Mr Blobby

+1 for demolish and start again. We started renovating and soon realised it was a terrible idea so demolished and started again with a blamk sheet of paper. So much easier.

Used for frequency response. Attached to existing power stations because they have the connection to the grid. They sit at 50% charge level all the time, discharging, charging a little.

Yes capacity is not the same as generation. Here in Ireland the move to renewables is years ahead of GB, admittedly for a smaller system, but also the political will is stronger and less NIMBYism about onshore wind. Northern Ireland is decoupled from the GB national Grid because the single all Island market was set up as part of the good Friday agreement. The Irish grid has a target of 75% renewables. No nuclear here so mostly wind. Currently at about 50% wind generation. Above that yes demand management is key to grid stability. There is still however thermal plant available to step in here when the wind doesn't blow. I've seen no evidence of storage moving ahead. It is not technically or financially possible for battery storage to take up the slack and replace GWs of thermal plant. As far as I have seen batteries are used for frequency stability and, very rarely, a few seconds of reserve. There would need to be a massive step change in technology and cost for batteries to play any significant role in energy supply when the wind doesn't blow. As you say, demand management will play an increasing role for instant response, but mostly it's gas turbines in the UK that step in when the wind doesn't blow. But that's ok I think because most of the time the wind does blow.

For every GW of wind capacity there needs to be a GW of conventional thermal plant for when the wind doesn't blow. We still build gas turbines to match wind generation capacity. We have a gas network so it's easy for us to build CCGTs that are more efficient and very easy to run compared to coal plant. Thermal plant is also required for network stability like frequency and voltage regulation. The more wind capacity the less reliance on thermal plant, but the thermal plant still needs to be constructed as an insurance policy for when the wind doesn't blow. In the UK there are a lot of gas power stations that sit idle most of the time but they still get built. Similarly in China constructing coal plant is not the same as running coal plant. But most people have no idea that China is building more wind capacity than the rest of the world. And China will be the world leader in EVs because of massive long term investment while the European car industry is years behind.

The term isn't that relevant really, the principle remains the same. Besides, the five year fixed parliament act was repealed in March 2022. Elections can be called at any time.

Anything to get votes. Anything at all at whatever cost. Meanwhile China is installing more wind turbines than the rest of the world and investing billions in electrification of transport and decarbonisation. How does China do it? Because China is a dictatorship that doesn't have a four year election cycle with politicians prostituting themselves for cheap votes. Democracy is destroying the planet. How strange a world we live in.

Off on a slight tangent here, but if running an airtight membrane under the roof-joists-wall-plate into the loft, then how are the holes driled through the wall plate to fix it to the wall made airtight? Squirt some airtight sealant like orcon-f into the hole? Or some other sealant? And what membrane is suitable? Something like intello?

Steels it is then 👍 I will tell builder to crack on when I meet him on site in half hour.

Indeed. Our SE has looked at this and we have a ridge beam going in. As well as the two purlins. I think we probably needed a ridge beam all along anyway because we have a section of vaulted ceiling. 🤔 Anyway, moving on, our ridge beam will be supported in two places near the centre of the roof as well as at the gables. Its a long roof. Our builder has suggested steel columns in the loft to support the ridge beam instead of building two walls of blocks up into the loft to the ridge. We do have existing horizontal steel beams at ceiling height to support either steel columns or a wall. The cynic inside me suspects our builder has suggested the steel columns because it is easier to schedule roofers and go forward quickly. I can't see a downside of a steel column but then I generally have no clue about such things. Is there anything wrong in using steels to support the ridge beam? Is a block wall in the loft (with an opening to walk through of course) a better solution? Structural Engineer is happy with either option.

Peak demand in the house will be less than 100 amp on a single phase so its looking increasingly likely that everything in the house will run off a single phase. The three phases will run out to the EV chargers. The problem with three phase inverters, as I see it, is getting things like diverters for Zappi EV chargers and immersion heaters. Three phase appears to be poorly supported and not well understood by installers and I can do without the hassle and the cost for little benefit. I think the big question is whether the DNO will let me install an inverter bigger than 3.6kW on a single phase with the export limited.

The plan is for panels on three roofs something like this: SW: 3.5 kW S: 2.4 kW NE: 3 kW Solis have a new 3P hybrid inverters with 3 MPPTs. The problem is its so new that they don't seem to be on sale in the UK yet.

Ouch! Our price was £450 for a thousand, and delivery had to be for a full lorry load. I think block prices vary a lot by region. Here in Northern Ireland blocks are a lot cheaper than the South West. And my builder seems to get good prices on stuff from his various trade accounts of course.

Do you have a local manufacturer? We have a quarry half a mile away that makes and sells concrete products. Our builder got ours from the quarry for 45p per 100mm medium density block delivered. Which is pretty good I think.

We liked the idea of a raised washing mashine until we saw our friends intsallation with a peice of pipe insulation wedged between their washer and dryer to stop them acting like giant castanets. I think if done right and raised like @Buzz then it can be very nice. But it can be done badly which is not so great. If I remember correctly I think some of the German Kitchen manufacturers install a steel frame to support the appliances of the ground. Which is probably the way to go.

ooh, not seen this before. Time for some reading.

