It would be cheaper to add more panels later IF your PV is on the ground. Could you not plan and get certified for a larger array now but not install the full array now so adding power later. Will the future addition of smartmeters by the ESB mean you get a power logger and could be used to do the estimate later. You could set up an off-grid backup to power lighting/some heat/water pump/fridge/phone charger and then when the power returns to recharge the battery storage.
Would it not be better to have dual thermal and PC systems as house heating is often the biggest energy drain? How much extra (as a typical %) does microinverters cost over one inverter (on a 2KW array) and as noted would you have to replace each inverter within the 25yr lifespan? Why are you recommending (apart from PP for just 7 panels) just a 2KW array when thats less than 50% of customers typical demand (and that 50% I presume is optimum generation). Your return of 8.8yrs does not include the Install cost of the array (and thats with an estimated 4cent spill price). I note your example user has a 3.6KW array...Why not just recommend everyone aim to meet as close to 100% of their home use as possible as the install labour cost will be minimally extra, payback will be lower, the xtra panel costs not double and the PP cost (presuming no objections) not much additionally. Might be better to ask installers how much lower the install cost of a 7/14panel install has cost year year. If the spillover is 15% then would that not be better to add any battery storage or would dumping it on a water heater offer a better return.If your demand is lower then would it be better not to have a smaller system and storage vs a larger array or a larger array and avail of the water heat bonus (which cuts your water heating cost)
I think the issue may be down to planning permission which places a cap on solar to 50% total roof space or 12 sqm. There was a woman in Limerick who was able to retain a larger array on appeal after she initially lost her case and told to take down the array.
@@myopenmind527 i recall that appeal. She had gone ahead and then appeal the councils request to take down the extra panels. Not many of us have the cash to go to court. This is why the seai only gives a grant to X Kw irrespective of house size, actual energy usage, roof space or potential storage (with the most efficient and cheapest on hand being the hot water cylinder). If she won then it was against the PP rules. Only after this embarrassing story did the gov finally announce it was to end the arbitrary restriction. Has this actually happened and changed each councils own pp rules?
@@stephendoherty8291 she won her appeal and was told she could retain the solar array. Seems only sensible in that renewable electricity is the future of renewable energy going forward and there is a bill to abolish the 12 sqm limit which has now gone through the senate but I don’t think it’s passed into law yet. Hard to imagine it will not pass but I think the grant will disappear in the near future.
@@myopenmind527 I can see thermal solar grants getting the axe in the near future as pv prices have come down in price so much as they can be used with storage to recharge EV cars and take some burden off the grid. Even though solar thermal might seen the best idea ie air heating is the most energy intensive vs your power bill, pv is more flexible in that it can be stored efficiently and find more uses in even our summers.
Thanks for this very informative video. Very detailed. Much appreciated
Excellent video. Thank you for creating.
It would be cheaper to add more panels later IF your PV is on the ground. Could you not plan and get certified for a larger array now but not install the full array now so adding power later. Will the future addition of smartmeters by the ESB mean you get a power logger and could be used to do the estimate later. You could set up an off-grid backup to power lighting/some heat/water pump/fridge/phone charger and then when the power returns to recharge the battery storage.
Would it not be better to have dual thermal and PC systems as house heating is often the biggest energy drain? How much extra (as a typical %) does microinverters cost over one inverter (on a 2KW array) and as noted would you have to replace each inverter within the 25yr lifespan? Why are you recommending (apart from PP for just 7 panels) just a 2KW array when thats less than 50% of customers typical demand (and that 50% I presume is optimum generation). Your return of 8.8yrs does not include the Install cost of the array (and thats with an estimated 4cent spill price). I note your example user has a 3.6KW array...Why not just recommend everyone aim to meet as close to 100% of their home use as possible as the install labour cost will be minimally extra, payback will be lower, the xtra panel costs not double and the PP cost (presuming no objections) not much additionally. Might be better to ask installers how much lower the install cost of a 7/14panel install has cost year year. If the spillover is 15% then would that not be better to add any battery storage or would dumping it on a water heater offer a better return.If your demand is lower then would it be better not to have a smaller system and storage vs a larger array or a larger array and avail of the water heat bonus (which cuts your water heating cost)
I think the issue may be down to planning permission which places a cap on solar to 50% total roof space or 12 sqm. There was a woman in Limerick who was able to retain a larger array on appeal after she initially lost her case and told to take down the array.
@@myopenmind527 i recall that appeal. She had gone ahead and then appeal the councils request to take down the extra panels. Not many of us have the cash to go to court. This is why the seai only gives a grant to X Kw irrespective of house size, actual energy usage, roof space or potential storage (with the most efficient and cheapest on hand being the hot water cylinder). If she won then it was against the PP rules. Only after this embarrassing story did the gov finally announce it was to end the arbitrary restriction. Has this actually happened and changed each councils own pp rules?
@@stephendoherty8291 she won her appeal and was told she could retain the solar array. Seems only sensible in that renewable electricity is the future of renewable energy going forward and there is a bill to abolish the 12 sqm limit which has now gone through the senate but I don’t think it’s passed into law yet. Hard to imagine it will not pass but I think the grant will disappear in the near future.
@@myopenmind527 I can see thermal solar grants getting the axe in the near future as pv prices have come down in price so much as they can be used with storage to recharge EV cars and take some burden off the grid. Even though solar thermal might seen the best idea ie air heating is the most energy intensive vs your power bill, pv is more flexible in that it can be stored efficiently and find more uses in even our summers.