Solar Panels
Sun, 02/20/2011 - 11:53
by bordercollieNow here is an excellent idea for your buy to let property.
As everyone is now getting greener is this day and age why not have some solar panels put on the property that you rent out and why your at it put them on your own home.
I would put it to other readers of the forum that this has to be good business practice on the level that if you advertise that your rented property has this feature along with other saving ideas that people will jump at the chance to rent it.
It will also save them money on there bills for such as heating the hot water more so if they have kids who all moan when the hot water has run out and then you moan when you have to put the immersion heater on at great cost.
So at the end of the day it has to be a good business investment for now and in the future.
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Solar Panels?
What experiences do you have of using solar panels to generate electricity?
swimming pool heated by these but you need an awful lot of sun to heat itSolar panels?
Following the anvil on a cable in space question. why not attach a couple of wires to a load of solar panels floating in orbit? solving all our energy problem needs. or cover the sahara with solar panels. aparts from a few scorpions and nomads who's it gonna hurt?
1. Solar panels are extremely inefficient, on the order of only 1-2% efficient.
2. The cost is so high, it is not worth it. The panels cost far more than any "free" electricity.
3. The cable from space would be too heavy, and air resistance would bring the solar panels down.
Instead, use mirrors to concentrate the sunlight, and use it to drive a steam turbine. The efficiency can easily be over 90% if done properly, yielding about 1,000 watts per square meter at high noon at the equator. A mere 20 square kilometers would provide about 360 megawatts. and 2/3 of the energy can be stored for evenings and cloudy days.solar panels..?
my family has a factory that manufactures solar panels solar lighting, is there a market in the UK at the moment?
many of the components are very high quality, as we supply Gov. Agencies, i.e. highways etc.
we want to expand into the UK Domestic Market.
Apart from the fact that sonal panels are very expensive, the constant power supply makes the solar business very weak in developed countries. If you can try some rich but underdeveloped countries such as Nigeria and other African countries, you will be amazed by the response you will receive. Good luck.How much does solar panels cost to install to your house?
How much, roughly, does solar panels cost to install for hot water for a house? Just looking for a rough idea without having to go through rigmarole of signing up to loads of different contractors before getting a quote.
i asked about 4 years ago and they said £7000! then i found out they don't work very well anyway. save yr money.How do you install solar panels on a slate roof?
How do you install solar panels on a slate roof?
Thanks,
Helpmeplease.
Just like a tile or other stone roof, one or more tiles is generally removed, and a standoff is attached through the sheathing to the rafter below. The standoff is then flashed just like a vent. Racks are then mounted on these standoffs.
You can see examples of mounting systems on http://www.unirac.com/
Solar hot water can be heavy, and you would want to be sure of the strength of the underlying roof, especially if there is a tank on the roof.
Solar electric is light.
It's probably worth it to get a pro to do the install on this kind of roof, as it's not as forgiving as, say, asphalt shingle.Is it possible to make solar panels for generating electricity out of everyday materials?
I have made a wind generator out of cheap, everyday materials.
Is it possible to make solar panels for generating electricity from everyday materials, perhaps something like a thermocouple with two different metals?
Not unless you can figure out a way to produce a semi-conductor at home. Basically a solar cell (photovoltaic cell) is a couple of layers of silicon P type and N type. Electrons become excited when light quanta penetrates into the P layer. The excited electrons move to the N type and (very oversimplified) create electricity.
I doubt you would have the facilities to create the materials at home.What is the best option for installing solar panels on the roof of my London home?
Should I use the solar panels to heat water or to store electricity, or both? How much will it cost for a 2 bedroom flat? Can I get a grant - if so how much?
Solar panels for electricity are a bit of a waste of time in this part of the country, allowing for the initial expense of the installation, the cost of maintenance and replacment of the batteries between three to five years will cost more than paying a standard supplier.
As for water, some useful gains can be had, i.e. it will take the chill off the incoming water and so reduce your base energy supply costs, but not to any great extent.
Roll on global warming when these systems will become far more viable at these lattitudes.What time do rooftop solar panels give back surpless electricity?
I've been told that when you don't use the electricity supply from the solar panels, the electricity is stored up, then at a certain time later in the day, any electricity not used will be fed back into the grid. Is this correct, and if so what time?
In the practical sense, that's a good model for what happens.
Technically, here is how it actually works.
When the panels are producing more energy than you use (perhaps in the day, when the occupants of the house are at work), the panels drive the electric meter backwards. So say your meter reads 50000 kWh in the morning. As the meter was being driven backwards, the energy was consumed by your neighbors, or others nearbly on the grid (and presumably they paid for it). By nightfall, the meter may read 49985.
So you get home from work, and turn on the TV and lights. The sun has gone down, so the meter starts running forward. By the time you get to bed, maybe the meter reads 50002, equivalent to your buying back the electricity you "sold" during the day. So you only pay for 2 kWh for the whole day, the rest having been "supplied" by solar.