UPS function for critical circuits would be nice I just assumed that net metering was standard. I guess it must must be like that for billing, the net import position. I think for hot water and EV charging it would make life easier to get to a zero export position Probably. I'll be talking to the electrician soon to finalise all this hence looking at the PV options now.

Yes I think running the PV off a single phase inverter will be a lot simpler. I think the DNO is ok as long as the export is limited to 3.6kw on a single phase. The problem is the 3 roofs so either a 3 MPPT invertor (which are almost non-existant) or solaredge optimisers.

Three phase power with panels on three elevations. And hybrid inverter with batteries and diverer to DHW and EV. Talk about a challenge 😬 Any advice on her about the best way forward? I think its either solaredge 3 phase hybrid inverter or three hybrid inverters, one on each phase. The problem is the that the solaredge invertor only works with expensive batteries https://www.itstechnologies.shop/products/8-000w-storedge-hybrid-inverter-48v-three-phase?variant=40410089881698 Something like sunsynk can be configured in parallel, as below, but this is a lot more work to set up. And does this configuration mean the inverters work together to avoid importing from the grid or do they see only their own phase load/ battery charge level/ meter position and fight each other. I can't seem to get an answer from the suppliers. What should I do? Any advice? Please?

Just to jump in here, we are also looking to install panels into GSE frames on standing seam. Our architect has done this before but the panels were not as recessed as I think they could be: I reckon the end result could be better with a larger batten under the ply under the standing seam and then a smaller batten under the GSE panels to sink them lower. Just an idea of course 🤔 The S-5 clamps look to be the best alternative because you can omit the rail and install the panels closer to the seams. But then the panels must be installed in landscape mode. If fitting GSE panels then savings in ply and zinc should be possible. @WisteriaMews Please update here with your findings. Any photos post them please.

Tesla (our curent EV) used to support 22kW (32A) but have downsized to 11kW (16A). I think its the extra weight and cost of the in-car charger that is difficult to justify. Saying that, we are going to install two 3P 32A chargers to cover all bases.

I'm surprised you got fed up with slow EV charging. You must do hundreds of miles or have short range. I've been cgarging overnight on a 3-pin plug at 2kW for the last 3 years and never had a problem. But then I rarely do > 150 miles in a day. Even so, we're getting 3-phase into our new build for 11kW EV charging. And we will be getting am E7 3P meter. (Smart meters are not a thing in Northern Ireland yet) With our DNO 3 x 100 amp phases is easy to get. Above 100 amp then the DNO insists on CT metering and that costs loads more, so 100A is the sweet spot here. Don't forget that few cars support 11kW and even fewer can charge at 22kW. A freind of mine just spent thousands upgrading to a 3-P supply only to discover his brand new EV (nissan ariya) doesn't do 3-p charging. So he wasted his money. If you can get 3P for the same price as 1P then go for it. I know a lot on here suggest splitting a single hase off into the house. I think we'll be going full-monty and 3-phasing the CU just for kicks. 😬

The masonry walls on our cavity build will be above ceiling height. To accomodate a cold roof (warm loft) our architect has suggested raising the rafters about a block height (250 ish) above the ceiling joists. Its a cut roof hanging off two steel purlins at 35 degree pitch. Were not really limited by ridge height. As far as I can see, the proposed design has two benefits. Firstly it increases loft space head height. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, this looks a lot easier to acheive good airtightness. With this design the airtight membrane will not be penetrated by each ceiling joist. Instead the ceiling joists are suspended from hangers attached to a wall plate below the rafters so either a parge coat or airtight paint is applied behind the joist-wall plate, or run a membrane behind the joist-wall-plate into the loft. Does this design look ok? Am I missing something here? Has anyone else done this?

Here's mine, made out of spare bits mostly. The structure is only temporary because NIE only allow permanent meters in permali boxes on the house wall. NIE also prohibit metal meter boxes for temporary supplies, they must be brick. If I was in GB I would have bought a metal meter cabinet off the shelf and kept it as a permanent supply. This tmeporary box is right next to where the EV chargers will be installed so routing to the house and back out is infuriating. NIE insist a 3-phase temporary supply requires a bigger enclosure (even though they split off a single phase for the temp supply) hence the two slabs on the top with some silicone sealant between them. Its painted with bitumen paint to give it some extra waterproofing. The big problem I had was getting an earth rod in the ground. I built the box on top of the rock of gibralter and had to get a digger in to dig a hole near to he cabinet to sink a rod. If I were doing this again I would get the earth rod in before installing the cabinet.

Thanks. So 25x100 battens to attach the GSE panels. Are your tiles attached to the same batten? So 25mm ventilation gap is ok. We will have standing seam roof so we need minimum 50mm ventilation gap under the standing seam I think. I think I need to speak to the roofers. And read the instructions 🤔

Just to resurrect an old thread..... do I need to do the G98 application before installing the panels on the roof? I assume not as I see no issues. As with most things, GB suppliers often don't like to ship into half-in, half-out of EU land. So where did you order decently priced solar panels and GSE frames in Northern Ireland? Our roof is going on soon. I'm hoping the roofers can fit the GSE panels and I can worry about the inverter later (assuming no micro inverters). What size ventilation gap under the panels? We were thinking of 25mm batten and 75mm counter batten with the 75mm batten removed under the GSE frame. Is that sensible? Any other guidance here?