- Wednesday, 25 November 2009
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365/24 - so expect support for only 15.208333 days a year
The INQ solar panels delivered in 2007
MANY READERS have asked how the INQ solar panels performed in the dull dark days before Christmas, and afterwards, for that matter.
We doubt we will ever get a “return on our investment” but we can tell you we are still in credit with Eon and also getting cheques for contributing to the “National Grid”.
If you’ve no idea what we’re talking about, we at INQ Central spent a small fortune on 15 Sanyo solar panels around this time last year – half of it was paid for by the UK government, eager then to demonstrate its "green" credentials.
After about a week of installing this stuff, the things went live and it is fair to say that they have delivered those watts, those volts, and those amps beyond our reasonable expectations.
Indeed, the Mageeks have been in credit with our electricity provider Eon ever since the switch was thrown on the south east facing roof of ours. You can’t store this stuff, the excess you generate is sent to the “grid”, ‘gor bless it.
The big problem with solar panels is of course, the cost. You would be a nutcase if you tried to justify it on the basis of carbon emissions, but, on the other hand, the panels will save you money provided you have enough, facing the right direction, and you can afford the money to get them installed.
People still sometimes say that London is a “foggy” place and the sun never shines, but it does break through the clouds quite a lot, and light is enough to excite the electrons into action.
We really believe the “carbon emission” stuff is just unsustainable trash put out by people who don’t have a clue. The way to stop carbon emissions is to stop London drivers burning up diesel and petroleum and creating smogs and fogs which prevent our little Sun shining.
We live on a quiet road here in Old Harrow. The sun shines all year round.
And we Mageeks are very pleased with the performance of the Sanyo panels. Let’s hope the prices of solar cells get a lot cheaper, and very very soon – we’re convinced the Sahara desert could power Europe in the north and south of the Sahara too. Where there is a will, there is a way, init? µ
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NanoSolar has started producing panels that cost considerably less than the silicon solar panels the INQ has installed, as cheap as $.99/watt. 

They have built the world's largest solar panel factory, and have already pre-sold their first year's production. Other companies are working on similar processes - similar in that they print the materials onto a panel, rather than having to use refined silicon. 

But NanoSolar appears to be the first actually producing cheap solar panels.
An entire article on "how did our solar panels do" without ever saying how they did... How much did they cost, how much did they earn in one year? Or keep it secret. But to say here it is and then not say is perverse.
Just think you should add how much they cost inc. installation to this article and how much you got back off electric companies? its a wonder really
Hi Folks 
I read the artickle of your's about the solar thingy on you roof, and I was quite impressed.
And sure solar pannels are the way to go if we want to live on, Combustion engines just stink, they polute our cities, and provide ego boosts for farts to fat to walk fast.
I would love to see the numbers and a rough cost estimate from you guys, like how much power do you guys use, how much do you generate.
I live in Australia and I am just plain shocked that nobody does this in Australia, bue we have to watch people do this in England. And the solar engergy amount per day in Oz is more than twice...
Cheers
M.
Oh please, we here in Saudi Arabia have as much sun as the Sahara.

But our petrol is about 8p per liter - who needs Solar power?

What London needs is less traffic. Move companies out of the conglomeration into small villages out of town and spread the dirt. That way everyone will be able to see the sun.

As it is it seems stupid that I can fill my car for less than the price of a McBigMac meal...standard size not the upp'ed american size version.

regards
Any pointers on how much it cost, and if you got any subsidy?
Can we get some calculations of how much the panels cost this year and how much money they saved you?
This isn't the first article I've written about the panels - try a search, there's loads of them. The panels cost UK 16,000 - the government paid half of that.

Mike Magee
Looking at other sotries looks like they get back about 3 quid a day (5.5 euro), so about £1000 a year, they cost 8,000 so they get that back in 8 years. 

Then they have about 17 years to save up the money for the next £16,000 when these ones go belly up in 25 years. But then they can buy some without goverment subsidy. By which time efficency on the damn thing will have gone up so they genrate more power, costs will have come down. 


Yippe, we're all saved. thank you Inq. 



Don't forget the cost of not paying an electric bill.
i thought that we could cover britain with solar panels to provide power for ireland. 
Deserts have sand which is rather rough on solar panels. Find a nice rocky hot place for them, and all will be well. Try Spain. 

Or, how about floating islands made of solar panels. The water sloshing over them would clean them too. Nice.