Solar power

[Passepartout]

I have been looking around on here but I can't find very much information about what people think about installing solar panels to or other ground source heat exchangers. Can anyone point me in the right direction - I have a 3 bedroom semi build in the 1950's with a tiled pitch roof. The central heating is a bit antiquated and I'll be looking at replacing it over the next year once we get christmas and winterout of the way.

What is a ballpark figure to replace the entire system and incorporate solar roof panels into it. Ideally I would like to have hot water at mains pressure and not pumped like I have now from a cylinder in the airing cupboard in the bathroom.

 

[Biggles..]

Unless it's free you'll never recoup anything.

 

[Passepartout]

Thanks lcgs, but surely over a long period of time it will make a return. It just seems to me that in this day and age we should be trying to use a little less fossil fuel

 

[Whitespirit66]

Trouble is, it is a long period of time for a payback on solar, by which time your equipment will be needing replacement. It doesn't last for ever. You may need to spend £10K to £20K, to save a couple of hundred a year. The maths don't add up yet, and gas will need to get considerably more expensive before they do.

Also, circumstances change, if you move, you won't get any extra on the sale price for what you've spent. It may even put some people off.

The 'rent-a -roof' schemes might make more sense for the photo-voltaic/electric systems, so long as a roof is south facing. Feed in tariff payments plus some free electricity are on offer, but you are tied to a long term contract, which may be problematic if you want to sell.

 

[big-all]

the more the product costs the more sunlight we need to recuperate the costs

 

[Passepartout]

Regardless of the finances, are you saying that the manufacturing and installation of these products has a more damaging carbon footprint over their life expectancy than not bothering at all? This is my motivation - for purely environmental reasons and my kids and grandkids etc. A few thousand pound loss to me over a few years is of no concern if it means that ultimately I have created less "damage" to the future of the planet.

 

[joinerjohn]

Only if you believe the government over the Carbon Footprint/Global Warming Scam. They now offer incentives for electric cars, which have a range of about 100miles on a full charge, but use electricity produced by burning fossil fuels. They call them eco friendly yet when you look into it, they are just as damaging to the environment.
Global Warming is just the latest scam to put taxes up.

 

[Passepartout]

Not entirely true - if there is only a given amount of fossil fuel left to burn, then it I can do something that means that I end up burning less of it so that the "pile" lasts longer, then is it really such a bad idea?

I'm not particularly convinced by the global warming arguments, partly because of the way in which it is being hammered home regardless of any counter evidence. But it does make sense to slow down the rate at which we burn a finite supply of combustables if at all possible.

 

[markfxy]

For solar thermal you will get paid for every kilowatt of heat produced, with a heat pump you could get a payment of £1200 per year for 20 years under the rhi scheme you must use an MCS registered equipment and installer though.

 

[mickyg]

turn your heating down and buy a jumper. You can get a nice one in primark for about £15. That way you'll save just as much gas and a whole lot of money.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Regardless of the finances, are you saying that the manufacturing and installation of these products has a more damaging carbon footprint over their life expectancy than not bothering at all? This is my motivation - for purely environmental reasons and my kids and grandkids etc. A few thousand pound loss to me over a few years is of no concern if it means that ultimately I have created less "damage" to the future of the planet.

Yes, only if you have total faith and belief in what governments and the EU say. Even some climate change 'experts', who advise governments, were shown to be economical with the truth.

In short order, the UK population has gone from 50 to 60 and in a few years 70 million people, all consuming more materials resources and energy because of our wasteful western lifestyles.In the last 75 years, the world population has multiplied by 2.5 times. China is opening coal fired power stations every couple of weeks.

If you think that spending thousands on some shiny panels to go on your roof is going to make any impact, go ahead. Won't make any differece. Will make a solar company's rep very happy though, will probably treat himself to a bigger car on the commission!

 

[Passepartout]

So we're all doomed. I may as well drown the kids and jump off the Humber Bridge. Bye bye cruel world

 

[Whitespirit66]

So we're all doomed. I may as well drown the kids and jump off the Humber Bridge. Bye bye cruel world

If you're in that neck of the woods, take(Lord ) John Prescott into the icy waters with you please.

 

[Passepartout]

If you're in that neck of the woods, take(Lord ) John Prescott into the icy waters with you please.

With that final act I would be responsible for a huge rise in sea levels. What a terrible thing to bequeath mankind.

 

[Biggles..]

For solar thermal you will get paid for every kilowatt of heat produced, with a heat pump you could get a payment of £1200 per year for 20 years under the rhi scheme you must use an MCS registered equipment and installer though.

congratulations on the biggest BS statement this side of christmas.

RHI not yet in force due mid/late 2011 and looks pretty shakey at the mo.

MCS dont make me laugh.
if you think MCS will help you....these firms have to recoup the thousands and yes i mean thousands it cost to register so will be more uncompetative than non mcs installers fitting identical products.
If RHi is anything to go by,the MCS scheme had approx half a million to give in grants,guess how much was paid out



Less than 10%,government coffers spring to mind.