units to make up, but if I don't use the hob, I'll save.

[lemonhead]

Harsh, but fair.

A good pump can turn heads.

[Blackmac]

Bit of an old thread, but seems a suitable place. Just had my heatpump survey done by octopus, hopefully good to get one fitted for around £1750. Our boiler is old and I suspect on it's last legs anyway, so figured this isn't a bad option. With solar and batteries, it's definitely a sensible choice. Might need to get more batteries though!

Anyone got one? We're lined up for the cosy 6, the water tank will end up in the garage, might have a small amount of piping coming into our bedroom then up into the loft, but might be lucky and it can go straight up, but have to wait and see.

Wow, that seems a lot cheaper than I had heard that they cost. Do you have to install larger radiators as well or is that just a myth.

[Raggs]

Bit of an old thread, but seems a suitable place. Just had my heatpump survey done by octopus, hopefully good to get one fitted for around £1750. Our boiler is old and I suspect on it's last legs anyway, so figured this isn't a bad option. With solar and batteries, it's definitely a sensible choice. Might need to get more batteries though!

Anyone got one? We're lined up for the cosy 6, the water tank will end up in the garage, might have a small amount of piping coming into our bedroom then up into the loft, but might be lucky and it can go straight up, but have to wait and see.

Wow, that seems a lot cheaper than I had heard that they cost. Do you have to install larger radiators as well or is that just a myth.

I'm replacing 3 radiators, but that's included in the price (engineer put it through as replacing old ones). One is getting enlarged.

I need to board up the loft for them, and disconnect the kick stand heater in the kitchen. But the rest is done by them, the concrete plinth, the asbestos survey and cutting it needed, replacement radiators etc.

I believe their heat pump isn't as efficient as some others, but the price difference is small, and the far cheaper install means the payoff difference is small. Their heat pump also goes upto 65C, albeit lower efficiency again, but it'll do it, which is impressive (still well over 2x efficiency).