Solar Power – Almost Extinct

http://toryaardvark.com/2011/12/22/solar-power-almost-extinct/#comment-9916

it seems the government at last is realising that some of these feed in tariffs are making people rich but not contributing to the power generation for the country.

In A Flap wrote:http://toryaardvark.com/2011/12/22/solar-power-almost-extinct/#comment-9916

it seems the government at last is realising that some of these feed in tariffs are making people rich but not contributing to the power generation for the country.

yep....

I was looking at a 4.5kw array on my place, at a cost of £13k.
I expected a return within 8 years.

I'd suggest a Micro CHP instead....

Hugh Jardon wrote:


yep....

I was looking at a 4.5kw array on my place, at a cost of £13k.
I expected a return within 8 years.

I'd suggest a Micro CHP instead....

i have always said Micro Chp is the way ahead............also its easier to site as it is not affected from roof orientations.......

scottamylola wrote:

i have always said Micro Chp is the way ahead............also its easier to site as it is not affected from roof orientations.......

that will be my next but 1 boiler....

What's micro chp?

DurhamLad wrote:What's micro chp?

Check out this link http://www.baxi.co.uk/products/combinedheatandpower.htm

Basically it is a normal wall hung boiler (to a sense anyway) that generates electricity when your heating is on or your heating your cylinder.......its a winner in my eyes...........

Hugh Jardon wrote:

that will be my next but 1 boiler....

Mine aswell.........cheaper and more beneficial than solar pv..........but my biggest thing is atleast you don't have those eyesores on your roof ha

scottamylola wrote:

Check out this link http://www.baxi.co.uk/products/combinedheatandpower.htm

Basically it is a normal wall hung boiler (to a sense anyway) that generates electricity when your heating is on or your heating your cylinder.......its a winner in my eyes...........

the fuel cell's a possible winner...Sterling Engines are so bloody noisy.

Hugh Jardon wrote:

the fuel cell's a possible winner...Sterling Engines are so bloody noisy.

Yes the fuel cells are going to be the best when they become mainstream and affordable, those MCHP boilers aren't actually noisy i've saw one thats been installed by British Gas and its pretty impressive, it just humms when it runs bit like a fridge but quieter, i would say its no louder than a normal boiler when it kicks in to be honest...

scottamylola wrote:

Check out this link http://www.baxi.co.uk/products/combinedheatandpower.htm

Basically it is a normal wall hung boiler (to a sense anyway) that generates electricity when your heating is on or your heating your cylinder.......its a winner in my eyes...........

Cheers scotty, I will have a look at that.

ah yes another recipient of the feed in tariff.

if they are so great they should not need subsidising.

[quote="scottamylola"]

Yes the fuel cells are going to be the best when they become mainstream and affordable, those MCHP boilers aren't actually noisy i've saw one thats been installed by British Gas and its pretty impressive, it just humms when it runs bit like a fridge but quieter, i would say its no louder than a normal boiler when it kicks in to be honest...[/quot

Trust me S, those using a Stirling engine are a 'mare....weigh a ton too.

That said, there are other forms out there...I'm working with a Co at the minute on one that is very quiet.

[quote="Hugh Jardon"]

Yes i was told its a bit of a 2 man lift to put the mchp boiler on the wall ha.........however in all honestly it really isn't noisy even with the sterling engine...........i have been told a few years ago another company made a domestic mchp boiler with a sterling engine and it ended up being a bag of hammers and that is probably what has tainted the sterling engine.....

What is the other product you are working on??? (Just being nosy as these things are an interest to myself)

In A Flap wrote:ah yes another recipient of the feed in tariff.

if they are so great they should not need subsidising.

Nothing to do with the product in one sense............the tariff is there to encourage people to use these products as they are more expensive to buy than a conventional system, so for the government to reach its carbon reduction plans it has to nudge us mortals along....

However you will and have already started to see these FIT tariffs being reduced as the products start to be used more widely as that will bring the price of the products down......(which is what we have recently saw with solar pv)

My view is that we should actually bin all these tariffs............and every houehold in the country on mains gas should have an mchp boiler fitted free of charge from the households energy provider.....doing that would mean that the energy provider owns the boiler and owns all the electricity that is generated which in turn would make the need for sub stations etc etc a thing of the past and make it easier for the distribution of the electricity to where it is needed........ then all the householder would do is pay for your utilities as you do now.........BUT it should mean your bills are cheaper....... (sort of like the rent a roof schemes with solar pv)............apologies if that doesn't make sense it just awkward trying to explain in a post ha......

scottamylola wrote:

In A Flap wrote:ah yes another recipient of the feed in tariff.

if they are so great they should not need subsidising.

