solar pv overview

w w w. c e r n u n n o s - h o m e s . c o . u k

Solar PV and the Feed In Tariff Cernunnos Homes

Version 3.2 Last updated December 2011

CERNUNNOS

2

This document is designed to take you through the entire process of a Solar PV system. From ‘What is Solar PV’ to ‘The Installation Process’, this document will help answer your questions.If you have further questions after reading this, then why not contact Cernunnos Homes on 0845 680 2183 or via [email protected], and we will be more than happy to help. Alternatively you could arrange a free, no-obligation site survey. We don’t have pushy sales people that turn up at your house. We have qualified technicians who are on hand to answer your questions and help you chose the right system for you.

We advise that you read this document before a Site Visit by one of our technicians, as then you will know what questions still need to be answered. Not all of the document will be relevant to everyone. Everyone has differing levels of knowledge and this document is designed for a complete beginner to Solar PV systems.

Welcome!

• C e r n u n n os h

om

es • Cernunno

s h

om

es

CERNUNNOS

3

4 What is Solar PV?

5 How much Energy Does it Produce?

6 Am I suitable for Solar PV?

7 Choosing the right system

8 The Components of a Solar PV System

9 Some of our Solar PV Panels

10 Some of our Inverters

11 Monitoring Devices

12 A Word on shading and inverters

13 Planning Permission & Building Regulations

14 The Feed In Tariff

15 Calculating Investment Returns

15 How Important is Inflation Linked?

15 Calculating Investment Returns

16-17 Installation and Maintenance

16-17 (Ground & Roof Mounted Systems)

18-19 Manufacturers Guarantees

19 The Cernunnos Installation Guarantee

20 Testimonials

21 Recent Installations

22-26 Case Study: Stonebridge Farm

27 Solar Community

27 Accreditations

28 Come and visit us

Contents

List of figures:

Figure: 1 Global Irradiation & solar electricity potential (Page 5)

Figure: 2 Energy produced each month (Page 5)

Figure 3 Performance levels for all types of systems (Page 6)

Figure 4 Annual ROI (Page 7)

Figure 5 Overshading and % of sky blocked by obstacles (Page 12)

Figure 6 Generation tariff (Page 14)

Figure 7 Return on investment and ROI (Page 15)

Figure 8 Annual RPI (Page 15)

Figure 9 System costs (Page 15)

Figure 10 Sunmaster inverters (Page 15)

Figure 11 SunnyBoy inverters (Page 15)

Figure 12 Fronius inverters (Page 15)

Figure 13 Diehl inverters (Page 15)

Figure 14 Power-One inverters (Page 15)

Figure 15 Monthly readings for your system (Page 27)

Figure 16 Your system vs. other in your area (Page 27)

4

Photovoltaic (PV) panels turn daylight directly into DC electricity where photons from the light hit electrons in the PV panel, knocking them into a higher state of energy thereby creating electricity.

PV is now one of the fastest growing energy markets in the world and was originally developed from NASA where PV was used to power satellites in space. Most of us have come across PV technology in solar powered calculators, which don’t actually need the sun light to work, light from an internal ceiling light or lamp powers the appliance.

The electricity generated by PV systems is measured in Kilowatt Peak hours (kWp), i.e. the amount of electricity generated in kW during peak hours of daylight. The reason for this unit of measurement is due to the fact that PV systems can vary in performance depending on the amount of light available. Generally, the greater the intensity of light, the greater the flow of electricity generated. Note that PV technology does not need sunlight – just daylight. In this sense a PV system will produce electricity even on cloudy days, as opposed to traditional solar powered heated water systems which need solar heat to generate hot water.

The panels are connected together to form an array, and the more panels you have in an array, the greater the amount of energy that can be produced.

This DC electricity is then converted to the safe AC electricity through the Inverter which is placed in your loft. The AC electricity then feeds through a “generation meter” and into your fuse board. The generation meter measures how much electricity you have produced.

From your fuse board, if your property needs the electricity then it will be directed to where it is needed. If your property does not need the electricity then it will automatically be fed back to the grid.

Note that currently most properties cannot tell how much electricity they have used and how much they have exported to the grid, as this requires a Smart Meter to be installed. Because of this, the Government allows us to “assume” that you use 50% and export 50%. If you use more then you may want to install a Smart Meter.

What is Solar PV?

A Solar PV Array of 6 panels A Solar PV Inverter

5

There are over 200 different makes of Solar PV panel on the market currently. Each manufacturer gives each panel a W (Watt) rating – i.e. the number of Watts a PANEL will produce under peak test conditions. Typical panels come in the following W sizes ranging from 170W to 250W, with the “weakest and cheapest” panels being 175W and the most powerful being 250W).

To create a system – something we call an “array” – you simply decide how many panels you want / can afford / can fit on the roof. The weaker panels (170) are much cheaper than the strongest (250W).

Some clients will be more limited by the amount of roof space, and thus will be focused on the highest power panel that will fit in a certain area. Others will be more concerned about cost and will therefore look towards the cheaper, less powerful panels.

