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Domestic solar PV quotes 2018

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Comments

  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 39,783 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    bunderoon wrote: »
    Most on this thread seem to have ~300w mono 60cell Qpanels. I'm wondering what brand and where they got them from.

    Q Cell is the brand.

    I’ve 10 Q Cells 300w panels installed 2 years and still peaking at 3.4kw.


  • Registered Users Posts: 687 ✭✭✭bunderoon


    kceire wrote: »
    Q Cell is the brand.

    I’ve 10 Q Cells 300w panels installed 2 years and still peaking at 3.4kw.

    Thanks kceire.
    Would you mind telling me where you got them? Perhaps via PM if it's not permitted here.


  • Registered Users Posts: 151 ✭✭Stefs_42


    Water John wrote: »


    ye think its going to be implemented? if so, might be good reason adding more pannels on roof space permitting :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,709 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    The more panels, the better. Even if you don't benefit from it personally, society as a whole will. It costs so little and the benefits last so long, you might as well go for it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,107 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    on The Facebook today (price is pre-grant apparently):

    BXNh72W.png


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 39,783 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    bunderoon wrote: »
    Thanks kceire.
    Would you mind telling me where you got them? Perhaps via PM if it's not permitted here.

    Supplied and fitted by Next Gen Power.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 266 ✭✭SemperFidelis


    Yeah I'm thinking that I have a good enough roof for it, and need to get it completely re-tiled, so it'll be done around then.

    Need to get a view of the costs so I can even begin to shop around though.

    I'm in the same boat as you, need to re-tile roof before getting the solar panels.
    Have you looked at in roof mounting system, I'm thinking that while this may be more expensive it will save on tiling costs (big chunk of roof that wont need tiles) and may not end up costing much more in the end.

    Did you get a price for tiling yet?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,709 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    Looked at 22:15 last night (sunset was officially at 21:50). It was almost dark. Still producing 25W :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭gally74


    Will do about 16 kw today. 27 yesterday....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    Maybe it'd be more useful if people reported the multiplier of their installation, and their location?

    In my case today I got 3.8 times my installation, in Leixlip.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,555 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    n97 mini wrote: »
    Maybe it'd be more useful if people reported the multiplier of their installation, and their location?

    In my case today I got 3.8 times my installation, in Leixlip.


    5 times my installation, here in cork


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,555 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    5.2 actually:-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭phester28


    got my first quote today (for refference)

    With an 4 east 3 west setup the cost is:
    2.1 kW system
    €4,240
    incl. Vat
    €2,840
    after grant**

    Their gear looks like they purchase from the wholesaler supplying solis brand inverters. At first glance it feels approx 1K more than I thought it would be before the grant.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    I suppose they are just 'sharing' the grant with you.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,868 ✭✭✭Alkers


    phester28 wrote: »
    got my first quote today (for refference)

    With an 4 east 3 west setup the cost is:
    2.1 kW system
    €4,240
    incl. Vat
    €2,840
    after grant**

    Their gear looks like they purchase from the wholesaler supplying solis brand inverters. At first glance it feels approx 1K more than I thought it would be before the grant.

    Where are you based? That's competitive compared to quotes I've been getting


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I'm in the same boat as you, need to re-tile roof before getting the solar panels.
    Have you looked at in roof mounting system, I'm thinking that while this may be more expensive it will save on tiling costs (big chunk of roof that wont need tiles) and may not end up costing much more in the end.

    Did you get a price for tiling yet?

    Mine should be covered under guarantee (fingers crossed)


  • Registered Users Posts: 466 ✭✭phester28


    I'm Cork based. waiting on another 2 quotes. But now I think that a DIY is more likely than not. I wonder if I can fill out an NC6 form or does it have to be a RECI


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭Conar


    I got a quote today (no grant as the house is already A rated and not old enough) for 14 panel system:
    4.2kw with a 4.5kw battery for 15000 inc vat.

    They guestimate 10 year payback but nothing written down.
    They said you'd get on average 10kwhr per day (year round).