Nothing to do with the product in one sense............the tariff is there to encourage people to use these products as they are more expensive to buy than a conventional system, so for the government to reach its carbon reduction plans it has to nudge us mortals along....

However you will and have already started to see these FIT tariffs being reduced as the products start to be used more widely as that will bring the price of the products down......(which is what we have recently saw with solar pv)

My view is that we should actually bin all these tariffs............and every houehold in the country on mains gas should have an mchp boiler fitted free of charge from the households energy provider.....doing that would mean that the energy provider owns the boiler and owns all the electricity that is generated which in turn would make the need for sub stations etc etc a thing of the past and make it easier for the distribution of the electricity to where it is needed........ then all the householder would do is pay for your utilities as you do now.........BUT it should mean your bills are cheaper....... (sort of like the rent a roof schemes with solar pv)............apologies if that doesn't make sense it just awkward trying to explain in a post ha......

and how do these things generate electricity?
I think tariffs are being reduced in part because they are a rip off for the tax payer and the taxpayer has noticed.

In A Flap wrote:

and how do these things generate electricity?
I think tariffs are being reduced in part because they are a rip off for the tax payer and the taxpayer has noticed.

It produces electricity as a kind of by product when the normal system is running..... i posted a link in a post above it explains it better than i ever could ha......

In regards to the tariffs they were always designed to come down over time, my way of thinking means that the tariff would not be needed anyway........but hey they would not do that as it makes sense ha

scottamylola wrote:

In A Flap wrote:

and how do these things generate electricity?
I think tariffs are being reduced in part because they are a rip off for the tax payer and the taxpayer has noticed.

It produces electricity as a kind of by product when the normal system is running..... i posted a link in a post above it explains it better than i ever could ha......

In regards to the tariffs they were always designed to come down over time, my way of thinking means that the tariff would not be needed anyway........but hey they would not do that as it makes sense ha

I think the tariffs were originally supposed to attract joe public, but as often is the case, labour did not think them through and they were exploited by people out to make a quick buck.

In A Flap wrote:

I think the tariffs were originally supposed to attract joe public, but as often is the case, labour did not think them through and they were exploited by people out to make a quick buck.

That is of course bang on the button......... which is why things have now become difficult for the government on bringing these tariffs back to reality and obviously having them to be fit for purpose.

scottamylola wrote:

In A Flap wrote:

I think the tariffs were originally supposed to attract joe public, but as often is the case, labour did not think them through and they were exploited by people out to make a quick buck.

That is of course bang on the button......... which is why things have now become difficult for the government on bringing these tariffs back to reality and obviously having them to be fit for purpose.

if they just offered it to home owners for family use then it would be harder to exploit.

[quote="scottamylola"]

I've signed a NDA, so can't say much more.
However, look at what Honda a doing....

Boiler Cos are being pushed to ever increase the efficiency of their products.
The only way to 'push the envelope' is to be seen to generate a fuel...electricity.

[quote="Hugh Jardon"]

No problem i fully understand............well good luck i hope things work out well.............and good luck with BRE as if you can get them to publish the product on SAP's with a good reading in relation to code 3/4 you will be quids in.

However keep me updated as i might be able to do something with the product you are developing.

[quote="scottamylola"]

Ta v much..S

Would be interested to hear your views on hydraulic interface units (another of my 'babies')....I see big things with these over the next 30 years ('though the concept is hardly new).

[quote="Hugh Jardon"]

scottamylola wrote:

Ta v much..S

Would be interested to hear your views on hydraulic interface units (another of my 'babies')....I see big things with these over the next 30 years ('though the concept is hardly new).

get a room you two

[quote="In A Flap"]

there's room for one more on top.....

With you living in Turkey, Dean, you may well be familiar with Hyrdraulic Interface Units (HIUs)- it's massive business out there.

[quote="Hugh Jardon"]

In A Flap wrote:

there's room for one more on top.....

With you living in Turkey, Dean, you may well be familiar with Hyrdraulic Interface Units (HIUs)- it's massive business out there.

we have a solar water heater and that's about it. In the summer the water almost boils.
I could do with something to cut the cost of electric though as we have just had a bill for almost £100 this month.