UK households free to install plug-in balcony solar panels from end of August

Post by rcxdude » Thu, Jul 23, 2026, 7:12 PM UTC

varispeed wrote: post #40

rcxdude wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

4 years is a pretty good payback time, it's a pretty obvious investment if you can afford it, and it's pretty affordable (with the added bonus that if you're renting, you can take it with you). Solar panels tend to last a pretty long time, really the only worry is whether the manufacturer has cheaped out on the electronics (cleaning is literally going to be wiping it with a sponge once a year or so). (Insulating your…

Can you explain why it is "pretty obvious investment"?

Post by varispeed » Thu, Jul 23, 2026, 7:13 PM UTC

RobinL wrote: post #29

varispeed wrote: post #21

So it costs £400 and can shave up to £100 a year - how it was calculated? In best case scenario you'll have to hang this thing off balcony for 4 years to break even. Will it be good after 4 years? I cannot see the economics of that. If it shaves £50, then it's 8 years. How long do they last? How much maintenance costs (cleaning etc.) Sounds like a way to stuff the poor with copium device. The rich will get minted and…

I see it more as a way for relatively well off people to do a little bit for the environment rather than any sort of solution of high energy prices for the poor. The nice thing, of course, is that the more people buy them, the cheaper electricity is for everyone else, so you're doing everyone else a small favour by having one. I'll certainly be buying one, not because of the ROI/payback calculation, but just because…

Post by ticulatedspline » Thu, Jul 23, 2026, 8:12 PM UTC

varispeed wrote: post #21

So it costs £400 and can shave up to £100 a year - how it was calculated? In best case scenario you'll have to hang this thing off balcony for 4 years to break even. Will it be good after 4 years? I cannot see the economics of that. If it shaves £50, then it's 8 years. How long do they last? How much maintenance costs (cleaning etc.) Sounds like a way to stuff the poor with copium device. The rich will get minted and…

Post by syntaxing » Thu, Jul 23, 2026, 8:50 PM UTC

linsomniac wrote: post #20

As I understand it, the US is mostly waiting for UL listing of equipment, which hasn't been a priority because no US locals have allowed them. With Utah and others starting to allow them, UL listing will likely come at some point (hopefully shortly) thereafter. There's this device: https://usa.apsystems.com/ez1-installers/ And also this: https://connectder.com/

Post by crote » Thu, Jul 23, 2026, 9:12 PM UTC

RobinL wrote: post #29

varispeed wrote: post #21

So it costs £400 and can shave up to £100 a year - how it was calculated? In best case scenario you'll have to hang this thing off balcony for 4 years to break even. Will it be good after 4 years? I cannot see the economics of that. If it shaves £50, then it's 8 years. How long do they last? How much maintenance costs (cleaning etc.) Sounds like a way to stuff the poor with copium device. The rich will get minted and…

I see it more as a way for relatively well off people to do a little bit for the environment rather than any sort of solution of high energy prices for the poor. The nice thing, of course, is that the more people buy them, the cheaper electricity is for everyone else, so you're doing everyone else a small favour by having one. I'll certainly be buying one, not because of the ROI/payback calculation, but just because…