‘I turned into a solar nerd’

[AE-NMidlands]

"money and fun were the unexpected benefits of installing panels" - I can second that!
https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... ing-panels

An abiding memory of a day in August 2010, the first time my solar panels were connected to the grid, was of the builders downing tools and watching the electricity meter whiz round backwards.
It was a sunny day and they were supposed to be finishing the plastering and insulation, but the novel sight of the old-style electricity meter in reverse was too entertaining.
...

a nice article, but not much new to us here. I don't know how to interpret

Modern solar panels now heat water as well as producing electricity, and the surplus, instead of going to the grid, is stored in a battery, thereby saving money after dark.

Does he just mean diverting power to an immersion heater, or do we have dual pv/thermal panels?

[AGT]

Pass, but better written than most!

[dan_b]

Pretty sure he means an ImmerSun type device there.
But yes getting solarPV 12 years ago turned me into the renewable nerd I have become today through places like this!

[nowty]

"Sadly, it has not been possible to upgrade my outdated system without upsetting the lucrative feed-in tariff income, so to make up for years of jetting about the world for the Guardian covering international conferences on the climate, the next environmental step to take was a heat pump."

Wrong, and he's supposed to be an environmental journalist !, he's just perpetuating the urban myth.


"Now my house is run entirely on fossil-free energy, since all the electricity that comes from grid to my home is supplied by a company that sources all its power from renewables."

And thats a bit of greenwashing too.

[Ken]

FITS "guaranteed for 20 years." I thought the early systems were 25yr ?

I would love to take down my old panels and replace with latest that would double my production.

[nowty]

FITS "guaranteed for 20 years." I thought the early systems were 25yr ?

I would love to take down my old panels and replace with latest that would double my production.

Yes, my Sept 2011 one is for 25 years and my Oct 2014 one is for 20 years.

And you can upgrade, already done it with one FIT system and will probably do it to the main roof next year.

[Ken]

I know you can add to a FITS system but one cannot replace, can one.

[nowty]

I know you can add to a FITS system but one cannot replace, can one.

Yes the rules where clarified a couple of years back, I'll try and dig out the latest rules.

[nowty]

I know you can add to a FITS system but one cannot replace, can one.

Yes the rules where clarified a couple of years back, I'll try and dig out the latest rules.

(nowtyinfo for searching)
Feed-in Tariffs: Guidance for renewable installations published April 2023,
Page 81,
6.16. You may repair or replace all or some generating equipment without affecting the
compliance of an accredited installation, provided that the installation continues to
meet the scheme rules. These include that the:

• maximum capacity of 5MW (or 2kW for micro-CHP) is not exceeded
• accredited installation continues to generate electricity from the same eligible technology
• accredited installation is not decommissioned or relocated
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/ ... %20v17.pdf


And under FIT Guidance for Licensed Electricity Suppliers (i.e, FIT providers) published April 2024.
Section 7
Similar reciprocal info, especially about pro-ratering the FIT rate if TIC is increased running through same generation meter.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/ ... %20V17.pdf


And for completeness, latest info about adding storage to an existing FIT system, published March 2024.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/ ... 20v6.1.pdf

[Krill]

You should write them a letter Nowty, they'd probably publish it.