solar panels - couple of questions

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solar panels - couple of questions

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moongoddess

Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 673

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 06 11:54 am Post subject: solar panels - couple of questions
i) Do you need planning permission to put them on the roof? ii) I keep getting 'junk mail' that offers schemes to have work like solar panels or double glazing installed at a knock-down price if I then show potential customers around our home. Are these schemes legit / worth taking advantage of or are they a huge scam? TIA mg x

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22790
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 06 12:00 pm Post subject:
i) No. Or at least we didn't for our solar water heating. ii) Don't know. Worth investigating though.

alternative-energy

Joined: 13 Dec 2005
Posts: 35
Location: Kent

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 06 12:43 pm Post subject:

Planning permission is only needed for wind turbines or if you are in conservation area or your building is listed. For solar PV planning consent must be applied for and it is needed for accessing grants. Building control need to be informed and with sellers packs coming about in 18 months time its wise to do so. You don't want future problems and having the works signed off from building control is a really good idea.

I would always regard a deal that seems too good to be true as just that.

check out

www.alternative-energy.co.uk

puffedpride

Joined: 05 Nov 2005
Posts: 300
Location: bristol

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 06 4:51 pm Post subject:
I read somewhere, possibly on a forum, that PV panels used so much energy in the making that it seriously compromised their environmental benefit. Please tell me that's a load of codswallop someone.......it's been bugging me!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 44499
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 06 5:35 pm Post subject:
i think those responses may be correct . warming water may be a good option . i got a bit confused . maybe someone could explain it really simply .

moongoddess

Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 673

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 06 7:50 pm Post subject:
Thanks everyone. We are in a conservation area, so I guess that needs looking into. However, puffedpride, your comment has concerned me somewhat, so I'm interested to hear a response too.........worrying isn't it? We were thinking of just running low usage stuff like lights / laptops etc...... mg x

Shane

Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 3467
Location: Doha. Is hot.

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 06 8:31 am Post subject:
This paper claims that PV cells have an energy pay back time of 1 to 5 years, and over their lifetime they produce between 6 and 31 times the energy it takes to manufacture them.

puffedpride

Joined: 05 Nov 2005
Posts: 300
Location: bristol

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 06 11:34 pm Post subject:
Thanks for that Shane - just realised I've asked the same question in 2 seperate threads. Short term memory obviously going

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