Are solar panels worth installing?

[gingermrkettle]

will my roof not leak from all the mounting holes?

Unlikely with standard construction, the mountings go under individual tiles and attach to the rafters with no appreciable gap so no holes in tiles.

 

[Amormusic]

Hmmm, it doesn't appear there is a no brainer solution.

Look at Virtu hybrid PVT (solar / thermal hybrid) from a company called Naked Energy.

https://nakedenergy.com/

There's a video on the website which explains it. I've been to the rig in Swansea which is in the video at the start. It is really clever stuff!

 

[gingermrkettle]

Interesting idea, but not sure it adds up for residential compared to solar PV and a diverter like a myenergi eddi. Our standard electricity usage is c. 10kWh/day, our hot water via an eddi/Sunamp is around 3-3.5kWh/day so given the relative CO2 per kWh of gas heating via a modern condensing boiler and kWh of electricity the CO2 reductions would still favour PV for us.

 

[Ellenor]

I have solar thermal. I wouldn’t bother again and just go for PV. The problem with thermal is it’s all or nothing. On a bright sunny day my 300 litre cylinder is piping hot but the next day could be overcast and I get next to nothing. My system is 16 yrs old now but is a decent Viessmann system with 30 tubes. If you average out the performance over the year my neighbour gets better out of his PV via his immersion heater.

 

[stevec67]

On top of everything mentioned here I'd also be concerned about the quality of installation of the panels on my roof, all the holes drilled on an otherwise sealed from the elements shingled roof. The solar panels may last 20 years but will my roof not leak from all the mounting holes? ...and what about roof maintenance? All those panels will need to be removed and reinstalled.

This has been thought through and any competent installer will use the established solutions. It's like worrying about your car leaking or the electrics failing after having a towbar fitted. If you foul it up, sure. But a competent installer? No.

 

[stevec67]

This has been thought through and any competent installer will use the established solutions. It's like worrying about your car leaking or the electrics failing after having a towbar fitted. If you foul it up, sure. But a competent installer? No.

Actually this reminds me, sometime in the 70s when I was in primary school, my parents bought a used car at the local dealer. Part of the deal was to fit a towbar. They drove it home and later that evening I was showing it off to my pal when it started smoking. I did what any smart 8 year old would do and got my dad. I suspect that he did the sensible thing and disconnected the battery, having only recently left a job as an RAF electrical tech. Next day it went back, sure enough they had fouled up the installation and the car needed a new wiring loom.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

Actually this reminds me, sometime in the 70s when I was in primary school, my parents bought a used car at the local dealer. Part of the deal was to fit a towbar. They drove it home and later that evening I was showing it off to my pal when it started smoking. I did what any smart 8 year old would do and got my dad. I suspect that he did the sensible thing and disconnected the battery, having only recently left a job as an RAF electrical tech. Next day it went back, sure enough they had fouled up the installation and the car needed a new wiring loom.

RAF electricians are the target of many jokes due to a certain incident

 

[klfrs]

According to Telegraph at six years Installing solar panels will have the shortest pay off period on record.

 

[RidleyRumpus]

With electricity being 50p/kwh, the answer has to be yes, yes it is worth it.

 

[daytona600]

shortest pay off period on record.
10 years ago paid off in 6 years