Let us assume you want the strongest array you can get. Therefore, we work out you can fit 10 x 250W panels on a roof (Cernunnos do this on the site survey by measuring the roof). This would give a Wp system size of 2500Wp – or 2.5kWp (Kilo Watt Peak). That is, under peak conditions, the system would produce 2,500 Kilo Watt Hours per annum.

However, the UK weather does not allow for Peak conditions. Thus we have to adjust for this and we do this by estimating how much the system will produce. There is an industry standard method for estimating how much a system will actually produce and it is called SAP 2005 (SAP = Standard Assessment Procedure). It is a country wide standard, with the base case city being Sheffield. Thus, in places that get more sun than Sheffield (i.e. the South of UK) SAP underestimates a system performance, and vice versa for northern UK.

SAP takes into account the azim uth of the system (i.e. which way it faces: South, East or West etc); the angle of the system (i.e. the angle of which it is on the roof – an ideal angle being between 30 and 45 degrees); and how much shading there is (shading can affect a systems performance significantly). In general, SAP estimates that the actual output for a system will be approximately 86% of its kWp size. Thus a 1kWp system will produce 860kWh of electricity in any year in the UK.

Here (fig 1) is a Solar Radiation map of the UK. Anything South of Sheffield will outperform SAP and anything North will underperform.

The amount of energy a system will produce in each month of the year (fig 2). Even though systems perform all year round, they will produc in the summer months, when there is more light and the intensity is stronger, than the winter months.

How Much Energy Does It Produce?

Figure: 2

Figure: 1

6

There are very few criteria to determine your suitability for Solar PV Q: Is your roof facing East, West or South?

Q: Do you have more than 3sq meters of roof space?

Q: Is your roof in good repair and free from shading?

If you answered yes to all these questions then you are suitable!

Many people also ask the following:

Q: Can I place the systems on an East or West facing Roof?

A: YES!

Q: What angle must the systems be placed at? A: ANY!

The ideal conditions for Solar PV in the UK are South facing at an angle of between 30 and 45 degrees from the horizontal axis. However, facing an Easterly or Westerly direction, or being at an angle of 65 degrees does not mean the system will not work. It just means the system performance will be reduced slightly. The following table shows performance levels for all types of system installations (fig 3).

Figure: 4

There is no point in going over 4kW and installing 5kW or 6kW systems as the tariff change causes diminishing returns!

Am I Suitable for Solar PV?

Figure: 3

Azim

uth

West

SWW SW

SSW

South

SSE SE

ESE

East

Tilt 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40 -50 -60 -70 -80 -90

0 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3

5 92.5 92.9 93.3 93.6 94.0 94.4 94.6 94.7 94.9 95.1 94.9 94.7 94.6 94.4 94.0 93.6 93.3 92.9 92.5

10 91.7 92.5 93.2 94.0 94.7 95.4 95.8 96.2 96.6 96.9 96.6 96.2 95.8 95.4 94.7 94.0 93.2 92.5 91.7

15 91.0 92.1 93.2 94.3 95.4 96.5 97.1 97.6 98.2 98.8 98.2 97.6 97.1 96.5 95.4 94.3 93.2 92.1 91.0

20 90.2 91.6 93.1 94.6 96.1 97.6 98.3 99.1 99.8 100.6 99.8 99.1 98.3 97.6 96.1 94.6 93.1 91.6 90.2

25 89.4 91.2 93.1 94.9 96.8 98.6 99.6 100.5 101.4 102.4 101.4 100.5 99.6 98.6 96.8 94.9 93.1 91.2 89.4

30 88.6 90.8 93.0 95.3 97.5 99.7 100.8 102.0 103.1 104.2 103.1 102.0 100.8 99.7 97.5 95.3 93.0 90.8 88.6

35 86.7 89.1 91.5 93.9 96.3 98.7 99.9 101.2 102.4 103.6 102.4 101.2 99.9 98.7 96.3 93.9 91.5 89.1 86.7

40 84.8 87.4 90.0 92.6 95.2 97.8 99.1 100.4 101.6 102.9 101.6 100.4 99.1 97.8 95.2 92.6 90.0 87.4 84.8

45 82.9 85.7 88.5 91.2 94.0 96.8 98.2 99.6 100.9 102.3 100.9 99.6 98.2 96.8 94.0 91.2 88.5 85.7 82.9

50 80.4 83.2 86.0 88.9 91.7 94.5 96.0 97.4 98.8 100.2 98.8 97.4 96.0 94.5 91.7 88.9 86.0 83.2 80.4

55 77.8 80.7 83.6 86.5 89.4 92.3 93.7 95.2 96.6 98.1 96.6 95.2 93.7 92.3 89.4 86.5 83.6 80.7 77.8

60 75.3 78.2 81.2 84.1 87.1 90.0 91.5 93.0 94.5 96.0 94.5 93.0 91.5 90.0 87.1 84.1 81.2 78.2 75.3

