Lewes Forum thread

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Solar Panels

On 5 Feb 2010 at 12:54pm TDA wrote:

Following on from another thread, does anyone have any experience or advice about solar panels?

As far as I know, in personal, saving money terms, it's not worth installing them unless you think you are going to be living in the same house for over 10 years.

Then there is the aesthetic aspect - this doesn't bother me - I think in a generation's time our kids will wonder what all the fuss was about and just consider them as familiar as telegraph poles or gutters.

Anyone got them, considering getting them (I am), etc etc?

On 5 Feb 2010 at 1:45pm Down and Out wrote:

The last time I had to look into it for someone (a couple of years ago), solar thermal (ie water heating) panels might be useful assuming energy prices continue to rise as they have recently, but PV (solar electric) panels are a bit of a waste of time at the moment.

Do a lot of research - there are govt grants but there are also cowboy ripoff installers out there.

If I were you I would set your budget, then write down all the things you could do to reduce energy consumption / cost: new windows / doors; extra insulation; new condensing boiler. I would be surprised if solar panels would be at the top of the priority list.

As to aesthetics, I think they'll be completely ubiquitous in twenty years.

On 5 Feb 2010 at 10:35pm Brixtonbelle wrote:

I saw some solar panels on a house roof in the grange today. I thought they were Velux windows with dark glass - they looked identical in size and position. My point is that they are not such an eyesore. There are worse architectural blots on the landscape (like county hall)