Electric Ireland Solar panels offer.

fixXxer

So I got an email from Electric Ireland saving they have an offer now where you can get solar panels put on your house.

See your savings rise with Electric Ireland Solar PV

The future of affordable home energy lies in Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels. Sitting on the roof of your home, these panels convert energy from daylight into electricity for use all around your home.

As the first energy provider to offer Solar PV in Ireland, we want you to enjoy all the benefits of this simple, money-saving technology.
To find out if your home is suitable for Solar PV, please complete our survey.

Choose from the two best Solar PV packages in the market

Option 1 - Buy Solar PV
€249 upfront cost
€80 monthly fee for 3 years*
Save over €200* a year on your electricity bills


Option 2 - 20 Year Lease
€249 upfront cost
A yearly fee of €180*
Save over €200* a year on your electricity bills

They don't offer much more information yet. Does this seem like a good deal?

We have gas and electricity both with them at the moment. Electricity would average €1200 a year and gas €500 roughly. Does this seem like a good deal? I have to admit the 20 year option doesn't seem very appealing.

Shefwedfan

fixxxer wrote: »

So I got an email from Electric Ireland saving they have an offer now where you can get solar panels put on your house.

See your savings rise with Electric Ireland Solar PV

The future of affordable home energy lies in Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels. Sitting on the roof of your home, these panels convert energy from daylight into electricity for use all around your home.

As the first energy provider to offer Solar PV in Ireland, we want you to enjoy all the benefits of this simple, money-saving technology.
To find out if your home is suitable for Solar PV, please complete our survey.

Choose from the two best Solar PV packages in the market

Option 1 - Buy Solar PV
€249 upfront cost
€80 monthly fee for 3 years*
Save over €200* a year on your electricity bills


Option 2 - 20 Year Lease
€249 upfront cost
A yearly fee of €180*
Save over €200* a year on your electricity bills

They don't offer much more information yet. Does this seem like a good deal?

We have gas and electricity both with them at the moment. Electricity would average €1200 a year and gas €500 roughly. Does this seem like a good deal? I have to admit the 20 year option doesn't seem very appealing.

Interesting idea to pay it off monthly. Would be also interested if this was any good?

Alkers

Seems to be over 15 years before it pays for itself in savings. Are the any specs on the panels?

NIMAN

Interesting.

so option 1 = €3129 and option 2 = €3849

Can you get this is not an EI customer? I am with BG.

wonder does that price include all installation?

fixXxer

Simona1986 wrote: »

Seems to be over 15 years before it pays for itself in savings. Are the any specs on the panels?

It only says a 6 panel array taking up 10 square meters, no make or model is mentioned.

[QUOTE=Interesting.
so option 1 = €3129 and option 2 = €3849
Can you get this is not an EI customer? I am with BG.
wonder does that price include all installation?[/QUOTE]

Not seen anything for BG, the notice came as part of my EI customer newsletter. No mention of installation fees. I assume (perhaps naively) that its included.

quentingargan

The hardware cost of a typical six panel system would be about €1750 plus VAT, so that leaves a good margin for the installation cost. Not a bargain as such.

Its the duplicity that I find strange here. Electric Ireland stopped supporting solar PV by cutting off the export tariff two years ago, and now they want part of the market?

EI, and other network providers, could do a lot more for renewables by simply offering to buy back surplus electricity from all households, irrespective of where they buy their panels, or who they get to install them. In other countries where this is done, the average system is a lot larger than six panels. Typical UK systems are 12 to 14 panels.

Shefwedfan

quentingargan wrote: »

The hardware cost of a typical six panel system would be about €1750 plus VAT, so that leaves a good margin for the installation cost. Not a bargain as such.

Its the duplicity that I find strange here. Electric Ireland stopped supporting solar PV by cutting off the export tariff two years ago, and now they want part of the market?

EI, and other network providers, could do a lot more for renewables by simply offering to buy back surplus electricity from all households, irrespective of where they buy their panels, or who they get to install them. In other countries where this is done, the average system is a lot larger than six panels. Typical UK systems are 12 to 14 panels.

It would make sense for Electric Ireland to push this. They get a cut of the installation and selling and also any excess electricity is pumped back into the system so it means you are generating electricity which then Electric Ireland can resell to someone else

It is a win win here for Electric Ireland

fixXxer

So it seems that rather being a good way to save money on my energy bills, I will mostly be helping EI generate electricity while covering the maintenance costs of the infrastructure on their behalf?

quentingargan

It would seem premature to me to be launching this until such time as there is a clearly defined payment structure for excess electricity being exported. In other countries, there are tariffs guaranteed for the 25 year life of the system.

But it is a bit cheeky of EI to launch this when they were the ones to withdraw the export tariff two years ago.

fixxxer

fixxxer wrote: »

Save over €200* a year on your electricity bills

* assuming 1.5kWp system facing due South, no shading, 8% installation losses and self consumption of all energy produced.