65 72.2 75.0 77.9 80.7 83.6 86.4 87.8 89.2 90.7 92.1 90.7 89.2 87.8 86.4 83.6 80.7 77.9 75.0 72.2

70 69.0 71.8 74.5 77.3 80.0 82.8 84.1 85.5 86.8 88.1 86.8 85.5 84.1 82.8 80.0 77.3 74.5 71.8 69.0

75 65.9 68.6 71.2 73.9 76.5 79.2 80.5 81.7 83.0 84.2 83.0 81.7 80.5 79.2 76.5 73.9 71.2 68.6 65.9

80 62.8 65.3 67.9 70.5 73.0 75.6 76.8 77.9 79.1 80.3 79.1 77.9 76.8 75.6 73.0 70.5 67.9 65.3 62.8

85 59.6 62.1 64.6 67.1 69.5 72.0 73.1 74.2 75.3 76.3 75.3 74.2 73.1 72.0 69.5 67.1 64.6 62.1 59.6

90 56.5 58.9 61.3 63.6 66.0 68.4 69.4 70.4 71.4 72.4 71.4 70.4 69.4 68.4 66.0 63.6 61.3 58.9 56.5

7

There are hundreds of Solar PV panels currently on the market. How do you select the right one for your needs?

Panels differ in size, power and cost and thus choosing the right panel depends largely on three factors:

Q: How much roof space you have?

Q: How much are you willing to spend?

Q: How much energy you need/want to produce?

Some clients will be more limited by the amount of roof space, and thus will be focused on the highest power panel that will fit in a certain area. Others will be more concerned about cost and will therefore look towards the cheaper, less powerful panels. Those with unlimited space will be more concerned with using the most powerful panel on a cost efficiency basis. Cernunnos considers all these factors when selecting the right panel for a client.

We work with over 100 panels and select the best on a cost/performance ratio. We work out the cost per panel per Watt per meter squared – giving us the best efficiency panels on the market. Helping you get the right panel for your needs.

Additionally, there will be certain system sizes that are just a “no go”. Because the tariff rate is lowered for systems over 4kW and then again for systems over 10kW, it is only advisable to go over these system sizes if the financial reward is advantageous. For example, a 3.99kW system will earn more than a 4.01kW system as the latter falls under a reduced tariff rate. As you increase the system from 4kW you will eventually find that it becomes advantageous financially. Generally, we say that systems between 4kW and 6kW are not advisable and similarly for systems between 10kW and 12kW.

The following chart (fig 4) shows the Annual ROI plotted against the system size (kW).

Choosing the right system

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There are very few components to a Solar PV system. They largely consist of:

Solar PV panels

The main part of the system that generates DC electricity from daylight. They tend to come with manufacturers guarantees of 25 years (see over).

An Inverter

This converts the DC electricity into the safer AC electricity that is used by the grid. It is usually located in the loft and is about the size of two shoe boxes.

A Generation Meter

This measures how much electricity is generated by your system and is about the size of two packets of cards. It is usually located next to your consumer unit.

Most Inverters come with a manufacturers guarantee of just 5 years, with an option to extend. However, there is a different, newer, type of inverter: the Enecsys Micro-Inverter. There are several advantages of micro-inverters, including:

• They allow each panel to be monitored individually thereby enabling you to maintain your system more easily and ensure that it is operating at its best throughout its lifetime.

• They enable the system to maximise the power generated from each panel, even if some panels are affected from shading.

• They tend have a longer life span than traditional string inverters. String inverters will generally need replacing during a solar PV systems lifespan, whilst micro inverters shouldn’t.

• They are easier to install as they do not require large DC to AC connection wiring.

A typical inverter for a 2kWp system will cost around £1,000 and has a high probability of needing replacing during the lifetime of the solar PV system. Thus, we can safely assume that the cost of a string inverter during the life of a solar PV system will be £2,000 in total.

The cost of one single micro-inverter from Enecsys is £200, and it comes with a manufacturers guarantee of 20 years. However, in a 2kWp system, we will have 10 panels and thus will need 10 inverters, bringing the total cost to £2,000. Thus, given the life expectancy of the Enecsys micro-inverter versus a more traditional string inverter, the relative cost is the same.

However, there are other advantages:• Micro inverters are cheaper to install as they require no

dangerous DC to AC wiring

• Micro Inverters make the system cheaper to maintain as the system, and any problems, can be easily identified and rectified

• Micro inverters increase the performance of any system, especially those that are affected by shading. It is estimated that a Micro Inverter will increase the performance of any system by up to 20%.

Some of the Solar Panels and Inverters we work with are shown on the opposite page, with details on their manufacturers warranty.

