What is your opinion of solar panels on UK homes

[dave223]

Hey everyone

I am currently doing some research at the University of Nottingham and could really use your help by filling out a short on-line questionnaire

My thesis is examining the barriers to domestic solar photovoltaic uptake here in the UK

This survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete and you do not need any prior knowledge of solar PV panels to take part:

Your opinion on domestic Solar Photovoltaics (PV) in the UK Survey

It would help my research tremendously if you all took part,

Many thanks

Dave

[artdemole]

Did survey but it does not take into consideration social housing.I am in sheltered housing but sommer community housing have surveyed our bungalows with a view of installation...Is this another market search.?---

[Elizabeth B]

Originally Posted by dave223

Hey everyone

I am currently doing some research at the University of Nottingham and could really use your help by filling out a short on-line questionnaire

My thesis is examining the barriers to domestic solar photovoltaic uptake here in the UK................................................

Dave

Good luck with the research - I've done the survey. We had 16 PV panels installed recently - brilliant! (Even on a really dull day we're generating some electricity)!!!

[Hobjob]

"There is not enough sunlight in the UK for PV to generate electricity"

I found this question difficult to answer.

Of course there is enough sunlight to produce electricity, but my research suggests not enough to make it economic for my house. I doubt the subsidy on my excess electricity will last in to-day's economic climate - but so too prices for electricity will rise and cost of installation will fall.

Watch this space.

[Elizabeth B]

We're well pleased with ours, having just received a payment of £401-46 for our first three months of generation - and our electricity charges are lower!

[nytecam]

My ? How long does it take approximately to recover the installation costs? Months / years / decades

[John D]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth B

We're well pleased with ours, having just received a payment of £401-46 for our first three months of generation - and our electricity charges are lower!

Very interesting. What was the FIT rate (Feed in Tariff) on which the returns were based.

John D

[Paul mabbott]

Everyone I know who has mixed solar-other heating is very pleased with it and over the years has saved money.

My problem is that we have a gas combination boiler to fuel our central heating and water and we were told, a couple of years back, that combi boilers can't be used with solar heating.

Is this still true? If so then there are serious problems for lots of people; I imagine that most people living in fairly small houses have combi boilers?

[Stinky Bob]

We had a combi condensing boiler installed May 2009 and it can work with solar heating and as far as I know ground source heat pumps as well

[Elizabeth B]

Originally Posted by nytecam

My ? How long does it take approximately to recover the installation costs? Months / years / decades

We don't look at in this way! Reuters came round to make a film for their news channel, and I think this link explains our point of view:

UK government pays homes to go green | Video | Reuters.com

Originally Posted by John D

Very interesting. What was the FIT rate (Feed in Tariff) on which the returns were based.

John D

There are two income streams - the major one is the FIT which comes to 41.3p per unit generated (regardless of how it's used) . The other comes from power exported to the National Grid, for which we receive 3p for every unit exported. As a small generator it is assumed that 50% of what we generate is exported - ie we receive a total of 42.8p per unit.