    I currently pay ~€0.16 per kwhr so it would save me €1.60 per day.
    Thats a saving of (1.6*365) €584 per year.
    It would take 25.7 years (15000/584) excluding any loan interest etc to repay.

    Battery has a 10 year life approx so theres more expense plus ongoing maintenance but I'm not even factoring those things in.

    According to SEI:
    https://www.seai.ie/sustainable-solutions/renewable-energy/solar-energy/electricity-from-solar/
    A big share of your annual electricity needs
    Conventional solar PV panels will help meet some of the electricity demands of a building.

    1 sq. m of silicon solar panels will generate ~150W of power on a clear sunny day. That’s enough to power a laptop computer.
    A home solar PV system sized at 20 sq. m (~3kW) and well located would generate around 2,600kWh of electricity a year. That is over 40% of the average annual electricity demand of an Irish home.
    Solar PV systems will still function on overcast days in Ireland although not at their maximum rated capacity.

    So a 4.2kw should generate (2600/3)*4.2 = 3640kwhr which matches the 10kwhr per day they are quoting.

    By that reckoning in order for a system to be able to be repaid in 10 years, and not taking into account any additional finance or maintenance costs, before needing to reinvest in a new battery you'd need to be getting a quote of:

    3640 (yearly production) * €0.16 (current unit cost) * 10 (years to pay back investment) = €5824 inc VAT

    Is there anywhere reputable thats offering anything close to these figures or am I missing something glaringly obvious?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,868 ✭✭✭Alkers


    Conar wrote: »
    I got a quote today (no grant as the house is already A rated and not old enough) for 14 panel system:
    4.2kw with a 4.5kw battery for 15000 inc vat.

    They guestimate 10 year payback but nothing written down.
    They said you'd get on average 10kwhr per day (year round).

    I currently pay ~€0.16 per kwhr so it would save me €1.60 per day.
    Thats a saving of (1.6*365) €584 per year.
    It would take 25.7 years (15000/584) excluding any loan interest etc to repay.

    Battery has a 10 year life approx so theres more expense plus ongoing maintenance but I'm not even factoring those things in.

    According to SEI:
    https://www.seai.ie/sustainable-solutions/renewable-energy/solar-energy/electricity-from-solar/

    So a 4.2kw should generate (2600/3)*4.2 = 3640kwhr which matches the 10kwhr per day they are quoting.

    By that reckoning in order for a system to be able to be repaid in 10 years, and not taking into account any additional finance or maintenance costs, before needing to reinvest in a new battery you'd need to be getting a quote of:

    3640 (yearly production) * €0.16 (current unit cost) * 10 (years to pay back investment) = €5824 inc VAT

    Is there anywhere reputable thats offering anything close to these figures or am I missing something glaringly obvious?

    How much do you spend on electricity per year at the moment?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,709 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    You're not missing much. They told you porky pies. Any system installed by an SEAI installer with a lithium battery, but without the grant will have a payback period of 30 years at the very least, which is way beyond the lifespan of most of the parts (except maybe the panels)

    To get a 10 year payback, you need to buy the parts at competitive prices and do a DIY install

    The quote you got was a "rip off Ireland" special, BTW...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭Conar


    Simona1986 wrote: »
    How much do you spend on electricity per year at the moment?

    About €1600 per year.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,709 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    To be more specific: to get a 10 year payback, you need to buy the parts at competitive prices and do a DIY install and not install any battery

    Your house has great potential for solar PV though with a 14 panel 4.2kwp system, and such high electricity consumption as you have. There is likely to be a FIT at some point in future, which is an alternative of using a battery (which costs nothing to install)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭Conar


    unkel wrote: »
    To be more specific: to get a 10 year payback, you need to buy the parts at competitive prices and do a DIY install and not install any battery

    Your house has great potential for solar PV though with a 14 panel 4.2kwp system, and such high electricity consumption as you have. There is likely to be a FIT at some point in future, which is an alternative of using a battery (which costs nothing to install)

    I was thinking the same. Battery is probably pointless as we work shift so there's probably higher than usual daytime usage in the house too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    Conar wrote: »
    About €1600 per year.