The Components of a Solar PV System

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Part No: HIT-H250E01

Description: Sanyo HIT H Series PV Panel 250W

Rated Power:250W

Weight:16.5kg

Length:1610mm

Width:861mm

Depth:35mm

Efficiency:18%

10 year material & workmanship guarantee, 0-10 years 90% of Pmin, 11-25 years 80% of Pmin

Pmin = 95% of nominal maximum power

Part No: HIT-N240SE10

Description: Sanyo HIT N Series PV Panel

Rated Power:240W

Weight:15kg

Length:1580mm

Width:798mm

Depth:35mm

Efficiency:19%

10 year material & workmanship guarantee, 0-10 years 90% of Pmin, 11-25 years 80% of Pmin

Pmin = 95% of nominal maximum power

Part No: Mage 250 / 5MJ

Description: Mage Mono 250W

Rated Power:250W

Weight:21kg

Length:1580mm

Width:1069mm

Depth:50mm

Efficiency:14.95%

10 years material & workmanship guarantee, 15 year efficiency guarantee down to 90% and 30 year down to 80%.

Part No: UP-M240P

Description: Upsolar Poly 240W

Rated Power:240W

Weight:15.4kg

Length:1640mm

Width:992mm

Depth:40mm

Efficiency:14.8%

5 years material & workmanship guarantee. Insurance backed warranty, graduated system based on Peak Power from 97% in years 1 to 3 to 80% at year 25.

Some of our Solar PV Panels

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Part No: Eltek Valere 3.8

Description :ELTEK VAL 38 HE-t

Weight:18kg

Transformer:HF

IP Rating:IP65

Eltek factory warranty valid for 5 years from the date of purchase. The Eltek factory warranty covers any costs which you incur for repair or replacement parts during the agreed period beginning at the date of purchase of the device.

Part No: Fronius IG TL 3.6

Description: Fronius IG TL 3.6

Rated Power:3600W

Weight:19kg

Transformer:None

IP Rating:IP55

Fronius factory warranty valid for 5 years from the date of purchase. The factory warranty covers any costs which you incur for repair or replacement parts during the agreed period beginning at the date of purchase of the device.

Part No: SB-4000TL

Description: SMA 4000TL Sunny Boy

Weight:25kg

Transformer:None

IP Rating:IP65

SMA factory warranty valid for 5 years from the date of purchase. The SMA factory warranty covers any costs which you incur for repair or replacement parts during the agreed period beginning at the date of purchase of the device.

Part No: Aurora PVI 3600

Description:Power One Aurora Inverter

Weight:10.5kg

Transformer:None

IP Rating:IP21

Power One factory warranty valid for 10 years from the date of purchase. The factory warranty covers any costs which you incur for repair or replacement parts during the agreed period beginning at the date of purchase of the device.

Some of our Inverters

The Enecsys Micro Inverter

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A standard Generation Meter is supplied with all installations. This is the most basic of meters that will tell you how much you have generated through your systems.

However, you can opt to buy a Bluetooth Wireless Monitoring Device from either SunnyBoy, Aurora or Fronius:

Sunny Boy

Aurora

Fronius

A more Standard monitoring device, that requires very little time and effort (and cost) to set up, is the Geo Solo monitoring device. This is also one of the cheaper monitors that works with all inverters and comes recommended by Cernunnos Homes:

Mobile monitoring with Enecsys:

With the Enecsys Micro Inverters you get a free web based monitoring system, already set up and fully functional that allows monitoring of individual panels

iphone app also availible.

Monitoring Devices

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One point to note about Solar PV arrays is that when a string inverter is used, each panel will only perform to its weakest component. Therefore, if one panel is shaded (for example, by a chimney), then every panel in that array will act like it is shaded. This is a very important point to note when designing your system. To overcome this issue, you can have a split string inverter (two separate strings) or use micro inverters which mean that each and every panel will perform independently of each other – planning and foresight can significantly improve your system!

Figure 5

Overshading% of sky blocked by

obstaclesOvershading

Factor

Heavy > 80% 50%

Significant 60% - 80% 65%

Modest 20% - 60% 80%

None or very little < 20% 100%

A word on shading and inverters

13

Planning laws are quite clearly laid out for Solar PV systems. However, Building Regs are a lot more ambiguous, and thus leaves the home owner with a choice of whether to apply for them or not. We always advise that you should apply for them, but it is entirely the homeowners decision. There is no extra work involved for the homeowner.

All solar installations are subject to the following conditions: • Panels on a building should be sited, so far as

is practicable, to minimise the effect on the appearance of the building.

• They should be sited, so far as is practicable, to minimise the effect on the amenity of the area.

• When no longer needed for microgeneration they should be removed as soon as possible.

Roof and Wall Mounted Solar Panels• Panels should not be installed above the ridgeline

and should project no more than 200mm from the roof or wall surface.

• If your property is a listed building installation is likely to require an application for listed building consent, even where planning permission is not needed.

• Wall mounted only – if your property is in a conservation area, or in a World Heritage Site, planning consent is required when panels are to be fitted on the principal or side elevation walls and they are visible from the highway. If panels are to be fitted to a building in your garden or grounds they should not be visible from the highway.

Standalone Solar Panels• Should be no higher than four metres • Should be at least 5m from boundaries • Size of array is limited to 9 sq m or 3m wide and

3m deep • Should not be installed within boundary of a

listed building • In the case of land in a conservation area or in a

World Heritage Site it should not be visible from the highway.

