Solar Panels Uk Usage

[Redhelen72]

So I have a question re how much power solar panels produce during Winter in Scotland.

What I really want to know is would it be possible to live off grid with using Solar panels and batteries ?

[Meaghan27]

I think it would depend on other factors such as how you would heat your home and water, cook your food, probably by some sort of solid fuel boiler/stove such as an aga. I think you may struggle in the Winter with only a few hours sunlight so may have to have a backup generator. If you are seriously thinking of doing this, then a personal wind turbine would work better, but is more expensive.

[douglas9401]

"According to the Energy Saving Trust, solar panels will generate around a 5th of their usual energy production in the winter months. During the depths of a wintery month, on average you will get around one hour of full power output. With your panels still continuing to generate electricity for you!1 Mar 2022"

You might need a selection of hats. :-)

[gingejbee]

...and you have to keep getting up on the roof to brush the snow off them...

[Redhelen72]

Ginge you don't have to put them on the roof lol
Thanks douglas - I wonder if you can mix wind and solar?
Meaghan - I was considering having an aga type stove too and an old fashioned back boiler.

[Hazlinny]

Are you thinking of moving to Scotland, Red?

[Redhelen72]

Yes Haz, previously lived there as a child but want to make a permanent move to the Islands

[Hazlinny]

^^ look forward to follow-up news..

[Tilly2]

Are you going to Islay?

[jackthehat]

Wotcha :o)
Solar panels/windmills for all your electrical needs bar heating/hot water and ground source heat pumps for your heating/hot water would certainly go a long way to living off-grid.

Baggsie-me to design your house......LoL

[Meaghan27]

An Aga will provide all hot water, even to radiators, so no need for a back boiler.

[Atheist]

Surely an Aga is a back boiler?

[Meaghan27]

An aga is a stove and a boiler. A back boiler is a boiler situated at the back of your open fire.

https://www.agaliving.com/sites/default/files/styles/mt_testimonial_image/public/2019-10/AGA%20Cookshop%203.jpg?itok=z2Vqkk1H

[Redhelen72]

Cheers for all your responses
Haz - it will be a couple of years yet unfortunately but it will def happen
Yes its to Islay
Jack - You are the first person that I will come to - mates rates and all that lol
Meaghan - thank you I did not realise that about Aga's - very useful to know - thank you

[New Judge]

What do you propose burning in the Aga?

[Old_Geezer]

Given enough panels & batteries, and space for 'em, probably yes. But you may want to stay on grid for other utilities anyway.

[Meaghan27]

Judge, probably logs like we do though ours is quite old but I still think AGA Do solid fuel ones. There are other makes of course like Rayburn

[New Judge]

I'm just intrigued as to why anybody would want to live "off grid" but then burn wood. If it's for cost purposes, fair enough. But if it's to be kind to the environment, well... Where to start?

[tobytronic]

Even on cloudy days, solar panels still work but their output is obviously lower and can drop to as low as 10% in comparison to the current made in the ideal conditions of optimum panel position and cloudless skies.
A feasible plan would be solar panels charging decent quality leisure rated *lead/acid batteries. These can withstand the repeated heavy discharge & recharge cycles, which car batteries cannot and so will quickly fail.
This arrangement can be supplemented with a small diesel generator running on used vegetable oil which is simply processed into 'Biodiesel' or in some engines used 'as is'.
If your electrical energy needs are modest, a Robin DY23 diesel driven generator would be adequate to charge the batteries when sunshine alone is not chucking enough electrons at your solar panels.
Solar panel efficiency is improving (in the mid 70s 1% efficiency was the norm) so by the time you decide to do a Grizzly Adams, panels may well be good enough to meet your requirement without any extras.
By trade, I was a Citroen mechanic, but the idea of self-sufficiency has intrigued me since I was a teenager. If you don't like the idea of relying on free used veg oil from take-aways, a wind-powered generator and a solar panel array would surely be enough to keep the batteries charged for close to all of the time?
Good question.
*Lithium-Ion cells are the modern way to go, but their main advantage is superior energy density, which is good for electric vehicles, but once you've lugged the lead-acid batteries to your island, weight is not a concern.

[tobytronic]

Electrons, sorry I meant photons. Not that it matters :-)