I am considering the installation of solar power, and have started to 
investigat the variuos options.  Nice and shiny websites are all well and 
good, but i thought i would ask for some real world experience of them...

I know there are two main types - hot water systems and electrical (photo 
voltaic) systems.

I currently have a oil fired central heating boiler which serves white a 
large property. Is there any way i could use solar power to serve this same 
central heating system,supplementing it with the oil when required?

Also, as far as the PV systems are concerned, does such a system have a 
storage capability, or it is a case of use it or lose it (or export it)?

Lastly, in terms of the cost benefits of either system, i am concerned that 
if there really was money to be saved in installing such systems, everyman 
and their dog would have them.  Does anyone have any information about the 
relative cost savings associated with hot water or PV solar installations?

TIA for any observations or comments.

"BBing"  wrote in message 
news:d6i6mn$g5j$1@nwrdmz03.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...

>I am considering the installation of solar power, and have started to 
>investigat the variuos options.  Nice and shiny websites are all well and 
>good, but i thought i would ask for some real world experience of them...
>
> I know there are two main types - hot water systems and electrical (photo 
> voltaic) systems.
>
> I currently have a oil fired central heating boiler which serves white a 
> large property. Is there any way i could use solar power to serve this 
> same central heating system,supplementing it with the oil when required?
>
> Also, as far as the PV systems are concerned, does such a system have a 
> storage capability, or it is a case of use it or lose it (or export it)?
>
> Lastly, in terms of the cost benefits of either system, i am concerned 
> that if there really was money to be saved in installing such systems, 
> everyman and their dog would have them.  Does anyone have any information 
> about the relative cost savings associated with hot water or PV solar 
> installations?
>
> TIA for any observations or comments.
>


My gas bill (5 bedroomed semi) for last year was 370 (23KWh) of which I 
estimate hot water to be about 10-15%, i.e. 50.  Therefore I will be long 
dead before any payback kicks in on any professionally installed system. 
That's not to say that you can't have a lot of fun doing it yourself with 
old 'bits'.  Sunday Telegraph columnist Jeff Howell made similar comments 
about solar cells last Sunday.

Peter