• Only one stand alone solar installation is permitted.

More information can be found at: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/solarpanels http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/planningpolicystatement5

Building Regulations Planning laws say Building Regs must be followed for weight and wind load calculations. However, under the MCS registration scheme, installers are deemed to be “competent persons” under this scheme, and can therefore waive the need to apply for Building Regs from the local authority (or so it is assumed!). Some local authorities do not agree with this as they feel installers are not suitably qualified (as all they have to do is read a document on wind loads and answer a couple of questions to an examiner and they are therefore seen to be competent) and therefore the installation needs to apply for Building Regs (in the eyes of the Local Authority), thereby paying the associated fee! The legislation is not completely transparent on this at the moment, although it is thought this will be clarified in the April 2012 review.

At Cernunnos Homes, being an NHBC registered builder, we are suitably qualified, and we create all the necessary roof load and wind load calculations for your property. Applying for Building Regs is something we can do for you, free of charge (although we do pass on the local authority charge).

Alternatively, if your local authority does not require Building Regs to be applied for then we will have the calculations for you regardless, and you can rest assured that your system has been designed to last!

Finally, every householder should notify their home insurer as to the installation. They should also check that the insurer does not require Building Regs as this may affect their policy. These are “grey” areas where we can advise as to the best solution, but it is the householder that must make the ultimate decision. Most installers will not notify you of these points as they focus on making the “sale” – Cernunnos Homes focuses on your needs and requirements.

Planning Permission & Building Regulations

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In April 2010 the UK Government introduced Feed In Tariffs to encourage the installation of renewable electricity generating technology in all types of buildings across the UK. Under this scheme you are paid a fixed rate for every Kilo Watt Hour (kWh) of renewable electricity that you generate, regardless of whether you use the electricity yourself or not. For electricity that you do not use you will be paid an additional rate for every KWh that you “Feed back” into the national grid, whilst you will also save money on your electricity bills as you will purchase less electricity from your supplier.

Technologies eligible include Solar PV, Hydro, Wind and Anaerobic Digestion.

The Feed in Tariff system is open to everyone including households, businesses, schools, hospitals, local councils, and community projects – in fact any renewable electricity project under 50kWp.

For a Renewable electricity generating system to be eligible for a FIT payment, they must be installed by an MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) accredited company.

The FiT has 2 payment components:

Generation TariffA fixed payment by your electricity supplier for each KWh of electricity you generate, regardless of whether you use it or not. The table (fig 6) for the Generation tariff is:

Figure 6:

Pence per

kWh post Dec 2011

Lifetime of Scheme

(years)

Solar PV <4kW (retro fit) 21.0 25

Solar PV >4kW (new build) 21.0 25

Solar PV 4-10kW 16.8 25

Solar PV 10-50kW 15.2 25

Solar PV 50-100kW 12.9 25

Solar PV 100-150kW 12.9 25

Solar PV 150-250kW 12.9 25

Solar PV 250-5MW 8.5 25

Solar PV Standalone 8.5 25

The Export TariffA payment that has a floor price of 3.1p per kWh from your electricity supplier for each unit of renewable electricity that you generate but do not use and thereby “Feed Back” into the national grid. The amount that you feed-back into the grid will eventually be measured by Smart Meters, which will be installed in every house in the future under a Government scheme. However, until the use of Smart Meters is more widespread, the Government has set out that 50% of total electricity generation will be “assumed” to have been exported. The 3.1p/kWh is also a “floor” price, and renewable energy generators (i.e. participants in the FIT scheme) can negotiate higher Export Tariffs with their energy supplier.

Let us assume you install 10 x 250W panels on your roof. This would give a Wp system size of 2500Wp – or 2.5kWp (Kilo Watt Peak). Using SAP 2005 we then estimate that your system will produce at least 2,100kWh of electricity every year.

Therefore, assuming you are on the standard domestic FiT tariff, you will receive a payment of 21.0p for every kWh that you produce:

21.0p x 2,100kWh = £441.00 = Generation Payment from FiT

Let us also assume that you only use 50% of the electricity you produce (this is what the Government allows you to assume until Smart Meters are installed in every home by 2014). Thus, by exporting the other 50% of the electricity you generate, you also get paid:

3.1p x 2,100kWh x 50% = £32.55 = Export Payment from FiT

Finally, if you are exporting 50% of the electricity you generate, you will therefore be using the other 50%. This electricity is free and replaces electricity you would otherwise have bought from your supplier. Assuming current electricity prices from your supplier are around 13p per kWh, you would therefore be saving the following from your annual electricity bill:

13p x 2,100kWh x 50% = £136.50 £136.50 = Annual Reduction in Electricity Bill

Hence, in total you would make annual savings of:

£441.00 + £32.55 + £136.50 = £610.05 £610.05 = Total Annual Savings

The £473.55 is a payment that is made from your ELECTRICITY SUPPLIER to you. Every time you get an electricity bill, it will show this credit (for quarterly bills the credit will be a quarter of this on each bill).

