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Electric Bikes - the future might be Tim Woolmers Yasa technology.
Sesman:
--- Quote from: Lobo on May 26, 2022, 10:09:57 PM ---Ken, Sesman.
The 40 panels attracted a healthy govt subsidy, we paid $20K for 40 panels. Here in QLD (tho’ not in the UK anymore I believe) there is a useful feed-in tariff, meaning the energy supplier pays us for the surplus energy. It gives us abouts $1000pa back into our hands, ie we never have a bill.
Add to this we’re saving $800 per quarter in ‘no bills’ - or $3000pa.
What all this means is that the panels are ‘cost free’ at the 7 year point, in their 20 year life. We then have 13 years of simple credit…. at todays rates this is getting on for $50k.
And in all the above, I have not factored in the free motoring.
Sesman. Why on earth would you think the firemen could not isolate the PV array?? By law they have to, and on all houses (here anyways) there’s big stickers on the switch box warning them, with an isolation switch inside. We bought a top quality German Fronius Inverter, which I bloody hope will last a lot longer than you suggest!
That said, I suspect we will be updating it at some point, as I’m interested in adding a battery…. which at this point in time, is still not financially viable. But soon…?
Typical payback in the UK is around 20years. We don’t have your sun hours. However using net present value and the financials are much bleaker. Good luck with your inverter, the life is very much dependent on the installation average daily ambient temperature, which’s normally around 20deg C. I’m afraid the DC input and AC output switch disconnectors simply isolate the invertor, the PV is still ‘live’ while it’s receiving light.
--- End quote ---
Sesman:
There you go….Zurich insurers report.
https://www.zurich.co.uk/news-and-insight/fire-risks-how-safe-are-solar-panels
Lobo:
Blimey. I stand corrected wrt UK installations: and can barely believe isolation switches are not mandatory and standardised as to where to find them.
It begs the obvious question as to how a fire brigade, on an especially high and flat roof, can know whether or not a PV array is up there? Nuts.
Ken, I bloody agree wrt feed-in tariff; it’s literally daylight robbery that the energy providers don’t pay the supplier - ie us in this case. I don’t know how they get away with it, and suspect it’ll be here (Oz) soon. Given how keen Boris is on ‘green’ you’d think he’d whip these providers into line to encourage Joe Public to fit arrays.
Sesman:
I know…it’s crazy. Back in 2014 the German fire brigade adopted a non-attendance and intervention policy for domestic fires involving PV.They simply protected adjacent properties. Zurich even withdrew house insurance for properties with PV….for a while at least. We do have switch disconnectors for the DC input and AC output, but of course the PV is still ‘live’ on the incoming side of the DC switch while the sun shines. Some PV incorporates the inverter on each panel, which incorporates overcurrent protection.
Oddjob:
Wouldn't spraying foam on the panels cover them so they can't get sunlight?
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