Photovoltaics, is this comment true

[Jimgward]

I reckon my investment will pay off in between 4 and 5 years

[Jim B]

I was chatting with the Green Air Engineer the other week and he was saying that it's presently possible to add additional panels to a home system.
I think carry over is excellent, can't understand the logic in the February cut off, we pay a system usage fee anyway, whether we use the system or not. Our only fees are usage and taxes, we produce all our electricity but many people don't and the carry over would be helpful.

[cyprusmax47]

The information I got today from Green Air was: confirmation that your kW/h credits will not be eliminated in future but carried over for the next season. (which is excellent) Further, the idea at EAC at the moment is to limit the size of a new PV installation, taking your last years consumption of kW/h in their calculation. (They calculate 1600 kWh electricity for every 1 kWp photovoltaic modules installed.) Who had that idea, God knows. But I believe this short sighted thinking will not last many days and will be soon canceled. Sure the idea was born before the start of the war in Ukraine and nobody expected that oil/gas prices will explode as they do now. It will be worse if Russia stops all deliveries of gas/oil and coal to EU which can be expected the next few days...

Max

[Anarita John]

Thanks Max. As you say, completely short sighted and not very green. I would think the EU would step in quickly to stop this. Don't they (EAC) realise that some people have extra panels to do their bit for the environment. Think there needs to be some lobbying of politicians done to make EAC change their mind.
IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME BUT MAKES ME VERY ANGRY.

And what about people who want to convert their central heating from oil to a heatpump or other form of electric heating.
The year before we had our panels fitted, we used 3136 kwh. We were really careful with our electric usage and heated the house by more polluting and unhealthy means. (oil central heating, calor gas stoves) Therefore we would only be able to have a 1.5kw or 2 kw system at the most.

[Mark]

The company that fitted my photovoltaics on February 28th (Still not connected) have not responded to my request for information.

I have paid 5 of the €6,000 for what could be a pile of rubbish on my roof.

I have visited their offices several times to ask for updates, but feel I have been fobbed of, told installation now takes 42 days, was 21 days in the past.

Surely this new regulation has not been thrust upon them, why wasn’t I informed?

An engineer from the company visited my home today to take pics of my invertor, but would not tell me why!!!

[cyprusmax47]

Going off slightly at a tangent, are these pv systems suitable for charging an ev ( electric vehicle ) ? As in Cyprus at least, it seems a bit daft having a supposedly green vehicle being charged with fossil fuels !

You can easily connect an electric car during the day and charge it with your own PV power, however you need enough PV-modules and further equipment. Charging overnight, on the other hand, requires an electricity storage device if you want to be completely 'green'. Not so 'green' if you charge the car at night, but if you have enough credit on your meter because in Cyprus with have the net-metering system, you charge the car for nothing...(except your investment in the first place)

Max

[Mark]

Still waiting for a response from the company that fitted my panels.

[trevnhil]

I am sure Dominic would not like you to mention which company you are having problems with. But it is not good when they will not respond to your requests for information

[Mark]

I won’t name the company for obvious reasons

[Mark]

The company confirmed that these new regulations are in force, my only option would appear to be removing panels and reapplying for a 3kw system, which may be approved..

All the solar companies are getting together to challenge these crazy regulations, which are purely to provide some more profit for EAC

[Devil]

How long does it normally take the EAC to give the green light to start the physical installation after the various contracts have been signed and accepted?

[cyprusmax47]

The company confirmed that these new regulations are in force, my only option would appear to be removing panels and reapplying for a 3kw system, which may be approved..

All the solar companies are getting together to challenge these crazy regulations, which are purely to provide some more profit for EAC

If this is the only option at the moment, it is not such a big thing to remove 3 modules from your roof and start with an 3 kWp system for now. EAC tries hard to avoid a lot of PV installations but I am 100% sure that these new regulations from them will be cancelled soon, as they get the pressure from all PV installers of Cyprus AND the EU.