•

The Feed In Tariff

15

In the previous example, let us assume that the system cost £6,500 fully installed including VAT. From that we can work out the following:

The consumer saves £610.05 every year (inflation linked) for 25 years. This gives a total figure of £15,251.25.

This (fig 7) gives an annual ROI of 9.38%!

Figure 7:

Initial Investment £6,500

Total Return over 25 years £15,251

Net Profit over 25 years £8,751

Payback period (years) 10.65

% Return over 25 years 234.63%

Return on Investment (ROI) over 25 years 134.63%

Annual ROI 9.39%

Also, these returns are:

Inflation linked

Guaranteed for 25 years

Protect you from rising energy bills

For many businesses, schools and housing associations, costs can fall significantly when they purchase larger systems. This is because the installation costs are reduced, and bulk purchase discounts can be achieved. It is not unreasonable to expect an annual ROI of 12%+ and APR of 6% (inflation linked!)

Figure 9:

How important is inflation linked?In April 2010 the Feed In Tariff rate for existing and new participants was increased by 4.8%!

Energy Price Inflation is expected to be in excess of 15% per annum over the next 3 years!

Inflation, as measured by the RPI (Fig 8), is currently at a 20 year high!

Figure 8:

System CostsAt Cernunnos Homes we offer a range of fixed price systems (fig 9).

We work with every type of panel and inverter on the market. Should you wish for us to quote on a specific system then just ask – all we need is the panel name, number of panels and (if appropriate) the inverter.

Calculating the Investment Returns

System System CostAnnual FiT Payment

& Elec Bill SavingsTotal FiT Payment

over 25 years Annual ReturnPayback Period

(Years)

2kWp £5,680.41 £473.70 £28,189.01 8.34% 11.99

3kWp £7,323.30 £710.55 £42,283.52 9.70% 10.31

4kWp £8,529.11 £828.24 £49,286.95 9.71% 10.30

10kWp £18,347.13 £2,071.91 £131,223.66 11.29% 8.86

50kWp £86,405.06 £9,742.47 £634,711.36 11.28% 8.87

16

❶ Scaffolding erected ❷ Solar Panel Mounting frame is fixed to the roof rafter, sliding underneath the existing tiles, meaning there is no need for any roof work

The roof is checked to be in good repair...

The brackets are fixed to the roof joists and the tiles made to sit flush again.

Maintenance is relatively simple, with the panels possibly needing cleaning once a year. Cernunnos Homes offer this service. We can also monitor the performance of the panels, ensuring you get the maximum from your system.

Let us not forget, you can always have a Ground Mounted System. Some people do not want panels on their roof – maybe they could have them at the bottom of their garden!

If you are using Enecsys Micro Inverters, these are now fixed to the rails.

The rails are fixed to the brackets and aligned.

The Installation Process & Maintenance

❸ The Inverter is installed in your loft and connected to the Solar Panels. The Generation Meter is then installed next to your fuse board and connected.

❹ Finish

The panels are fixed to the rails.

All the panels are put in place.

Your system is installed, registered by Cernunnos Homes and then handed over to you!

The Inverter is installed (if not using Enecsys Micro Inverters) and electrical connections made.

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Domestic installation can take as little as a single day to complete. There are 3 main components to installation

❸ The Inverter is installed in your loft and connected to the Solar Panels. The Generation Meter is then installed next to your fuse board and connected.

❹ Finish

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Solar PV Panels

Summary: First 10years for 90% power output Next 15 years down to 80% of power output. https://www.mitsubishielectricsolar.com/download_file.php?file=1255974256MEUS_PVD_Warranty%20_Last%20Modified%20Oct%202009_.pdf

Summary:First 10years for 90% power output Next 15 years down to 80% of power output http://www.day4energy.com/wp-content/uploads/Day4_Warranty_UK-EN.pdf

Summary: Limited warranty for 80% power output for 25 years. Freedom from defects in materials and workmanship for 5 years. http://www.powerglaz.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=56

Summary:SANYO shall guarantee each Module concerned, for a period of twenty (20) years as of sale to Ultimate Customer, against any functions falling short of 80 per cent of the minimum power output measured when voltage is at an optimum and under standard test conditions of 1,000 W/m². http://www.sanyo-solar.eu/en/service/downloads/guarantees/?eID=dam_frontend_push&docID=1318

Summary:First 1 year at 97% of the specified rated output Years 2 to 25 the efficiency will degrade by no more than 0.7% per year. Therefore at year 25 the efficiency will be no less than 80.2%. http://www.schottsolar.com/no_cache/global/sales-services/downloads/warranties-guarantees/?cid=864720&did=2407&sechash=97ea0186

Summary: First 12 years at 90% of the specified rated output Balance of 13 years of at least 80% of the specified rated output. http://www.affordable-solar.co.uk/wp-content/documents/Schuco%20War-ranty%20MPE%20MS%2005.pdf

Summary:The warranty period of 25 years First 10 years at 90% minimum rated power output Balance of 15 years at 80% minimum rated power output. http://www.sunwize.com/info_center/pdf/Sharp-Solar-Module-Warranty_10-09.

