On 22 Oct, 19:10, Peter Scott wrote:
Umm ... do you think they'll invent a way of shifting that Grey clag
above the UK so we can see the sun sometimes;?...

Sound point but sunlight isn't necessary. Light is. Of course the PV
will produce a lot less leccy. There are much more efficient PVs on the
way.

Harry's comment about cost is of course correct at present. I'm looking
at one supplier's site which says much the same and that 1 kWp costs
about £4k to £5k. The kWp baffled me at first but its the output
produced by 1000 W/m2 (apparently the average for Bavaria). Allowing for
lower outputs this makes the cost for a sensible size setup of say 7 kWp
about £30k. This would produce perhaps (?) 6000 kWh. Hopelessly unviable
with a 50 year pay-back using 10p a unit, especially as there's no
storage in that price to allow you to go off-grid. However costs will
tumble with volume and research, and this would be encouraged by
short-term priming money. We could be producing the panels. There's a
factory in Wales somewhere.

A neighbour has put in a big array of panels at ground level. Must try
to find out more. I live in the country so we have more space. City and
town dwellers have more limited options.

Peter Scott

Kwp is just the output you would get in the best possible condtions,
ie at the equator on a clear day and light striking the panel at
90degrees. Virtually never achieved in practice.
Most people have them fitted to the roof because there is the
available space and convenience.
However if you had space you can have them at ground level. They
need a frame to support them. There is also the possibilty of having
a steerable array, ie always pointed at the sun.