FYI, my PV system installed in Dec 2012, up to now, performance in Jan & Feb is slightly below expectation (3.25kWh/kW) and Mac is much better (+/-4.2kWh/kW)

Cloud and rain are part of our climate. We have to live with them. My system best performance day is 5.2kWh/kW which is a day without rain and little cloud shading. Definitely a hot day

My system is 7.7kW using 2 units of 3.6kW inverters.

What do you mean by 55-65%?

My system is 7.7kW capacity. With estimation 3.5kWh/kW, my system supposed to generate 27kWh. In Mac, most day generation is exceeding 27kWh

Electric bill? Feed in tariff has nothing to do with electric bill. We get payment from generation regardless what we consume.

Not cheap lah. Don't even think of powerup an aircon. The output is not stable. once crowd over your panel, your aircon will down. 1 battery can cost you rm800+. The best is supply back to TNB. That is the cheapest setup.

You don't need license. And it is not illegal also. The different is, those proper setup and sell back can get higher rate. While this individual setup will only get you a normal rate 0.218. Probably consider as subsidy your bill.

No need special meter. The current meter will do. Either it will slow down or rev if output more than input.

It is easy DIY. A panel, wire, inverter and a watt meter. Hook it up and plug into any 3pin socket.

Good is, you can gradually increase the panel if you like. Or charge a battery if you don't like to give to TNB. Or when you have finally get a system big enough, get a provider to apply for you a license 1 that give you a higher rate return.

For panel, if you add more later, make sure the voltage don't different much with the old panel.  Do the research what is the common voltage panel have in the market.

Don't get those crap china panel which perform low output. Waste your rooftop space.

From US. Get it during sale and using another cheaper shipping way. The brand is unisolar. As you can see it come in roll flexible. Advantage is, it lighter compare fix panel type. Reduce the shipping cost.

But this company bankrupt liau.    maybe still got some provider stock this kind of panel.

Since the panel cost getting lower, maybe can get more watt/$ now.

Maybe you can check it out with Panasonic here. Would they sell their panel here. The panel probably maufacturing in Kulim. Or you bring a lorry to there at night.

Panasonic have the most efficeincy panel in the world. It is a thin film multicrytaline type panel. Call Panasonic HIT solar panel.

No need large scale lah. Just buy 1pcs. But don't no they will serve you or not.

usually the panel can upgrade like adding more panel right?
is having 2 50w panels and 1 100w panel same effect?

ok...I guessed I will just ask for straight advice then blowing my mind away from figures :S

basically i will just need to power my laptop for atleast 6 hours a day...plus charging phone

for heavy duty stuff I have my 6kw diesel genset...

my laptop power rating is 40w, so what rating of solar panel, what rating of charger, what rating of inverter and what rating of battery should I get? please advise slight bigger spec as I might change to higher spec laptop in the future hence higher power rating?

thanks a lot

Don't forget Alliance Bank now offers 100% financing and they claim still get some money in the pocket every month (unless it rains everyday the whole month) after loan servicing !

I got to say, this is the most interesting thread i've come across in LYN...many good & useful info..i actually went thru all 22pages!! and got me really interested..

For me, the most important thing is knowing i'm contributing in reducing co2 emission, going green and just doing my part..secondly, TNB bill is my most hated bill..i really like to offset the electricity charges so in a way, using free or highly subsidized energy..

After going thru the threads and info, it seem the initial investment is roughly RM50k+ for a 4kw capacity PV system..and expect something like 3.5kw efficiency for FIT

Alliance bank has got this solar loan, with repayment tenure upto 10yrs, from my calc (consider blr+0 interest), RM60k loan will need repayment of something close to RM700..current FIT rate for 2013 & 2014 is around RM1/kwh

my question is, in order to generate enough kwh of FIT to just cover the loan repayment amount, what is the capacity of PV i need? realistically..(after factor in reduce efficiency, low yield from sunlight etc)

Or another way of asking, how much is the initial cost (which would dictate the loan amount) i need in order to sell say RM800-RM1k worth of electricity to TNB?

If i can get the initial cost financed, and the generated RE income can cover the loan repayment, i dont mind to install it..after 10yrs repayment i get to enjoy free electricity!!

btw, if the system is financed, can the taxable income from FIT be written off? Since i'm servicing bank loan & interest..and can show 0 profit since income is used to repY bank loan

Just realize i have calculated for 25 years. TNB only pay up to 21 years so return is RM119k. So you pocket RM39k in 21 years.

Average monthly TNB subsidize about RM150.00 for your electricity bill.

just to add, the rates will lower 8% every year..it's called degression rate, so what you get now in $$ and few years time is not the same even if monthly the weather give you the same kwh.

Now I know what you mean.

3.5kWh/kW is the good sunlight hours which is the performance of PV system regardless the capacity. Some people pronounced as 3.5 good sunlight hours. 3.5kWh/kW is not same as 3.5kWh

My system has capacity of 7.7kW. The generation based on 3.5kWh/kW will be 7.7kW x 3.5kWh/kW = 27kWh.

My installer compared mine to other 20++ installations. They said my system performance is above average but not the best.
The best performance was 5.2kWh/kW or 40kWh on 1st Mac. In whole Mac, 1000kWh generated from my system.

FYI, from 7 mths operation experience, 3.5kWh/kWp is conservative assumption. During good month, 3.8-4.0kWh/kWp is possible