pdf

Summary: Years 1 – 3: Down to 97% of “Peak Power at STC”

Years 4 – 25: Years 3 – 7 to an efficiency level of 93.50% Years 8 – 12 to an efficiency level of 90.00% Years 13 – 16 to an efficiency level of 86.92% Years 17 – 20 to an efficiency level of 83.85% Years 21 – 25 to an efficiency level of 80.00%

http://www.upsolar.com/usa/files/Warranty%20terms.pdf

Summary: Years 1 - 15: Down to 90% of “Peak Power at STC” Years 15 - 30: Down to 80% of “Peak Power at STC” http://www.magesolar.de/en/products/mage_powertec_plus.html

Manufacturers Guarantees

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Inverters:Sunmaster XS 2000/XS3200/XS4300:

Summary: Standard 5 year manufacturers’ warranty with option to extend for 10 or 20 years. Warranty Extension Costs (ex VAT).

Figure 10Sunmaster XS 2000 Warranty Extension 10Year £288.00

Sunmaster XS 2000 Warranty Extension 20Year £864.00


Sunmaster XS 3200 Warranty Extension 20Year £1,116.00


Sunmaster XS 4300 Warranty Extension 20Year £1,200.00

SunnyBoy 1200/1700/2500/3000TL/4000TL/5000TL:


Figure 11:

Sunny Boy Warranty Extension 10 Year - to 4kW £252.00



Sunny Boy Warranty Extension 10 Year - over 4kW £372.00

Sunny Boy Warranty Extension 15 Year - over 4kW £876.00

Sunny Boy Warranty Extension 20 Year - over 4kW £1,128.00

Fronius IG15/IG20/IG30/Plus 35/Plus 50/Plus 70/Plus 100/Plus 120/ Plus 150:


Figure 12:

Fronius IG 15-30, IG 35 & 50 Plus Warranty Extension 10Year £240.00



Fronius IG 40, 60, 70, 100 Plus Warranty Extension 10Year £360.00

Fronius IG 40, 60, 70, 100 Plus Warranty Extension 15Year £720.00

Fronius IG 40, 60, 70, 100 Plus Warranty Extension 20Year £1,092.00

Fronius IG 120, 150 Plus Warranty Extension 10Year £480.00

Fronius IG 120, 150 Plus Warranty Extension 15Year £972.00

Fronius IG 120, 150 Plus Warranty Extension 20Year £1,452.00

Diehl Platinum 2100/2800/3100/3800/4300/4600:


Figure 13:

Diehl Warranty Extension 10Year £300.00

Diehl Warranty Extension 20Year £700.00

Power-One Aurora 2.0, 3.0 and 3.6 PVI Inverter:

Summary: Standard 10 manufacturers warranty with the option to extend to 15 or 20 years.

Figure 14:

Aurora Warranty Extension 15Year £460

Aurora Warranty Extension 20Year £800 Enecsys MicroInverters:

Standard 20 year manufacturers’ warranty.

The Cernunnos Guarantee:You can rest assured that Cernunnos will install your system to the highest standard possible. We offer a 10 year installation guarantee on all our installations, in addition to the manufacturers guarantees.

Our guarantees are backed by the Consumer Protection Agency, as is your deposit, so you can rest assured, over the 10 years guarantee period you will be covered!

• C e r n u n n o s Gu

ar a

nte

e • Cernunnos Gua

ran

tee

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“ We are very pleased to say the solar panel installation has taken place in one day. Keith and I would like to say that we found your chaps very efficient, hard working, knowledgeable and all round a pleasure to have with us. They were “dog and child friendly”! Your service has proved thus far to be very professional and we will have no hesitation in recommending you...”

Mr & Mrs W, Boston, Lincolnshire

“ …I arranged a meeting with one of their advisors who very quickly covered the key advantages/disadvantages and key considerations in a clear and lucid manner to a luddite like myself... a site visit was quickly arranged and a few discussions later the go-ahead was given. They arranged everything from the planning permission stage to completing, as much as possible, the documentation that requires to be sent to your electricity provider in order to be part of the FIT’s (Fixed Income Tariff) scheme. I was kept constantly in touch with developments and sent photos on construction and overall have been extremely impressed with their overall professionalism.”

Mr N, Devon

“ Even though I myself am a trained electrical engineer with over 30 years experience in the industry, I was amazed by the level of technological knowledge held by the technicians. They answered every question in great detail and if they didn’t have an immediate answer they would go and find out for me. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole process which was dealt with in a most professional manner…”

Mr S, St Ives

“ No sales rubbish, just the truth in an easy to understand format. From the first visit to the final installation day – everyone was a pleasure to meet”

Mr M, Baldock, Hertfordshire

“ The system recommended and installed by Peter has exceeded all expectations. If I hadn’t taken into account the shading issues from my chimney the performance would have been significantly reduced. Thank goodness I listened to these guys rather than the others just wishing to sell me any old system…”

Mr F, Cambridge

“I own one of the Cernunnos Eco homes they have built and must say I love my low cost –property. No electricity or heating bills and the income from the Feed In Tariff! Next year we also get more money from the Renewable Heat Incentive. Cernunnos do not just sell systems or build houses – they have kept in contact with me over the years and keep me informed of everything in the renewable energy market… a big thank you!”

