Solar PV - low cost

[Adam2]

Am at a stage where we're finishing up in the garden and may have the possibility to have some PV mounted on some stepped gabions. Previously discounted as the ROI seems more or less non-existent. But, I've seen some on here do a low cost install and thinking that as panels come down and cost of power goes up this may start to make more financial sense again post FIT ending. So, have seen these on ebay:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solar-Panel-260w-260Watt-MCS-TUV-approved-Solar-Power-project/293261529860?hash=item4447bfd304:g:yAYAAOSwl2deNCbA

 

 

wondering if I purchased 12 of these what else would I need for the install and what should I expect it to cost?

 

Mountings - will custom make from ali and attach to gabions at an averagely good angle - They will be facing SW so not a bad direction.

30m chunky cable to go up to meter -?

Inverter - ?

An electrician for final connection - how much time?

Anything else needed here?

 

Planning to mainly use the power to generate hot water, though we do have an electric car so at weekends that could be a useful usage + if suitably hot maybe even running the ASHP for cooling a few weeks a year. Could utilise day tome power for washing machine as well as work from home mostly.  Feels like we should be able to utilise a fair amount of the output ourselves so it feels like could make economic sense if the materials price is right. 

 

A rough calc which seems wrong so please correct if you can:

 

PVGIS indicates panels at 30 degrees and facing SW will get 35 to 150 kWh / m² / month through the year

Maybe an average of 80 kWh and maybe we can use 60 kWh of this

12 panels at about 1.2m2 per panel = 72Wh  / panel/month, with 12 panels = 864 kWh/month generated (& used), per year = 10,368 kWh

Assuming cost of electricity is 12p per kWh then 10,368 * 0.12 = £1,244.16

 

This seems like too much doesn't it.

 

 

 

 

 

[A_L]

10 minutes ago, Adam2 said:

This seems like too much doesn't it.

 

Yes it is.

 

12 x 260W = 3120Watts or 3.12kWp. At about 900kWh/kWp you should get about 2808kWh/year so you need to re-calculate!

[ProDave]

I put together a 4kWp system for £1500 including panels, inverter and mounting frame for ground mount.

 

I seem to be self using about £250 worth of electricity per year so should get payback in 6 years.  That might improve as I have some shading issues. I cut  2 trees down over the winter so I will see if that improves things this summer.

 

It took a LOT of shopping around  to get everything at rock bottom price.