Domestic Solar PV Quotes 2024 - No PM requests - See Mod note post #1

alfa_aficionado

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121863876#Comment_121863876

similar here...21x 435W panels, 10kWh battery for €15250 pre grant. (got the higher output Solis inverter too just before the export limit was reduced, although not sure if that would have a big bearing on quoted prices)

gym_imposter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121865959#Comment_121865959

Reading site on phone so can't see post numbers

ZMOONY

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121866421#Comment_121866421

Screenshot_20240308-195211.png

desktop site button in settings

gym_imposter

Be a lot easier to just quote the post?

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864395#Comment_121864395

Is this the one you want quoted?

Edit

There you go now, I deleted your post I quoted to tag you. Should make it easier for you.

gym_imposter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121867452#Comment_121867452

Eh no , that's my post

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121867507#Comment_121867507

I quoted 2 posts, one to tag you and one to tag the post mentioned.

gym_imposter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121867513#Comment_121867513

Oops,my mistake

I do think Huawei tends to be more expensive however

SodiumCooled

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121865346#Comment_121865346

Thanks, it’s new build so can’t get the grant anyway. Seems no issue getting the VAT off though as he always said I will be paying the ex-vat price.

I thought the max number of panels allowed was 18 (been told this by a number of people incl the company who quoted me) but see some here talking about 20 panels and more?

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868305#Comment_121868305

Depends on the panels and inverter. The hybrid inverter will have two inputs or strings, sometimes referred to as MPPT. Each of these inputs has an absolute maximum voltage which can be presented to the input. The panels have a specified maximum voltage they will present under low or no load conditions. So the open circuit voltage of a panel multiplied by the no. of panels in each string must be safely below the string or MPPT max. The inverter may not start up if input voltage is too high, and there us a higher risk of flash over and damage to the electronic components at the coal face.

Once it does start, panel voltage will drop under load, and this voltage should ideally be at or close to the inverters optimal operating voltage for maximum power transfer and efficiency. Typical panel o/c voltages might be 50+V, and optimal string operating load voltages 400+V. Careful choice will allow the designer to max out the no. of panels, but unless the system is hybrid with a battery or an off grid sub circuit, the maximum energy potential of 18 or 20 panels can never be consumed. There is a 5kwh limit to the grid, while 20 by 430w panels could produce 8.6Kwh fully illuminated.

The advantage of more panels lies in longer low light production period, morning, evening, winter or cloud cover. 20 panels only producing 100w each is still a significant input to your home consumption. When you look at the data sheets for panels and inverters, you might well find a panel which can deliver at a lower voltage, thus allowing more panel, but its maximum power current might be greater than the inverter can consume or draw down, so the inverter might never actually pull the panels full potential output, even if it has enough battery and grid demand to consume it. Getting the panel number/inverter input right is often just rule of thumb, and what worked before for salesmen and installers. Maybe an engineer looks at each quote and design, but I doubt it.

I wouldn't get obsessed with this absolute max output, it doesn't occur that often over the year anyway, though some users rejoice in posting short lived graphs of brief near peak output. To me that's like celebrating getting 8.9kg of dirty underwear in your 9kg washing machine, and posting a picture of the same. 8.9 KiloJocks today!

kjt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121863930#Comment_121863930

Sorry for the slow reply.

Alpha 5kWp Inverter kitted to 10.1kWh Alpha battery

eioneill

A quite transparent quote I received. Ball park figures look decent. Can I get your thoughts folks in the know..

Panels Tier 1 (25 year warranty)

10 x TopCo 410w Panels

Inverter

Roof mounting system, DC cabling & isolators, 

supply, installation and Commissioning

Total Cost (Payable) €6,100

Grant available €2,100

Total net cost €4,000

Add €800 For Hybrid Inverter (battery ready)

Add €2,000 for 5Kw battery - k star blue pack

Add €600 for EDDI immersion Diverter

Add €250 for each additional Panel

Add €70 per Optomiser required

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880505#Comment_121880505

I'm not familiar with the equipment apart from the Eddi but the prices seem reasonable enough.

eioneill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880541#Comment_121880541

Thanks Con appreciate your input. I’ll do some research on the equipment. The solar company have done some big reputable jobs around the country so seem legit.

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880505#Comment_121880505

Seems good considering all the inflated Quotes posted here, but there's a world glut of panels, I've seen Topcon on the B2B Alibaba site for 10 to 12 cent per watt, that'd be €41 to €49 per panel ex their European warehouse. They're a low cost brand, installers paying may 60 to 70 from an importer? Non hybrid 3.8 kw inverters from €300, so installers outlay on materials could well be less than €1500. Plenty of margin for the labour in those prices, but it's a good omen for more realistic quotes.

eioneill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881138#Comment_121881138

Thanks for your input too deezell. The panels seem to be different than the topcon ones from alibaba. The specific model from the quote is Topco Solar S series modules, could still be low cost brand. Would you know anything about the kstar blue pack 5.1 battery? Thanks

