Solar Power on a Budget

A question about : Solar Power on a Budget

Hi,

I am looking to get solar on my house but want to spend as little as possible on it.

What is the least I can spend with a trustworthy firm to have solar installed?

Thanks.

Best answers:

• Don't think, Fender that bought and fitted Solar Panels have a very good payback time.
  Am considering DIY as a stand alone panel in the greenhouse or garden....got the idea from here....https://theyellowhouse.org.uk/...lots of links and a damn good read.
  There is also a Sticky on this section of the Utilities Board.
• This depends on the sort of cells you want, there asre vacuum ones which are more expensive but more efficient and provide greater energy collection, then there are cheaper ones which you could actually make yourself, are smaller, but less efficient.
• Hi,
  We had a "Solartwin" panel supplied and fitted in August 9 months ago, by Solartwin. It was not the cheapest, and has a photovoltaic pump fitted too, but was simply installed in around 2 hours, and was producing hot water within 15 minutes....
  our neighbour was scornful, spend Ј2.5k what a waste of money...etc..etc..
  We are on Calor gas, and we have been paying the equivalent of Ј1250 a year for gas. We switched off the gas boiler from the moment the panel was working, and turned it back on for 1 hour a day during October. We went back fully 'on line" with the Calor in Mid November.
  The panel pre heats all the water entering the hot water tank during the day, even on the coldest recorded day in Jan it was ticking over at 9 degrees.....
  Sorry, digressed a bit there.
  We love it......and in around 3 years time (at CURRENT gas prices..) it will have almost paid for itself.
  Green Halo Shining nicely, and saving some cash too....
  Dave
• Hi Fender,
  See my message below.
  Dave
• The original poster talked about solar power. Just to be clear, this is not the same as solar hot water generation. The latter is much more practical because water heating panels are much more efficient than photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.