Solar PV new build

themunsterone

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Hi I am looking for some advice before I get onto my developer/builder.

I am getting a new build as part of a development. It will be A2 rated with a heat pump.

I am a little bit worried about electricity costs going up and up and wondered if it is worth looking at getting solar to power the heat pump. There are lots of different opinions via Google etc. Lack of solar power during winter, when the heat pump is used the most etc. Of course I cannot avail of any grant.

Is it really worth future proofing and getting solar pv as well as a Heat pump.

I guess it is something I can do later on but as we are about to put on the roof, it might be an idea.

Thanks for an advice/opinions.
 
At current prices, I'd say yes to solar panels. But a no (until prices drop further) to batteries. Electricity prices are only going in one direction and that's up, so the money you save will increase as energy prices rise.

How flexible is the builder though? Will they even allow a solar contractor onsite during the build?
 
OP, before going down the road on solar panels etc I would first ascertain whether the house actually performs as an A2. It might. It might not. Knowing how much energy (electricity) you will need is the first question to be answered. You will only know this after you move in (and after 18 months approx if a concrete build).
Maybe have some of the infrastructure (cabling, grounds) done now while being built to make the install easier later on - maybe have a chat with a few solar pv installers for their advice.
 
You need to research the current grant structure also. IIRC, the requirement for a house to be pre-2011 in order to avail of the grant is no longer in place (or is being removed shortly). This means you could have the house built and then avail of the grant (although this could well be more expensive than having PV added during construction).

The idea to suck it and see for a year or so is a good one. Invest in some energy monitors from the outset so you've a good idea of what your electricity consumption patterns are and then see how solar PV will fit.

Is there going to be someone at home full time during the day (when the panels will produce their most power)?

Solar PV will obviosuly tend to produce the most power at the exact opposite times to when most demand is on the heat pump. This is where battery storage starts to become more justified.

In terms of economics, a small system (which you use most of the electricity generated) is the quickest to pay off, a large system with battery packs may be greener and give you more self-sufficency but tends to take longer to break even. However if your building your own house, you might be able to add panels very cheaply at the time of construction, the panels themselves are inexpensive (€150 each or so) and it won't add much extra to the electrician to do either. This won't be the case if the hosue is in a development.
 
, a large system with battery packs may be greener and give you more self-sufficency but tends to take longer to break even.
I think calculations on current cost / savings still show these are unlikely to pay back the costs within their expected lifespan.
 
Payback can be achieved in a 10-15 years if you get a decent install price/depending on electricity usage.
Without knowing the OPs usage it's impossible to even hazard a guess.

Some installers charge eye watering amounts of so get as many quotes as possible. The guys on boards.ie have a brilliant thread with quotes. Any newbies to solar power pv will know pretty quick if you're being ripped off or not from the knowledgeable posters on there.
 
Payback can be achieved in a 10-15 years if you get a decent install price/depending on electricity usage.
Battery pack isn't likely to last that long, if any installed suggests they will, ask for a written guarantee to include usable capacity.
 
You need to research the current grant structure also. IIRC, the requirement for a house to be pre-2011 in order to avail of the grant is no longer in place (or is being removed shortly). This means you could have the house built and then avail of the grant (although this could well be more expensive than having PV added during construction).

If correct, that's great news for me!

But your post is the first time that I've seen this being mentioned - could anyone link me to the source of that information, please?
 
If correct, that's great news for me!

But your post is the first time that I've seen this being mentioned - could anyone link me to the source of that information, please?
I searched after reading that post and found nothing, so I'd be interested in that too. The Better Energy Homes programme still carries the pre-2011 stipulation for heat pump or solar upgrades. The recent budget included allocations for energy upgrades, including €10M to continue funding solar PV, but that's certainly not enough to broaden it.

With that, I can't foresee a time when energy improvement grants will be made available to recently built homes. The aim of these grants is to improve the energy use of older properties, and recent builds have been addressed through more stringent building regs. I believe they will continue for some time to target older properties where such investment will have a greater return.
 
There's a good chance that adding solar would increase your BER rating to A1. Which would have a positive effect on he value of your house, if you ever look to sell it on. I would say (assuming you can get a good price for the install) to do it. I have solar and am very happy with it. I've yet to meet someone who has solar and is not happy that they got it.
 
Follow Crazy House prices on Instagram. Hes' s lots of Q&A's and tips on energy grants, panels, energy savings etc - interesting page
 
For the changes in house build (and BER) requirement check out the Micro Generation Support Scheme section from the gov.ie website.
 
If correct, that's great news for me!

But your post is the first time that I've seen this being mentioned - could anyone link me to the source of that information, please?

I searched after reading that post and found nothing, so I'd be interested in that too. The Better Energy Homes programme still carries the pre-2011 stipulation for heat pump or solar upgrades. The recent budget included allocations for energy upgrades, including €10M to continue funding solar PV, but that's certainly not enough to broaden it.

With that, I can't foresee a time when energy improvement grants will be made available to recently built homes. The aim of these grants is to improve the energy use of older properties, and recent builds have been addressed through more stringent building regs. I believe they will continue for some time to target older properties where such investment will have a greater return.
It was in the recent announcement for the microgeneration scheme, I thought it removed the date requirement but it's actually just changing to to 2021 rather than 2011 so good news for many but not the OP: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release...nnounces-the-micro-generation-support-scheme/

If you scroll to the bottom of the page it sets out the grant amounts (decreasing from 2024 onwards) and who is eligible for them:
Who will be eligible for the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS)
  • capital grants are available for domestic applicants. Capital grants are available for on-domestic applicants for installations up to 5.9kW
  • homes built pre-2021 are eligible
  • buildings will not have to meet a minimum BER (Building Energy Rating) standard, even after any new equipment is installed, to be included in the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS)
  • the Clean Export Premium (CEP) is available to non-domestic applicants for installations from 6kW to 50kW
 
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It was in the recent announcement for the microgeneration scheme, I thought it removed the date requirement but it's actually just changing to to 2021 rather than 2011 so good news for many but not the OP
Thanks for that, certainly good news for a lot of folks considering PV at the moment.
 
There's a good chance that adding solar would increase your BER rating to A1. Which would have a positive effect on he value of your house, if you ever look to sell it on. I would say (assuming you can get a good price for the install) to do it. I have solar and am very happy with it. I've yet to meet someone who has solar and is not happy that they got it.

I'm A2 and have no plans to sell my home before I relocate to Paradise.

I have solar water heating panels in my 2011 new build - I paid for them without receiving any grant. The State got 21% VAT.

I also installed a heat pump that I paid for without any grant - the State again got 21% VAT.

Sadly the build was a few years too early for PV solar technology to be affordable and now it appears that, if I want to install it, I would have to pay for the whole installation myself without any grant - with the State once again trousering 21% VAT.

Very annoying.
 
I'm A2 and have no plans to sell my home before I relocate to Paradise.

I have solar water heating panels in my 2011 new build - I paid for them without receiving any grant. The State got 21% VAT.

I also installed a heat pump that I paid for without any grant - the State again got 21% VAT.

Sadly the build was a few years too early for PV solar technology to be affordable and now it appears that, if I want to install it, I would have to pay for the whole installation myself without any grant - with the State once again trousering 21% VAT.

Very annoying.
Well you just need to hang on a bit until the MGSS is rolled out as per the recent announcement and you will be able to avail of the grants.
 
Very annoying.
Perhaps, but there is a very limited budget set aside for energy efficiency improvements. It wouldn't make sense to allow modern energy efficient homes to avail of those grants when there are so many D and worse properties in use.
 
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