Mrs R, Cambridge

Please ask for written references or if you would like to contact a referee.

Testimonials

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Recent Installations

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Solar PV Installation:32kWp (160 x 190w Mage Poly panels)

Stonebridge Farm Sibsey Lincolnshire

December 2011

Bishops Farm Partners, owners of Stonebridge Farm, wanted a 32kWp system put on top of the main grain store building to generate electricity for the systems used by the grain store and the on-site workshop. Cernunnos Homes was asked to quote in October, just before the announcement of the changes in the Feed in Tariff rates to take effect in December 2011!

Following the initial site survey and subsequent quotation there was a secondary site survey involving the client, the project manager, the head of installations and the senior technician. This resulted in the client instructing Cernunnos Homes to undertake the work.

Once instructed to proceed with the project the first task was to get the architectural drawings and structural engineers report completed. This was completed within a week and allowed the planning application to be submitted. Whilst agricultural buildings are not subjected to building regulations, Cernunnos Homes ensures that wind load and roof load calculations are completed to insure that the structural integrity of the building will remain intact. Had any strengthening to the building been required this would have been carried out.

Following completion of the planning application, Cernunnos Homes then completed the G59 forms for the DNO, Central Networks, to enable grid connection once the system had been installed. This also involved a site visit from the DNO officer that was conducted alongside a Cernunnos Homes electrician.

With the paperwork well underway and progressing well, the equipment could be ordered and delivery arranged. The strong relationship Cernunnos Homes has with manufacturer’s means that we not only get the very best prices for our clients, but also enables us to arrange delivery straight from the factory to the installation site. It is not only panels that are required, but also 600m of aluminium railing, hundreds of bolts and two inverters that weigh over 65Kg each!

Once all the necessary permissions have been received and the equipment has been delivered, work can begin!

Case Study: Stonebridge Farm

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Scaffolding goes up

Railings are laid


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Ready for the panels

Every panel is tested individually

Electrical connections made

The panels are installed

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Work undertaken and ALL inclusive on the original quotation:

This project was completed in 4 working days – despite it being early December, with limited hours of daylight and strong winds! Contact reference is available upon request.


• Architectural Drawings• Full Structural Engineers report for roof load and wind load calculations• Planning Application completed and submitted• Grid Connection application made to the local DNO (G59 form)• Supply and fit of Solar PV system, including all associated costs• System registration under the Feed in Tariff scheme• 10 year workmanship guarantee• System monitoring and optional annual check

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200 strong and growing by the day!Having a system installed by Cernunnos Homes is just the start of our relationship with you…

The Cernunnos Solar Community is made up of clients whom share their monthly generation readings with Cernunnos Homes. We then collate this data and share it with the community, allowing members to see how their system performs versus others in their area.

We also provide a FREE monitoring service, where we will keep an eye on your monthly readings and inform you if there is a problem with your system.

See for yourself hundreds of systems in action and the huge savings they are making for our clients (not to mention the benefits to the environment!)…

Figure 15: Monthly readings for your system

Figure 16: Your system versus others in your area

Solar Community

Cernunnos Building Services, trading as Cernunnos Homes, is a member of the REAL Quality Assurance Scheme and follows the REAL Consumer Code. Details about the Consumer Code can be found at www.realassurance.org.uk with direct information about the code at www.realassurance.org.uk/pdf/leaflet.pdf

Cernunnos Homes is currently registered as an MCS approved installer under the corporate name Cernunnos Building Services for Solar PV technology and is in the process for qualifying as an Approved Installer for other technologies. Cernunnos Homes is the trading name for Cernunnos Building Services. The use of the MCS and REAL logo on this brochure, and any other marketing material from Cernunnos Homes, only refers to the Solar PV technology as of February 2011. Please ask a member of Cernunnos Homes for an update if you require one.

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w w w. c e r n u n n o s - h o m e s . c o . u k

CERNUNNOS

For expert advice:Telephone: 0845 680 2183 Fax: 0845 680 1183 Email: [email protected]

Come and Visit USOur new showroom in Hitchin town centre allows you to come and see the panels, roof mounting systems and meet some of the technicians involved in designing and installing the system. Easily located in the town centre, why not come along and meet the team! You can also see all the different technologies in action!

20 Bucklersbury Hitchin SG5 1BG

Open 10am – 6pm Monday to Saturday

Buck

lers

bury

Tilehouse St

Bridge St

Park Way A

602

Payn

e’s P

ark

Upper Tilehouse St Whitings Court

Exchange Yd

High

St

Brand St

Que

en S

t

Park S

t B656

Winch’s Yd

A505

Wratten Rd CERNUNNOS

Designed by Jam

ie Bello – jamie.bello@

gmail.com

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