Green & Ethical MoneySaving

A question about : solar novice any advice welcome

Hi I am having solar panels fitted next week. I know little about this and despite reading up for hours am a bit out of my depth with all the figures. I am having 16 panels, told this is the max you can have, and my roof is 5 degrees off south.

I currently have full gas central heating/water, gas hob, electric oven. I have been advised to have large appliances staggered throughout the day with timers, not have both ovens on at the same time, and replace bulbs with leds, (something we have already been doing).

A question about : Can I "Replace" my white foam cavity wall insulation

Hi I have a 1960s property that has White polystyrene type cavity wall insulation that must have been blown in at some time. Over the years modifications like running cables through the cavity has put some holes in this and to be honest when I last looked as few years ago it did not look like it was a very good job. As I have got older and a little greener I have been thinking about improving my homes insulation.

A question about : Staybrite 3kw quote with 2 panels free!?

Hey people
Any advise here would be awesome. The staybrite solar Rep has just left. The system quote is:

10 panels, 1 inverter, 10yr guarantee for both
5 Sth, 5 West, on 40° pitch
Peak output 2.45kwp
Annual radiation 963 (Im on the coast in Cornwall so should be brtter but im told the whole quote is calculated as 'worst scenario' so no misleading figures).
Total units generated 2359 kwh/year

A question about : Our first solar quote....

Hello there,

With Christmas 1 week away, both of us being flat out at work and baby turning 1 tomorrow, Hubbie and I thought now would be a good time to look at getting solar panels installed!

The first quote we have got is:
Ј6500
4kWp
16 x 250W Phono solar Onyx Mono all black using a Power-One Auroa PVI-3.6TL inverter.

A question about : Measuring my use of generated power

People often ask how much of the electricity produced by our PV panels we use ourselves, in other words how much we are saving on our electricity bill.

Is there any way of measuring this?

A question about : Measuring and recording everything

Happy New Year 2015

Sadly, the obsession of measuring and recording everything started at an early age, but in 1975 (40 years) ago I went professional. Now how many Os will I record today?

Best answers:

• It's the plank of wood holding up the scope that shouts "PROFESSIONAL" to me
  What good would you be if you couldn't devise a suitable work-around?
  The happy world of engineering

A question about : Solar advice

Solar king were doing the rounds on our estate and I've said they come and give me a quote tomorrow. I figure. If nothing else, they should be able to give me a starting point on what I can have fitted etc?

A friend across the road said he was quoted Ј8.5k for a 5.5kwp system which isn't too far from Ј1.50pw which seems to be the magic number or am I missing something?

I can't see myself getting a system until later on next year but some pointers would be appreciated

Thanks

A question about : TCP LED light bulbs

My early adopter experiences with LED light bulbs was not good. Reliability poor.

I have been waiting for reliability to improve and prices to fall.

Then today I saw TCP light bulbs in Homebase at a reduced price of Ј4.87 less 20% (when spending Ј50 or more) = Ј3.89:

My selection >>> TCP >>> Nichia Corporation >>> clear candle >>> warm white >>> B22 base >>> 330 Lm >>> 5 watts (stated equivalence 30 watts) >>> 25,000H.