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Electricity Use With Solar Panels

AncientMariner
I have just been asked about solar panels in a domestic environment and not wanting to guess and likely get it wrong, thought best to ask here.


With solar panels are you paid for what you generate in total, ie the output from the inverter? Or are you paid for the net amount that you actually export ie the difference between the inverter output and whatever is being used in the property?  


Thanks.

Clive



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  • 0
    Bear in mind that the rules have changed.  If you install solar panels now, then there is no feed in tariff any more; the scheme is closed to new applicants.  You may be able to find an electricity supplier who is willing to pay you something for your exported electricity, provided that you have a smart meter that is capable of measuring export.  Otherwise, you get paid nothing for any excess electricity you export.  It just subsidises the losses in the national grid.


    The end result is that it for many people, there is no business case for installing a small number of solar panels any more.  It's only worth it if you can use almost all the electricity you generate.


    Older installs were quite different.  There was a generation meter on the output of the inverter, which measures all electricity generated, regardless of whether it is exported or used by the householder.  The owner of the installation was paid a feed in tariff based on that generation.  For anybody who is already signed up, the scheme runs for a fixed period of 20 years, after which the payments stop.
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  • 0
    Bear in mind that the rules have changed.  If you install solar panels now, then there is no feed in tariff any more; the scheme is closed to new applicants.  You may be able to find an electricity supplier who is willing to pay you something for your exported electricity, provided that you have a smart meter that is capable of measuring export.  Otherwise, you get paid nothing for any excess electricity you export.  It just subsidises the losses in the national grid.


    The end result is that it for many people, there is no business case for installing a small number of solar panels any more.  It's only worth it if you can use almost all the electricity you generate.


    Older installs were quite different.  There was a generation meter on the output of the inverter, which measures all electricity generated, regardless of whether it is exported or used by the householder.  The owner of the installation was paid a feed in tariff based on that generation.  For anybody who is already signed up, the scheme runs for a fixed period of 20 years, after which the payments stop.
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