It’s 11.15 and all we’ve generated is 0.7 kWh. Rubbish!!
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1.3kWh at noon!
Yeh, it’s all downhill from here. Best not to look, but 6 years on, I still check many times a day
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I’ve been pushing it forward for years but I’ve finally requested a proposal again for solarpanels. Last time I did was 5 years ago and the prices were very high back then - robbery I’d say. Now I hope to get 20 panels for sub 5k Euro’s.
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But get a decent size battery too so you can take advantage of smart tariffs and can effectively load shift (charge when cheap and avoid peak rates).
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Sounds like a great price. Particularly if you plan on staying in the house fir the long term
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This is my last house - unless my kids put me in a nursery when it cannot be avoided.
I’m reading up at the moment. 3 years ago we got the mains upgraded to 3 phase and replaced as much as possible so we’ve 4x4 cables everwhere. My sparky tells me to go for Enphase since we’ve trees. I think he’s right.
The panels themselves are much cheaper these days. Oversupply from China. Labour and scaffolding will be the main cost drivers. Of course, some installers are (far) better than others. Gary Does Solar on YouTube has produced a good installer directory (UK only).
Micro inverters or optimisers can help with tree shading. However, there is more to go wrong, more cost, and modern panels have got much better at handling shading at the cell level. Also, I think the max output of Enphase micro inverters limit modern panels, many of which can generate 460W plus.
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They do, I have modern DC panels with good shading resistance and fouling resistance properties such as from bird poop ahead of rainfall … however despite that having DC optimizers on the string still makes a worthwhile difference, as it helps retain the efficiency of the string across conditions, and additionally not all panels perform identically because they are manufactured to tolerances and without optimizers your string will be dragged down to some extent of the least performant panel .… I know I had them retro fitted so I was able to compare before and after. They are relatively simple devices with not much to go wrong. I have not heard of an DC optimizer going bad before… but I am sure somewhere it has happened.
Shading can also be from passing clouds ..
Micro inverters, like Enphase, are more expensive and replace the string inverter in a simpler system. So there are more components (one needed for every panel) and if they fail are expensive to replace as they are fitted to the panels on your roof.
Optimisers aim to maximise the DC output of each panel they are fitted to. Cheaper and simpler but a string inverter is still required.
Whether either are worth it over the life of the system depends on several factors, such as the impact of shading (due to multiple causes) and your tariff, particularly if you export.
Yes as I have said before, if you use batteries string inverters and DC strings are more efficient with respect to charging. I guess if you don’t use batteries, then perhaps not much in it in terms of efficiency between DC strings and micro inverters, though I have no data on that.
This is an interesting article about the Netherlands, but an emerging issue in many places. I’ve been talking about this as a sleeping dog here in New Zealand. A good example of when public policy is advanced without enough sound engineering input.
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We have this in parts of the UK. I’m under a local export restriction. The grid voltage barely stays within the allowable range. No power cuts though. There is talk from installers that some installations may be refused.
Phil
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There were discussions a while back around the home battery being managed by the electricity supplier rather than you - presumably that would come with an incentive. Alternatively I wonder if they could fit batteries to substations.
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We’re already there in the UK. My PV installer says that our DNO is already dragging their heels when it comes to responding to overvoltage complaints that they should be correcting to comply with legislation. This happens regularly when the sun shines and rooftop solar exports overload the grid.
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Besides improving the infrastructure the alternative is a behavioural change of the people and thats why the government started a campain which apparently now has reached the BBC too.
The habit is that people arrive home from work, connect the car to charge, start preparing dinner (eco friendly on induction, remember) and after dinner start the washingmachine / dishwasher so a massive spike happens on the grid.
Awareness and a behavioural change could be as effective.
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That’s great in an ideal world, but bearing in mind people still dont take recycling that seriously, I cant see peoples behaviour changing enough to have enough effect. There will always be people that will say “Oh I don’t bother with all that stuff - what possible effect can I have”?
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They’re working on financial incentives. That’ll do!
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