I wrote a while back about how I was looking to install some form of renewable technology on our house – however, for planning and safety issues, a Wind Turbine was not a particularly good option – in fact, worse than that, it wasn’t viable. This was a real downer, living in one of the windiest areas of the Country (if the BBC reports on nearby Scotland are anything to go by). These problems really left me disheartened for a while, and I parked it with no real expectations of moving forward again.
However, in late August/early September I began to pick up the idea again, in a bit more detail and seriously started looking at Solar PV as an option. Our house is South West facing, so almost ideal in good days for sun – only slightly in shade early in the mornings. Anyway, with the Government feed-in tarriffs (before DECC’s Phase 1 review) as they were, it seemed crazy not to go for it, and I vowed to get on track to make it happen.
Well, here we are 4 months later, in early December and they’re in. As you can see from the photos, they look pretty neat:
Our lovely solar panels
Although there are plenty of articles written about installing your own Solar PV systems, and the processes you need to go through, I thought it would be useful to pass on a few pearls of wisdom
1. It’s a hell of a lot easier than you think
When I took this project on, I thought it was going to be an absolute nightmare. I’d never taken on anything like this, and was worried about the potential impact on the house if I got it wrong. I had visions of leaky roofs, dodgy electrics etc. However, I now feel like a mini Kevin Mcloud, and proud that I managed something like this. In truth, it’s just a more practical application of project management principles I use in work every day. It’s just a nice feeling to see them turn into something for once!
2. Working with an established local installer is the way forward
This is very much linked to the above – if we hadn’t used Aegis Energy, it could have been a hell of a lot more difficult. An established Solar installer knows the whole process, regardless of the bits that they’re responsible for. In our case, Aegis didn’t do the building regulations or a site survey but talked me through the process. They also hired an independent roofing contractor to fit the panels making that process a lot easier. Given that they’re local and a small firm, they had a genuine interest in making the project a success, and had the time to guide me through it. Granted, I also spent a lot of time building a relationship with them that gave me the confidence to take them on, but that’s just the sign of a good company, that they’re willing to take the time, regardless of whether the business eventually pans out.
3. It’s not a nightmare dealing with the council
We’ve had no problem, primarily due to the fact that Solar PV doesn’t need planning permission. This makes the process a lot easier, and the local council’s interest revolves around keeping the house a safer place to work. Instead, they need to be confident that it meets the relevant parts of building regulations for roofing, electrical and structural to make it safe to live in. It’s a one-off fee and a simple form, plus an inspection. Simples!
4. Getting an inverter with bluetooth is crucial to making the most of a Solar PV install
This is one that I didn’t think of, until it came down to the last minute, and thankfully Aegis already offer them as standard on their installs. What this does is give you a display unit to see generation of the system in real time, as the only other way to read it is off the inverter which is located in somewhere inconvenient (in our case the loft!). Combining it with our usage meter, we can use our energy most effectively- putting the washing machine on when we’re generating excess energy etc.
I’ll try and write a review in a year or so, with some of the data and information on whether the cost/benefit stack up, with the FiTs/reduced electric bills etc, but that takes time…