    Ours is between 700 and 800 a year. What are you using electricity for? It might be more cost effective to run anything which requires heat (water, cooking, central heating) on another fuel source.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭Conar


    n97 mini wrote: »
    Ours is between 700 and 800 a year. What are you using electricity for? It might be more cost effective to run anything which requires heat (water, cooking, central heating) on another fuel source.

    Ah we have an air to water heat pump so that includes heating bills.
    3 adults 1 teen so lots of showers.
    Server running 24/7.
    Hot water all day long.

    I could definitely knock 30% off with more frugal use but I'd rather the comforts at this stage of life.

    If I could cost effectively generate solar electricity I would but it looks like we're not there.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,709 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    n97 mini wrote: »
    Ours is between 700 and 800 a year. What are you using electricity for? It might be more cost effective to run anything which requires heat (water, cooking, central heating) on another fuel source.

    Average household in Ireland uses 3.5MWh per year. Which on the best deals available is somewhere between €700 and €800 per year. If you spent €1600 and are on the best possible package, that means you are using well over twice the national average. I presume very large house / electric showers / heat pump / electric vehicle or some of the above?

    Edit - beaten to it. Heatpump is the bad guy :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    Conar wrote: »
    Ah we have an air to water heat pump so that includes heating bills.
    3 adults 1 teen so lots of showers.
    Server running 24/7.
    Hot water all day long.

    I could definitely knock 30% off with more frugal use but I'd rather the comforts at this stage of life.

    If I could cost effectively generate solar electricity I would but it looks like we're not there.

    Have you got night rate electricity? I'd start there, and put as much of your load on it as possible.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    More and more energy using functions will become electric. Energy Watch estimate that by 2050, 70% of the worlds energy will come from solar.
    So usage will go upwards over time.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭Conar


    n97 mini wrote: »
    Have you got night rate electricity? I'd start there, and put as much of your load on it as possible.

    No, but I use so much during the day with 2 on shift that I don't think it would make sense.
    We also have the heating on 24/7 rather than timed.
    I'd much rather a steady temperature than warm at night and cooling down all day.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    I spend about €1400 a year.

    25k km EV driving, 24/7 tropical fish tank, 2000sq ft bungalow.

    Wife loves the tumble dryer.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,226 ✭✭✭Valhallapt


    Here is the quote I went with:

    Company x to supply, install, certify & claim the SEAI grant on the following Solar PV system:
    18 panel system using 300W All Black Mono panels delivering 5.4kWp fixed onto Tiled roof
    6.3kWh Battery Storage
    €8,400 inc Vat. Total system price.

    Company X will claim grant on your behalf.


    I had the scaffolding up on site as the panels are going on a new extension


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,136 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    Conar wrote: »
    No, but I use so much during the day with 2 on shift that I don't think it would make sense.
    We also have the heating on 24/7 rather than timed.
    I'd much rather a steady temperature than warm at night and cooling down all day.

    imo, you have got that wrong.

    You should definitely be using night rate electricity if you have a heat pump.

    The heat pump will still run 24/7 as you have it today but it will cost half as much for the times it is running at night. You also have the background load and your server which will be half price at night.

    Its free to switch to night rate. Your standing charge will go up by about €45/yr and your day rate will go up about 1c/kWh but everything at night will be half price.... you will almost certainly save money.

    If you ever decide to get an electric car or shift washers/dryers to night rate you will save even more but the HP alone is enough for you to move to night rate.

    If you are not convinced get one of those energy monitors and see how many units you are consuming at night. If its more than 3 per night you should be using night rate.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭Conar


    KCross wrote: »
    imo, you have got that wrong.

    You should definitely be using night rate electricity if you have a heat pump.