€2 per kWp Wp installed

fixXxer

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

* assuming 1.5kWp system facing due South, no shading, 8% installation losses and self consumption of all energy produced.


€2 per kWp installed

Can you explain the joke for the uninitiated (me) ?

I'd consider €1.20 per Wp expensive.
I've a little system worked out at €0.85 per Wp

quentingargan

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

I'd consider €1.20 per kWp expensive.
I've a little system worked out at €0.85 per kWh

A bit like the iron in spinach, I think the decimal point is in the wrong place. You mean €1.20 per Watt peak?

Shefwedfan

fixxxer wrote: »

So it seems that rather being a good way to save money on my energy bills, I will mostly be helping EI generate electricity while covering the maintenance costs of the infrastructure on their behalf?

I wouldn't say that, I am still looking at the options around Solar panels. Either just to heat the water or to generate electricity.

It does make sense for EI to push this for the reasons I outlined above but it still makes sense to look at these as a cost saving for yourself.

I have had a number of companies out and majority are pushing the solar water and not the PV because they are saying the PV will not pay off.

I am not 100% convinced by them either as they seem to be pushing what they sell and not what I want. Of course you have to expect this.

Tow

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I have had a number of companies out and majority are pushing the solar water and not the PV because they are saying the PV will not pay off.

A solar water system installer needs less qualifications (if any), but PV system requires a qualified electrician to connect it up to the house.

rolion

Do you want to see the amount of pipes connecting the solar tubes to cylinder AND the two cables connecting the panels/inverter to main fuse board !?
I'll say both have their level of complexity with the associated respect to the person doing the work.

EI is just the first on the market doing it,is quite expensive (from an experienced eye) but is a lasy, comfy, complete, fuss-less package.
I guess more will follow and prices will come down.

Either way,myself that i have all the renewables almost installed in/on the home...all the talk and maths related to renewable energy savings are a hidden tax for the snobby people.

Enjoy it .

celtic_oz

Shefwedfan wrote: »

It would make sense for Electric Ireland to push this. They get a cut of the installation and selling and also any excess electricity is pumped back into the system so it means you are generating electricity which then Electric Ireland can resell to someone else

It is a win win here for Electric Ireland

I'm not sure that this offer allows for export back to the grid.. small amount of panels just to heat water.


Is the €200 year saving what they estimate the annual cost to heat a full tank every day? Do you think this system would heat an average tank every day even in the winter ?

Shefwedfan

Any link for this anywhere? I cant find it on google....checked again

fixXxer

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Any link for this anywhere? I cant find it on google....checked again

It was sent to me by email as I'm an Electric Ireland customer. They don't have it listed on their site yet.

ted1

quentingargan wrote: »

The hardware cost of a typical six panel system would be about €1750 plus VAT, so that leaves a good margin for the installation cost. Not a bargain as such.

Its the duplicity that I find strange here. Electric Ireland stopped supporting solar PV by cutting off the export tariff two years ago, and now they want part of the market?

EI, and other network providers, could do a lot more for renewables by simply offering to buy back surplus electricity from all households, irrespective of where they buy their panels, or who they get to install them. In other countries where this is done, the average system is a lot larger than six panels. Typical UK systems are 12 to 14 panels.

You need to understand how the market works.

Electric Ireland are a reseller , they buy electricity in bulk from the SEMO, paying people a premium for MG isn't beneficial, let the SEMO pay people for MG.
Electric Ireland can energy efficient credits for energy conservation projects it helps its customers with.

http://www.seai.ie/eeos/

celtic_oz

contacted Electric Ireland, their response

"Thank you for your email.

At the moment this is a trial that we have with Electric Ireland and the customers that received the email.

As soon as it becomes available to the public we will advertise it for the rest of our customers to avail of this offer.

If there is anything else I can help you with please do not hesitate to contact us"

Shefwedfan

My response from the Electric Ireland forum :-)

i there,

Thanks for your patience while we checked this for you.

With regard to your query about the Solar Panel Trial for Electric Ireland customers, the relevant department have advised us that a customer has to have an established record of being billed by Electric Ireland, along with other criteria, to be eligible for the offer. So completion of a questionnaire is required initially, then each applicant is considered on a case by case basis.

Unfortunately the offer is not a switching incentive as there is a limit to the number of places, and no guarantee that a place would be available (should the criteria be met) on completion of a switch and an established record of being a customer.

If you have any other queries that we can assist you with here on Boards.ie, do let us know.

Kind regards,
Una

fixXxer

had a visit from this crowd last night: https://activ8energies.com/

They quoted €6500 to €9000 depending on what discounts were applied, but their system only runs the heating/hot water

Quite a strange survey. The guy spent more time trying to get us to agree to be a local advertisement home then going through the solar power system itself. Every person we get to join we get money back, potentially get the whole cost back from referrals, that kind of thing. Sounded like a pyramid scheme.

nice_guy80

PV can run washing machine, dishwasher, air to water heat pump etc for free during the day

As well as heating water

fixxxer

fixxxer wrote: »

had a visit from this crowd last night: https://activ8energies.com/

They quoted €6500 to €9000 depending on what discounts were applied, but their system only runs the heating/hot water

Quite a strange survey. The guy spent more time trying to get us to agree to be a local advertisement home then going through the solar power system itself. Every person we get to join we get money back, potentially get the whole cost back from referrals, that kind of thing. Sounded like a pyramid scheme.

