Noticed the other day that IKEA are now selling solar panels.
Anyone tried them?
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In Belgium … I somehow doubt that the monopoly that EDF has would allow them to sell them here for €4000 ish when thier ‘partners’ can get at least €12,000 at present!
I didn’t notice that google had directed me to IKEA’s Belgian site.
However, it appears that IKEA will be selling solar panels in France starting this autumn.
and
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Interesting Nigel,
They have quite a slick configurator. It accepted my French address, then let me identify the bit of the roof I’d consider putting panels on, the orientation and the slope of the roof and my annual consumption and it gave me a “business case” (below). If it really is a three year payback, I might go for it. assuming they do install in France. I wonder if one also needs any batteries or an accumulator of something. Also if there are any insurance implications. It gets a bit windy around here so they might even keep the tiles on.
The reason I haven’t considered them before is I thought the installers might be a bit cowboyish. If IKEA is standing behind them then that changes everything. I must hunt out our IKEA family card 
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Is this to sell electricity to EDF or simply to run the house needs… ??? 
I’m not sure. I read somewhere that the rate you can sell back into the Grid has been reduced. So more detail on the business case would be required before making a decision.
BTW. I have to say the amount of information available on the EDF dashboard now is stunning.
absolutely…
be interesting to see what they come up with.
Back in 2013 there was a rip-off going on round here… the Brits were targeted by smooth-talking salesfolk who promised the earth… 
solar stuff can work (we had solar hot water in UK 1980’s)… … but one does need to be very canny and read (and understand) the small print… 
and, if it sounds too good to be true, it generally is… 
Yes, I’ve no particular knowledge of the technology and it was the risk of rip-off merchants that put me off. It’d be good if the supplier underwrote the business case, within reason. Or accepted phased payments that one could stop if the whole thing went belly up.
IKEA are probably offering a lifetime’s supply of meatballs as compensation if things go awry.
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Had OH been in full health… he would have fitted the solar hot water system here… since we had closely observed the work back in UK…
However… those folk I know locally who have links to the grid with their panels… they do seem to be having problems of one sort or another (breakdown/failure of the bits and pieces … and/or finances not adding up) and it is certainly not the plain-sailing they had anticipated.
Yup - I felt exactly the same so definitely going to take a look.
That’s unfortunate. There are a lot round here and most people seem v happy. However, we don’t really live in a Brit enclave (at all) so most if not virtually all homeowners are French, so perhaps they read the small print more carefully. And understood it 
Ha ha… I was the first Brit here and I tried my very best to keep it a secret…
Sadly, not only our commune but other members of the Comcom, found that Brits were targeted by a particular company over a period of months… back in 2013.
Folks are still feeling very raw about their experiences… and the various Mairies were furious and did their utmost to extricate/help those sad Brits.
Trouble is, when a seemingly plausible person tells you in English… what a document says… it is all to easy to accept their word.
I know full well that solar works…
For those who are interested hereabouts, the only problem has been the lack of a reputable firm…
I’ll keep you posted Catharine.
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That would be great please! I’ve got enough on my plate at the moment…!!
Seriously, John… I would be very pleased to hear more, too.
We need to have some good contacts, solar is such a great idea…
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And I bet Ikea will do some great intro offers. I am thinking of their Christmas trees which were the deal of the century. Ok, slight exaggeration but you know what I mean…!
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Do you need planning for it in France? A friend in England said something about that som people where told they could not have because it did not fit in with the older house
Yes, you need permission.