    The heat pump will still run 24/7 as you have it today but it will cost half as much for the times it is running at night. You also have the background load and your server which will be half price at night.

    Its free to switch to night rate. Your standing charge will go up by about €45/yr and your day rate will go up about 1c/kWh but everything at night will be half price.... you will almost certainly save money.

    If you ever decide to get an electric car or shift washers/dryers to night rate you will save even more but the HP alone is enough for you to move to night rate.

    If you are not convinced get one of those energy monitors and see how many units you are consuming at night. If its more than 3 per night you should be using night rate.

    Thanks, I appreciate the nudge.
    Maybe I have that all wrong so.
    I'll work out my usage figures and do the sums.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭Evd-Burner


    Conar wrote: »
    Thanks, I appreciate the nudge.
    Maybe I have that all wrong so.
    I'll work out my usage figures and do the sums.

    Also depending how big your heat store is you can set the HP to heat the store during night rate electricity. Then during the day you take the heat from the heat store and the HP only comes on if the heat store drops below a certain temperature. You could potentially make good saving here too!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭Nedved85


    KCross wrote: »
    imo, you have got that wrong.

    You should definitely be using night rate electricity if you have a heat pump.

    The heat pump will still run 24/7 as you have it today but it will cost half as much for the times it is running at night. You also have the background load and your server which will be half price at night.

    Its free to switch to night rate. Your standing charge will go up by about €45/yr and your day rate will go up about 1c/kWh but everything at night will be half price.... you will almost certainly save money.

    If you ever decide to get an electric car or shift washers/dryers to night rate you will save even more but the HP alone is enough for you to move to night rate.

    If you are not convinced get one of those energy monitors and see how many units you are consuming at night. If its more than 3 per night you should be using night rate.
    I have a heatpump which has been idle for the past two months as the house is hovering at 20 degrees on its own. It does turn on after showers to refill the hot water. For the winter months it's on for about 4 hours per day to heat the house from about 17/18 up to 20.
    I charge mostly at work so I'd say I'm better off staying on the 24hour rate?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,136 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    Nedved85 wrote: »
    I have a heatpump which has been idle for the past two months as the house is hovering at 20 degrees on its own. It does turn on after showers to refill the hot water. For the winter months it's on for about 4 hours per day to heat the house from about 17/18 up to 20.
    I charge mostly at work so I'd say I'm better off staying on the 24hour rate?

    Same advice.... get an energy monitor and if you are using more than 3 units, on average, per day during the night rate hours then you should be on a night rate plan.

    My bet is that you would save also, as 4hrs per day during the winter months is alot of energy and spread that out over the year along with the 365 days usage to heat water and you are almost certainly more than 3 units per day... probably multiples of it to be honest but as I said, dont trust me.... get an energy monitor and prove it for yourself.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    DrPhilG wrote: »
    I spend about €1400 a year.

    25k km EV driving, 24/7 tropical fish tank, 2000sq ft bungalow.

    Wife loves the tumble dryer.


    With the wind up around your end of the country???

    Great drying weather :P


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭Nedved85


    KCross wrote: »
    Same advice.... get an energy monitor and if you are using more than 3 units, on average, per day during the night rate hours then you should be on a night rate plan.

    My bet is that you would save also, as 4hrs per day during the winter months is alot of energy and spread that out over the year along with the 365 days usage to heat water and you are almost certainly more than 3 units per day... probably multiples of it to be honest but as I said, dont trust me.... get an energy monitor and prove it for yourself.

    Watching the zappi charger, the house is ticking over at 0.1 kw so I guess I should stick with the 24 hour plan for now. That said, we could change our habits and put the washing machine and dishwasher on at night. I also do roughly one weekly car charge at night, say 20kWh.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,136 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    Nedved85 wrote: »
    I also do roughly one weekly car charge at night, say 20kWh.

    That alone is your 3 units per day for the week. Add in your heat pump during the winter and you should be on night rate.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭Nedved85


    KCross wrote: »
    That alone is your 3 units per day for the week. Add in your heat pump during the winter and you should be on night rate.