But it gets better in areas with a guaranteed Feed-In Tariff (FIT). In those places, the price to sell electricity to the grid is actually more than the price to buy. So you could sell one kWh during the day at (say) triple the price you buy at, then use three kWh at night, and still come out even as far as money.How do i go about getting solar panels?
I need to power 8 floresent bulbs, each 3 foot.
What do i need? Do the solar panels require a battery to store its power or is it direct?
If you want to use solar energy to power the light bulbs when there is no light, you will need battery to store the electricity generate by the solar panels. Unless you have strong sun all the time, it is better to use battery to store power
Most company sell the whole set (panel, battery) and do the roof installation and hook up to system into your home.How do I go about arranging for a windturbine and some solar panels for my house?
My husband and I are interested in becoming a little more eco friendly and would like a windturbine and some solar panels for our house.
How much might these cost? Are there government grants available to help pay for them (I've heard there are)?
Who would install them?
Do I have to seek planning permission etc.?
What would be the first step?
I'm in the UK, by the way.
You definately need planning permission. Solar panels & a wind turbine are very expensive...around £20,000 so it may be worth calculating how much it will save you over the life of your house before paying out all that money. In reality the only people who will really benenfit is the next generation of people who buy your house. So how green are you really?
I know someone who rents a couple of propertys out and I shall tell them when I see them next.
I think that is an excellent idea as I can see how it would attract someone to rent your property first before someone elses plus it will save them money in the long run as well.
Jamie
Well I caught up with my chum who lets a couple of propertys out and he has not set out getting quotes for solar panels and anything else he can find that is greener and cost afective for landlord and tenant.
Think I shall have to look in to it myself depending on the cost.
Jamie
I am amazed that more and more landlords and landladys from all corners of the globe have not got on the band wagon of having solar panels fitted and advertising there property as a green or greener property to let hense saving the letter money on the electric with these things heating the hot water.
I know there are some areas that may not be able to have them due to some planning regulations but my answer to that is if you can't have the thing stuck on the top of your home then why not put it in the garden where the sun light gets it most then you would still be doing your bit and get round the planning.
Hope no one nicks the the thing though.
Oliver
Good thinking Oliver. I would have thought that if a whole bunch of landlords go together and contacted on of these company's that install solar panels and said between us ten landlords there is thirty propertys that require solar panels fitting on them and what sort of a deal could they get them at.
I bet they would get a really good price if they all paid up front after getting the quote and all would be happy.
You get people showing more interest in the green side plus you are doing your bit and the company doing the fitting still makes money also other landlords may get toether and do the same in a differnt area.
Darrell
Hey. If all the landlords looked in to the solar panels and other home owners as well that would surely make a big difference to there electric bill and do there bit for the envioroment.
I would quite happily put a bank of them down the garden out of sight as much as possible.
The government should step in and say ok there is some help for people who wish to instal them.
Fred
They would be rather good in the summer months as not a lot of people have heating on but use there immersion heater to heat the water and that can soon mount up over a quarter on the electric bill.
I looked in an electrical book and I am sure I saw some of the electrical gear at a £1000 plus so they are not cheap and ok it would take time to get your money back but if they came down in price then everyone would benefit.
Darrell
That is quite costly for the electrical gear. There must be a cheaper or lower priced kit you can get. I don't don't if there is a D.I.Y kit you can get at a lower price until you start getting up to somethin that would cover a massive roof.
Give it time someone will work out how to make and market one that is of a really good price then more people will be able to have them.
Jamie
Your right Jamie it is a costly thing at the minute. Someone must have an idea on how to make it more cost affective to produce and sell on to everyone else.
My cousin recantly looked in to it for his house and for what he was going to get for his money it worked out it would take him about 15 years at least to recoup the costs so at the minute that idea is on hold. So unless you have a few quid in the bank and can afford to pay for it and do your bit to save the planet as it were then all well and good.
Darrell
I have just heard of a company that is giving these solar things away. I think they are called a greenershade.com or something to that affect.
Not sure what the exact in's and outs are but I'm it would not hurt to look.
Alexender
Ok what is the catch then. A company that is giving these things away. There must be something about it at the end of the day as these things are quite costly to buy.
I think I shall have to try and find this website and have a look. Not sure if I want a panel on my roof as it would spoil the view of the property so will have to look in to that one I think.
Oliver
I have had a look about and I saw that website but have since found out that this place is so listed that if the wind blows the wrong way the planners are at the door.
Still all the same it is an excellent idea and other people should take up the offer if there place is south facing and not in tons of trees etc, etc.
May be one day I will be able to put some down the garden and do one's bit.
Darrell
I found that website and made and enquiry.
It turned out that becuase of the property being so old that the roof was not at the right pitch or big enough to make it worth while so I loose out there.
Alexender