On 2010-07-02 10:56:41 +0100, Tim Streater said:

In article ,
NT wrote:

"Chris J Dixon" wrote in
messagenews:5o2r26d8ljra9b75uq8g2khtkdalk4stqk@4ax .com...

Steve Firth wrote:

It would certainly be better to DIY.

Only if you are not interested in being paid the Feed-in tariff.
To be eligible, you have to use both approved components and
approved installers.

Chris
--


I really don't know a lot about this subject, other than what I've read in
general, but just to fling a curved ball in for a moment, if the OP's sister
is intent on having panels on a less-than-ideal-facing roof, wouldn't she do
better to make them water-heating panels ? I seem to recall reading that the
energy saved on fuel for heating the same water, is quite significant, and
that the installation costs are not that high. If the fuel saving *is*
significant, then I would have thought that with the very high energy costs
that we suffer now, the 'effective' returns might be quite good, without the
hassle of having to sell energy back via a government scheme of dubious
longevity, and without the inherent progressive efficiency reduction that
comes with PV panels. Anyone here clever enough to do the comparative sums ?
I'd be quite interested to know this for myself.

Arfa

Its possible to make solarthermal pay its way and some, but not easy,
and commercial installs, as a rule, don't. Since the op was asking
about basics I cant see a good diy design/instal being likely.

On the upside it would waste a lot less money than PV.

I'm told that heat pumps are cost effective - even in lowish outside
temps. A quick google shows Danfoss and Hitachi, at least, make them.
Anyone considered these?

Of course, heat pumps depend on large amounts of (grid provided)
electricity. I seem to recall something like 1/4 to 1/3 of the total
overall heat energy produced by a heat pump needs to be provided with
electricity to power it.

Given the state of our generating infrastructure in this country I
would not want to be dependent on relatively cheap (and available!)
electricity for my heating in the medium and long term.