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881286#Comment_121881286

It seems to be a reputable make with 4.6kwh usable and dept pf discharge up to 90% and a 10,000 life cycle warranty.

https://www.kstar.com/cn/upload/cms/www/20220302182752416.pdf

ZMOONY

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881317#Comment_121881317

and a price to match. very expensive

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881331#Comment_121881331

Not going by the quote above. #313

deezell

Looking at the data sheet/brochure there's also the spec for two matching hybrid inverters, which appear to be stackable with the battery, and tidy looking. I wonder if either if these is the model of the optional hybrid in your quote. The spec gives output for grid or backup, so perhaps the inverter has a buiit in off grid output and change over relay, very useful with a battery to keep essentials running during a power cut. The battery is well priced when you search for random prices for that model online. I'm not seeing it for 2 grand anywhere.

Its your decision on whither the extra €2800 is justified and might pay for itself. It depends entirely on your use pattern, FIT rate, and the difference between night rate stored and the day rate saved when discharged the next day, and how much you shift daily.

eioneill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881317#Comment_121881317

Thanks again, that was the exact spec sheet that was sent within the proposal document so with my limited knowledge did seem decent.

eioneill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881550#Comment_121881550

Thanks it appears to be one of them as the spec sheet was included in the proposal along with spec sheet for panels.

Still mulling over the extra €2800, the thought of the lower solar generation in the winter and loading the battery on our cheaper night tariff is enticing. From Reading the plethora of posts on boards alone filling the battery and feeding excess back to the grid is possible in Summer months providing I’ve got a big enough system installed on the roof.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881640#Comment_121881640

Keep in mind that this is coming in down the road. https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058336271/dynamic-electricity-price-tariffs-consultation-paper/p1

deezell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881679#Comment_121881679

The phrase, 'the thin edge of the wedge' comes to mind. From the masses point of view, it's Ryanair pricing for electricity. Tariffs for ticket touts. Full of traps. They won't understand it, or want it, or be rubbing their hands saying 'bring it on'. This will become political when enough people are about to be screwed royally. What's next, peak pricing for your bus ticket? When you use a toll road? a takeaway, a pint? Actually, we already have that when you go to a gig or a match. €15 for a pint and a sausage roll, but at least thats optional. What kind of a country do we want, one where a pensioner sits waiting till 8.00 pm to boil the kettle, out of price fear?

They spent €1000s per home on (unused) smart water meters to conserve water, instead of fixing the leaks. Maybe they should just invest in grid storage at a local level, stick a 5kwh grid battery box in every home that wants one, at cost or less, instead of all those feared and unused smart meters. Like the Irish water debacle, a rainwater barrel would have worked better

idc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881961#Comment_121881961

We already have peak bus and toll prices in Dublin! Some of the private bus companies have peak and off peak prices. Likewise the port tunnel has peak and off peak prices!

Dazed2020

I've got six quotes for a ground mounted system, four of which in similar price range: 18 panels, inverter, 5.3kwh battery, Eddi & install for c.€14,500 after grant. That's more than what some here have posted/David Hunt shows is a good deal but my understanding is that ground mount costs add on a bit.

Aside from the above, a provider from the other end of the country, was about €2k cheaper but uses a different framing system so we'd pay a bit extra for groundworks (others use either screwpile or tree systems so groundworks not needed). If this cheapest quote were more local I'd feel a bit more comfortable but what are people's experiences of problems & rectifications with smaller providers that are aren't remotely close by?

Oh and the 6th quote was from everyone's favourite national provider at €23k after grant!!!

Aside from the stupidly high priced option, which is obviously a non-runner, the differences in quotes partially reflect what appear to be differences in hardware. So is it worth paying up for some hardware over others? Panels seem to be either Jinko/Longi/Qcells; Inverters include Solis or Hypontech; batteries from Weco or Dyness.

One place also gave us a quote to go from Solis inverter+5.3kwh WeCo battery to a Qhome inverter + 6.86kwh Qhome battery for an additional €1,700.

I'm struggling to find explanations/unbiased reviews explaining why it may be worth paying one of these vs the other.

loyatemu

15 panels (430w), roof mounted

Inverter

5kWh battery

BER

€7K

seems decent?

Wheeker

How does this quote look? According to the David Hunt calculator it's high, but then it is a small system:

Roof Mounted 9 Panels - Leapton 400 Watt

1 No. Solis Hybrid Inverter

All labour works/SEAI grant paperwork/BER Assessment/NC6 form/App to monitor daily what your system is producing

€ 7,450.00 @ 0% VAT

€ 2,100.00 SEAI Gran

€ 5,350.00 Final Cost to Customer

Payback Period = 5,350.00 / 1,401 = 3.8 year payback

Adding a 5Kw battery would be 4,000.00 extra

Seventy Plus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883017#Comment_121883017

If it is before the Grant. Decent

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884141#Comment_121884141

It's after the grant, but I still think it's a good price based on what I've seen here and on the FB group (and other quotes I've had).