Hmm, 9000 Euro's to heat water ? I can do that at a cost of 8 C/kwh night rate, 9000 would buy me a very long time heating water.

As said below, Solar PV can provide power to the whole house, anyone selling PV for heating water alone should be avoided.

You sure these were not hot water solar panels ?

quentingargan

See here on the plumbers forum on this company.

Other posts on Boards too if you search for the company. Not very complementary.

fixXxer

Deleted User wrote: »

Hmm, 9000 Euro's to heat water ? I can do that at a cost of 8 C/kwh night rate, 9000 would buy me a very long time heating water.

As said below, Solar PV can provide power to the whole house, anyone selling PV for heating water alone should be avoided.

You sure these were not hot water solar panels ?

This is the package they were offering to us https://activ8energies.com/solar-panels/thermal-energy/

I asked specifically about powering the house with electricity from the panels and he said no, it doesn't do that. To be fair, we spent about 6 minutes of a 30 minute sales pitch on the system the itself, the rest on discounts if you sign up now now NOW.

dathi

fixxxer wrote: »

This is the package they were offering to us https://activ8energies.com/solar-panels/thermal-energy/

I asked specifically about powering the house with electricity from the panels and he said no, it doesn't do that. To be fair, we spent about 6 minutes of a 30 minute sales pitch on the system the itself, the rest on discounts if you sign up now now NOW.

run a mile 9000 euro for that your Triton electric shower will give you 4 ten minute showers a day for 24.5 years:D

Solar PV is currently not viable at 8C/Kwh, even at peak 17 C/Kwh.

If there is a feed-in-tariff with a guaranteed income for 20 years then I'd say absolutely because then you can dump all the excess to the grid and buy it back when you need it. You won't have to worry about batteries or their expense. Even when batteries become cheap enough you will struggle to store the total yearly excess, in fact, you most likely would never store it all and then in the winter months , you'd never even half fill it.

quentingargan

Deleted User wrote: »

Solar PV is currently not viable at 8C/Kwh, even at peak 17 C/Kwh.

If there is a feed-in-tariff with a guaranteed income for 20 years then I'd say absolutely because then you can dump all the excess to the grid and buy it back when you need it. You won't have to worry about batteries or their expense. Even when batteries become cheap enough you will struggle to store the total yearly excess, in fact, you most likely would never store it all and then in the winter months , you'd never even half fill it.

This is an interesting point on batteries. All cost breakdowns assume you will cycle them 100% every single day. You won't - sometimes you might not use 7KwHrs at night, other times you won't get 7KwHrs in the day. I hadn't thought of that.

Tesla 6.4kwHr battery €3750 with interface if you're lucky.
3750 / 6.4KwHrs / 365 days / 10 yrs = 16c per Kw Hrs, but if you only get to use, lets optimistically say 70% of the battery capacity, thats 23c per Kw Hrs.

In a couple of years time when Elon Musk's new battery factory is churning batteries at 1/3rd of the price, it might stack.

Even when batteries are a lot cheaper you won't go off grid any time soon.

I'll give you a good example, perhaps more extreme but it's a system I have some data on.

My Partner's Parents in Germany have 14 KWp on their roof and can generate 75 Kwh at the height of summer per "day". That's a big ass battery, they might consume 5-6 Kwh at most for the house.

I drive the Nissan Leaf Ev and this including the house consume an "average" of 17.5 Kwh per day. I have work charging so half my charging isn't at home but the leaf alone can consume 24-28 Kwh per day for my commute of 135 Kms.

So if I had 75 Kwh of generation on a Sunny Summer day, and I consume maybe 34 Kwh if I was to do all my charging at home and power the house I'm still left with 41 Kwh , that's some battery.

So if I have 41 Kwh excess per day you can see the pointlessness of battery storage, yes you can scale it down but the point is that whatever you have you won't be able to store the energy in the Brighter months.

Where a battery comes into play is that you could have a small 3-4 Kwh battery to keep your house ticking over during the day, so do some cooking and washing etc.

What they do is export all this excess to the grid and buy it back for the storage heaters in Winter, they get a good FIT and got a good grant for installation.

In Germany they mainly have 3 phase supply and so can export a hell of a lot more energy, we can export a max of 5.5 Kwh if I remember correctly so you can straight away see the limitation here.

Anyway, whatever amount of Kwh you have you will have far too much Summer excess that will quickly fill a battery in Summer and will hardly fill it in Winter. So A FIT is the only solution that makes sense.

You hear of people dumping solar PV, "oh I have so much hot water" big deal, why would I pay for solar PV and then have to dump the energy ?