This looks a barrel of fun for those with engineering minds – I have been enticed by vid clips before and I don’t really play games but I gave this a shot and reporting back I really enjoyed it. The free version does not do saving so I may have to consider paying …….
So I suddenly decided to test if the speed BT say I have is real. I will need to do other results and have put times on as I did last august here.
BT @ 6.30am – athough they are going to say that any time of day as it is just a line ability check.
and one of the checker services @ 6.30 am – ish
Now some debate arises between my wife and myself as to the actual date the solar array started to produce electricity. I was sure that some delay had meant that it was actually nearly 2 weeks later than the paperwork says, but as I am reminded – she is the boss. This means that as of June 11th, just ending as I write, we have had the solar panels for a year.
We opted for the largest set we could fit and afford. This has given us 3.78Kw panels on one roof that faces almost dead south and some late afternoon partial shadow from a higher roof. Having had one of the wind turbines, that was the best we could get at the time and suffering the manufacturer and the installation company disagreements about what is correct in installations, we were pleased to see the new solar panels created more electricity in the first 2 weeks than the wind turbine did in its first year.
Now one year on – we are on the tariff that pays 41p per unit we generate. As of tonight the figure is 3716 Kwh. If maths serves me correctly this equates to £1523.56. The goal as far as I was concerned was 4000 units. While we have not achieved that I am still of the opinion we have a few days left as the dates were confused, but I am alone in these thoughts. There is also apparently a 3p / unit payment for half of this based on you exporting that half. This therefore is an extra £55.74. This pushes us close enough to my £1600 (~4000 units) goal that I am happy.
And so the question is was it worth the money? We were told it may pay back in a little over 10 years. It seems that this was one of those rare things in today’s society – an overestimate, we are on track to break even in less than 10 years. I would have to look up the figures to work this out as we were the last of the lucky ones to get a grant (I think £2500) as well as the new tariff.
I would happily do this again given a method of keeping the electricity company happy, the acreage of roof I would like and of course the money. I know the exporting can only be 3.8kw but that we could do and have ours electricity on top rather than the share system we currently have. I heard a rumor of a device to stop more than 3.8 going to the grid no matter how much you had and the rest being used or sent to a heat dump. More research needed I feel…………….
I was aware that there was another film coming soon about the abuse in care and a scandal would probably follow but this was notably awful. The question remains, is this isolated or not?
Please watch and share
Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed (this iplayer link – till 30/5/12)