    The 20kWh is an estimate.. I'll get the spreadsheet out to track my usage over the next month or two (once I have the Zappi hub app setup) and see where I'm at. Cheers for the info. Out of interest, what's the logic behind the 3 units per night?

    Even during winter, the heatpump is not on after say 11pm. The house is sitting at 20 degrees and I drop the baseline temperature for the house to 18 overnight and during the early day, so the temperature tapers back down, whilst the heatpump is off.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    IWT maybe bring on the HP at 5/6 am and build up the living areas back up to 20C. That would justify your night rate also.


  • Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭Coltrane


    Conar, I would spend whatever you can manage on the rooftop-PV and postpone the battery.


    I strongly disagree with many of the payback/ROI-calculations for renewables that I see (on here and elsewhere).


    Firstly the calcs all disregard tomorrow's financial costs to each and every one of us of the environmental damage we are doing today. If the science is right, we will very soon have to build floodgates, dikes, additional border controls etc to try to mitigate warming. If we're lucky, we would in this way get to preserve something like today's society, at a cost. We all need to factor these costs now, unless we don't believe the science. No-one tells us how high the costs will be, but we need to plug in some kind of estimate to our ROI-calcs, or we're running incorrect numbers. Mitigation will not be free!



    Secondly many of the calcs disregard obsolescence and maintenance costs. They run something like this: if I spend 100 euro today on PV, and save 2.5 euro a year in energy costs, my ROI is 2.5%. But this doesn't factor the reduced market value of the panels at the end of the period for which we are calcing return - these will obselesce and therefore fall in value by, presumably, substantially more than the 2.5% per annum, not to mention maintenance of, for example, the inverters...when you wrap all of that into the ROI-calc, the numbers tend to make little sense for many renewables...except when you factor future environmental damage.


    Not too many renewables yet pass muster on classicial ROI-calcs. We many of us tend to buy renewables because we sense the cost of damaging the environment.


    We need to start plugging some value for that damage into our calculations.



    For me, PV works on above basis, but batteries don't because they themselves have an environmental footprint and I've found no evidence that export is technically unmanageable by the grid.



    QUOTE=Conar;110432696]Ah we have an air to water heat pump so that includes heating bills.
    3 adults 1 teen so lots of showers.
    Server running 24/7.
    Hot water all day long.

    I could definitely knock 30% off with more frugal use but I'd rather the comforts at this stage of life.

    If I could cost effectively generate solar electricity I would but it looks like we're not there.[/QUOTE]


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭gally74


    25k generated off 4.2 today. 6x and it's not 6 yet.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,555 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    gally74 wrote: »
    25k generated off 4.2 today. 6x and it's not 6 yet.
    That's pretty good, 26kwh here with a 6kwp systen


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 39,783 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    13.25 kWh from a 3kw system.
    Still generation over 400w now which is more than powering the base load of the house.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭gally74


    That's pretty good, 26kwh here with a 6kwp systen

    Yep delighted with the system so far. Opened up the immersion cover to turn up the thermo stat today..... eddi working really well clever kit


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,709 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    20kWh from 3.8kwp west Dublin. Better than I thought. Was quite cloudy today, but the sun was strong when out


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    4x here. Kinda surprised some others aren't getting more as I've a shadow from 6.30pm and I think my inverter is clipping slightly at around 3pm.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,555 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    gally74 wrote: »
    Yep delighted with the system so far. Opened up the immersion cover to turn up the thermo stat today..... eddi working really well clever kit

    Yeah, the eddi is great, I am really surprised at how well it tracks and soaks up the excess.

    I had a period when I didnt have the eddi in, and it was heartbreaking to see all that power being exported.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 151 ✭✭Stefs_42


    Yeah, the eddi is great, I am really surprised at how well it tracks and soaks up the excess.

    I had a period when I didnt have the eddi in, and it was heartbreaking to see all that power being exported.

    small hope that we will get paid some day for that exported energy :)


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