Snow and solar.

[lostinthelight]

Physics being physics, I presume that there must be at least some heat generated within the panels (sort of similar to what bernard has suggested) - does that not help to melt the snow?

For the panel to produce heat would not the panel need to be producing power which it doesn't because it shielded by the snow?
I am fortunate to have my panels on a single story shed where they can be brushed or hosed off

 

[JohnW2]

For the panel to produce heat would not the panel need to be producing power which it doesn't because it shielded by the snow?

Yes, and that could obviously be a problem if a lot of snow falls fairly quickly. However, as has been said, snow, particularly in thin layers, is by no means a 'total light blocker'..

 

[ericmark]

Now back to full output, not much I can do about snow, but wait for it to melt.

 

[Murdochcat]

How does it affect the National grid?

I stated suspect the numbers are so small in the winter it’s not important at a national level

 

[JohnW2]

I stated suspect the numbers are so small in the winter it’s not important at a national level

Quite. I made that point at the start of this discussion. I would imagine that there are probably some UK Winter days when solar generation in the absence of snow is almost as low as it would be with snow.

 

[lostinthelight]

Last year my total output for November was 43Kwh, this November is on track to be less with many of the dull days only producing a few hundred Wh and 3.2Kwh on the brightest.

 

[ericmark]

Last year my total output for November was 43Kwh, this November is on track to be less with many of the dull days only producing a few hundred Wh and 3.2Kwh on the brightest.

Up to now this month in spite of snow 99.2 kWh (25.5 exported) last year November 190.1 kWh (19.1 exported) since this year also charging batteries off-peak and batteries double the size, I assume that is why higher export.

 

[lostinthelight]

Up to now this month in spite of snow 99.2 kWh (25.5 exported) last year November 190.1 kWh (19.1 exported) since this year also charging batteries off-peak and batteries double the size, I assume that is why higher export.

What size system have you got

 

[Murdochcat]

Bottom line is that nobody really knows how much PV there is in the UK

GB Fuel type power generation production

GridWatch | Live statistic of UK National Electricity grid by type of generation | Solar PV power Generation | Coal Stations output in Gigawatts | Wind Output Gigawatts | Nuclear energy output |Biomass power generation Output

gridwatch.co.uk

This month to date on our 4kw system it’s produced 53 kWh and November ‘23 it was 124 kwh

This year we’re consistently down on last year, which was down on the previous year

 

[ericmark]

14 panels and 5 kW inverter. It has got close to 5 kW but not that often. All on one roof, south/west facing.

 

[SUNRAY]

Bottom line is that nobody really knows how much PV there is in the UK

GB Fuel type power generation production

GridWatch | Live statistic of UK National Electricity grid by type of generation | Solar PV power Generation | Coal Stations output in Gigawatts | Wind Output Gigawatts | Nuclear energy output |Biomass power generation Output

gridwatch.co.uk

This month to date on our 4kw system it’s produced 53 kWh and November ‘23 it was 124 kwh

This year we’re consistently down on last year, which was down on the previous year

Noticed the pattern yet?
How long is the guarantee?

 

[lostinthelight]

Bottom line is that nobody really knows how much PV there is in the UK

GB Fuel type power generation production

GridWatch | Live statistic of UK National Electricity grid by type of generation | Solar PV power Generation | Coal Stations output in Gigawatts | Wind Output Gigawatts | Nuclear energy output |Biomass power generation Output

gridwatch.co.uk

This month to date on our 4kw system it’s produced 53 kWh and November ‘23 it was 124 kwh

This year we’re consistently down on last year, which was down on the previous year

Reduced output here too, I have 10 x 300 watt S West facing panels with 4KW inverter . Last year they produced 3000 Kwh, higher than the previous years, but this year won't reach 2700Kwh.

 

[ericmark]

Batteries 12 years, rest I think longer, but at 73 that makes me 85 if still alive, and may be in old people's home by then?

The idea was we would not worry about power used, that has not worked, we have become solar panel slaves.

I pay out for a three-year train pass, I have a free bus pass, but only works in Wales, I have also paid out for a heritage railway association privilege card, non-used to their full, we buy into money saving systems, and often they don't actually save us money, however travelling to Welshpool pulled by a steam engine is more pleasurable than driving in a car, and last time I did it, it was to go to a beer festival in the train station, so not really an option to go by car.

However, no going back, I have solar panels, and batteries, and have become a slave to them. I feel like the Dick Emery sketch, "got it wrong again, dad" but at least less for my wife to spend on temu?

 

[SUNRAY]

The point about my comment being the sensible lifespan of solar panels as I perceive it is shorter than the guarantee period.
To put this in perspective I couldn't see any cost saving when I had a quote for PV about 2011 for £12K, speaking with others with PV I found the promises didn't live up to expectations and those early panels were predicted to only a 10 year service. At the time we were paying under £20 and now over £40 per month so averaging £30 is about £5K
I currently have about a dozen people casually passing me data about their savings and everyone of them is showing a significant reduction of output on a year by year basis of something in the order of 5 to 15%, (one of them used to pay to have the panels cleaned annually but that didn't seem to make any difference to the decline) and here I see

Reduced output here too, I have 10 x 300 watt S West facing panels with 4KW inverter . Last year they produced 3000 Kwh, higher than the previous years, but this year won't reach 2700Kwh.

Oe 10%
Yes I'm aware the sun level has a lot to do with it but I believe 23 and 24 haven't been very different , bearing in mind the very sunny February and March 24.
One friend in particular has kept accurate records since first PV installation, including the cost of that and the 2 replacement systems in his FIT electricity bills for his 3 bed terraced house is way higher than my energy cost.

As I see it one needs to have a large array to make economic sense, I may be barking totally up the wrong lamp post and I sincerely hope I'm wrong and others are finding a significantly different result to my perceptions.

 

[JohnW2]

The point about my comment being the sensible lifespan of solar panels as I perceive it is shorter than the guarantee period.

If the panels actually 'fail' before the end of the guarantee period then, provided that the guarantee still 'works' (e.g. the provider of the guarantee still exists!), that's presumably not a problem, is it, since they would presumably replace the failed panels 'under warranty'? However, there could, and probably would, be some argument about what constituted 'failure' - particularly if one was just talking about reduced output!

The nastier situation is presumably if the panels fail soon after the end of the guarantee period?

As I see it one needs to have a large array to make economic sense, I may be barking totally up the wrong lamp post and I sincerely hope I'm wrong and others are finding a significantly different result to my perceptions.

As I always say, I think that far too many people do not give enough thought to the financial side of all this. As I've said to him, I think that the wisdom of people as old as eric and myself making a large 'capital investment' which will mean that, at best, we will be financially 'worse off' for the next X years is pretty questionable.

Of course, as someone may well point out, there are reasons other than financial for having PV - and I would not knock people who felt that being "financially worse off for the next X years" was an acceptable price to pay for 'saving the planet'. However, I suspect that not too many people think like that!