We are thinking down similar lines. The new house design has a lean-to lower roof on the south elevation to give mid-day shade and a bit of architectural interest. Replacing the slates with pv would be easy as the roof structure has been greatly over-engineered by the frame manufacturer - so no issues with wind or snow and the nearest trees aren't a problem. Just got to get the local installers to show some interest - bleeding French artisans, no sense of urgency.

No - not scared off.

Just about 10 projects to prioritise and other things to do first in this new (to us) home. Such as finishing unpacking.

The advice has been very helpful.

Ferdinand

Thanks Gary. At that price it'd only be of interest in special circumstances. Equivalent area of double-wall polycarbonate plus equivalent power from conventional PV would cost about half that if I remember the prices correctly (say £35/m² for polycarbonate and 80p/W for PV including DIY fixing).

<blockquote><cite>Posted By: GaryB</cite><blockquote><cite>Posted By: Ed Davies</cite>These guys might be of interest:

<a href="<a href=" rel="nofollow" class="seoquake-nofollow">http://www.polysolar.co.uk/</a>" rel="nofollow" >http://www.polysolar.co.uk/

Translucent thin-film panels for greenhouses, etc. I'd like to know what their prices are like, though.</blockquote>
Cost is £2,250 ex VAT for 9 panels on a supply only basis, excluding inverters and framing. Panels are 1300x1100 and 90Wp each.</blockquote>

That looks interesting for conservatory roofs, as a possible foil for the basic "don't work" characteristic of conservatories facing anything but north in summer (sans ASHP running backwards).

£250 per 1.45 sqm is comparable to big double glazing units suitable for a conservatory roof, and presumably they don't "blow" every 10 years or so :-).

It may also help solve the "roasted Fido" problem, by keeping some heat out.

And the little bit of power would help.

@garyb - could you post a couple of pics of the general view from inside/outside - thanks.

ML

Posted By: joe90If I designed the roof to accept these panels I would not presumable need the framing etc.

Some module manufactures will not honour a warranty/guarantee unless they approve the mounting system. So check on that.

Posted By: joe90This sounds really good for my proposed new build which i was hoping for a "sun space" across the whole rear of the property facing due South, as per Viking House Glengariffe Passive Solar House .

I agree the sun space idea looks good and I'm also gathering ideas for my own New build design. I see the blurb on the WH web site is dated 2005 and was wondering if you had any recent information or monitoring data?

LoL - sorry guys - i didn't realise there was a heirarchy of snobbery surrounding the panels. Whatever happened to saving the planet one roof at a time ?

Regards

Barney

Posted By: barneyLoL - sorry guys - i didn't realise there was a heirarchy of snobbery surrounding the panels. Whatever happened to saving the planet one roof at a time ?

Regards

Barney

Barney, not snobbery but a desire to do things as well as possible and as economical as possible, if the PV panel can replace the roofing material and save this cost then this is also "saving the planet one roof at a time" solar slates were also intended to do the same and I think (hope) that they will be common place by the time I get to do my build. For existing houses added panels will be the norm.

Regards

John

The reality is that building a new house from scratch costs serious money and I for one wants to use the best materials and technology, so if I can use a solar panel that covers a roof in one hit , without the need for a slate did underneath, then that's the technology for me.

I get the feeling that green technology in house building is in a state of flux, we all need to question the relative efficiency and cost benefit of each technology. We also need to explore the interactions between each technology and extract maximum efficiency and value, I have in mind solar hot water, up to fairly recently few would have thought about what go do with excess heat, now we think interseasonal storage. I Also see a recent thread that questions the relative efficiency of air source and other heat pump compared to gas and I'm left wondering.

Long may the debate continue, hopefully some time soon we will have the perfect green home designed by community (nearly said committee, then remembered we're not! ..... a committee).

>Some module manufactures will not honour a warranty/guarantee unless they approve the mounting system.

I'd be a little surprised if that would be enforceable, unless the system used can be shown to be he cause of a problem.

The OFT would be interested (?)

Ferdinand

(Yank back to top)

I'm hoping to have the time and money to tackle this project in 2014.

So I've taken a photos this morning of this frontage with spring sunshine. They are from South East, South and South-West respectively below.

Even though it is April, the trees are only just starting to come into leaf, and I'm surprised how much sun it is getting, especially the big roof which faces East.

I'm wondering about the value of a small number of panels high on the East facing roof in addition to the 'brize soleil'.

I think the underlying question is that, of the external electricity saved by panels, how much relates to small loads not large loads. For example, I know that sometimes I can run my washer completely off a set of panels doing well. By comparison, what will the saving be for the small constant load of a house (500w-1kw?) over a longer period.

So do a few (say 1.5kW peak) of panels orientated to work when the main array are hidden by the trees in the summer, and on a steep roof suitable for winter sun, give a large aggregate benefit by offsetting a small constant load for a longer period? They will get sun for 5 or 6 months.

Does anyone have data for the continuous output of a panel throughout the year?

@GaryB
Do you happen to have those Polysolar photos that you mentioned previously?

Perhaps this is vaguely similar?
http://www.polysolar.co.uk/solar-pv-case-studies/cedar-greenhouse

Ferdinand