Questions for our British friends

[judy84]

Originally Posted by Grouchy

I agree that all new builds should include solar panels..

I had them installed on my property five years ago. I am paid per kilowatt for everything I generate. I then get to use that electricity without being charged for it. Any excess is fed into the grid. Even taking into account my initial outlay that is not a bad deal and I should recover my installation costs within seven years.

I benefit from the panel income plus vastly reduced fuel bills. Even my gas bill is lower as I have a device that pushed solar generated electricity into my water heating system thus negating the need for gas heating.

The regulations in the UK are such that despite having the roof space to install more panels I am not allowed to. There is a 4kWh limit for panel arrays on domestic property. I could very easily accommodate another 4kWh array but if I want to install more then I have to apply for a generation licence. It would be that same licence that I would need to build a power station..

The government bleat on about green issues but then put obstacles in the way of people who are willing to help by generating fuel to help meet the country's energy needs. OK.. 4 kWh is not a lot but it is more that the average domestic property uses.

I have 16 x panels which can generate 4 kWh, but I am not sure whether your assertion about this limit is correct?

https://nakedsolar.co.uk/power-throu...wp-home-limit/

http://www.yougen.co.uk/blog-entry/2...ystem+to+4kWp/

https://www.redelectrical.co.uk/why-...system-to-4kw/

[SanteeFats]

Okay ya'll be talkin' solar in Britain, possibly the entire UK?
If it is so overcast and drizzly there so often, as some of the members here post, how is solar a feasible option?

[Grouchy]

Originally Posted by judy84

I have 16 x panels which can generate 4 kWh, but I am not sure whether your assertion about this limit is correct?

I stand corrected...

I was not aware that he limit had been raised. I do know though that when my installation was built it was a limit and not just "lazy sales talk" as one of the articles you cite claims.

Thank you for your clarification and correction.

[Grouchy]

Originally Posted by SanteeFats

Okay ya'll be talkin' solar in Britain, possibly the entire UK?
If it is so overcast and drizzly there so often, as some of the members here post, how is solar a feasible option?

Because the panels work on light they will still generate in subdued light such as an overcast day. Obviously, full sun is better but panels are sufficiently efficient to generate a good output when the light is not optimal.

[bloke57]

Originally Posted by SanteeFats

Okay ya'll be talkin' solar in Britain, possibly the entire UK?
If it is so overcast and drizzly there so often, as some of the members here post, how is solar a feasible option?

I think it's seen more as a top-up option - certainly in winter time. But we do get sunny, if cold days even in winter and it's light (not heat) that matters. In fact any kind of light will have some effect even if it's overcast.

In the summer we do get very long days - 16 to 18 hours - so it can produce quite a large percentage of domestic energy.

[Roubignol]

Originally Posted by judy84

I also think all new houses should be built with solar panels and double glazing.
I don't think that house prices are based on building costs but if prices are slightly higher then this can be recouped by providing occupants with electricity rebates on their bills because of their feeding power to the national grid.

Here is a website that could interest you. decarbonizeurope.org
It's a multilanguage website made by engineers and scientists who had (and still have) a lot of difficulties to explain (in French medias) what politicians have to do to encourage to "decarbonize" our societies strongly based on fossil energies.
I had a look at the rosestone's link. British politicians seem to be more pragmatic than French, Swiss or German ones. They look more like Swedish politicians. That's good.
But... 6% to 15% of "renewable" electricity built thanks to fossile energy is not enough.
A lot of people do not know, how "toxically" dependant we are from fossile energy.
The next fossils energies will be far less efficient in terms of EIER (Energy invested to get energy in return).
Quick resume here

Originally Posted by SanteeFats

Okay ya'll be talkin' solar in Britain, possibly the entire UK?
If it is so overcast and drizzly there so often, as some of the members here post, how is solar a feasible option?

By cloudy sky, the captor will only produce less electric current, so you will get less power, but still will get until a limit. (By very very dark day in winter, you will get no production. That can be relied to the quality of the captor too, but not only. By twilight, with a classical captor, you will get nothing.)

You can watch here a graphic explaining the process.



E = Solar energy received on 1 m2
Less the sky is cloudy higher is E and higher will be the electric current produced by the captor.

[Decadence]

Alright.. this is serious.

I've long been a fan of Newcastle Brown Ale. Having stared at thousands of bottles, it seems to me it came from Newcastle on Tyne.

Today, I'm hoisting a few and notice that the label now says "Made in Holland".

WTF happened?

[rotobott]

Newkie made in Holland

In 2017, Heineken announced that Newcastle production will move from the John Smith’s Brewery in the U.K. to the Zoeterwoude Brewery in the Netherlands. The company claimed this shift will allow for shorter order lead times and faster transportation to the U.S. In addition, it will allow distributors to purchase Newcastle by the pallet rather than the container

I blame Brexit

[haroldeye]

The Scottish and Newcastle Brewery in Newcastle was near St James' Park and very close to the town centre. Rather than keep it there the Company moved production to the old Federation Ales Brewery at Dunstan (not part of Newcastle) and sold off the site for development. After several years the Dunstan site was sold off for development and production was moved elsewhere. They may make it anywhere to the same recipe but as much of the flavour is derived from the water used it will never be the same again.

[pierrelm]

Originally Posted by haroldeye

... They may make it anywhere to the same recipe but as much of the flavour is derived from the water used it will never be the same again.

Odd really, but very true.
I used to wonder why Theakstons bought further south tasted so different until I went up to the Masham brewery and found that what I'd been drinking further afield is brewed at Northallerton as opposed to the 'real' stuff brewed in Masham - if you like a trip around a brewery, a visit to the Black Bull In Paradise brewery is highly recommended.