It was costing me and my customers in the past 12 years or so, 100 thousands of Euros capital wasted in bought properties for PV installations, but blocked by EAC with lost application forms and other ways to avoid any PV on empty land. I am talking of more than 1,5 MWp projects...

Max

[cyprusmax47]

How long does it normally take the EAC to give the green light to start the physical installation after the various contracts have been signed and accepted?

They, EAC,should give the green light after 30 working days, as by law the installer has to pay nearly 300 Euro fees for application forms etc ..

Max

[Jb1960]

Very concerning as I have agreed to the installation of a 4kwh system. Under the calculation suggested by CyprusMax, under this EAC policy, I think my system would be restricted to 3kwh. I am planning to phase out my gas CH system, as the boiler needs replacing, and install A/C units instead for heating purposes using the extra electric generated. A 3kwh system would not let me do this. I have checked with my supplier’s representative and he has advised me that as I already have the EAC licence I am OK ( I think it was issued in January) My issue is the supply of Inverters due to the chip shortage. I wonder whether the original poster’s PV Supplier installed the system then applied for the EAC licence and has got caught out hence their lack of response. Hopefully this ludicrous policy is reversed as it makes no sense at all except to EAC’s revenues and everyone is able to install the system they want for both environmental and financial reasons

Jason

[Mark]

https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/03/29/move ... -projects/

The post from Cyprus mail is totally at odds with what the EAC is doing to private citizens

[Mark]

I should add that this thread has demonstrated the value of this forum to me.

The offers of help have been humbling

[Mark]

I should add that this thread has demonstrated the value of this forum to me.

The offers of help have been humbling

I have contacted a journalist from Cyprus Mail today who will hopefully put something to print on this appalling EAC
Decision

[Anarita John]

I've emailed the Green Party. Yet to receive a reply, but will let everyone know if I do. It's appalling. I know people who offset their carbon footprint when flying by paying to have trees planted. Neighbours have had bigger systems than they actually need to try to do their bit and help generate electricity in a green way rather than by oil. I have felt guilty this year using our pool heater and when it was very cold, and eac were struggling to generate enough power, we turned our pool heater off. Our little bit to help.

It is so shortsighted and an unbelievably bad decision. We have oil central heating which we do not use. If we did not have a 5kwh photovoltaic system, we would have used at least 1600 litres of oil this winter, or 2, 800 litre tanks full. Our neighbours, who have a bigger, 1200litre tank, used 3 tankfulls last winter.

[Anarita John]

In another post, I suggested one way round the EAC rules, if you own a house with a private pool, was to have a Lorenz Solar Pump fitted. There are people on here who have had them for over 10 years so they are super reliable. We have still got our old pump plumbed in and working which I use for backwashes.

Ours runs brilliantly, and with much more force than the 1.6kw pump the builder fitted. Ours is powered by 3 REC solar panels, which are, according to reviews one of the best ones for retaining their longevity. Greenair fitted itand it is a really neat job.

Here are my calculations for what you might save if you replace an 800 watt swimming pool pump with a solar pump. Based on daily use of, Spring/Autumn 6 hours, Summer 8 hours and Winter 4 hours. Total of 2194 hours use with a traditional pump, which at 800 watts, works out at 1755.2 kwh.

Therefore a 3kwh system would become equivelent to a 4.7kwh system.

As I said, the builder fitted a 1.6kw pump, as our pump room was, originally, before GreenAir did the extensive work on our swimming pool, a long way from the pool. Therefore, these figures could be doubled.

[Jim B]

To heat the pool I have two vacuum type solar panels and a small 12 volt pump driven by a solar panel which circulates the water through a pool heat exchanger. When the water temperature reaches 20C a larger pump kicks in and circulates the heated water which prevents boil over.
We can also heat the pool from the oil fired boiler or from our heat pump but the solar panels are very efficient.
The cost to heat the pool with thes vacuum panels and pool cover is negligible.