School reaping rewards of solar panels (From Watford Observer)

Can we have the full story please?
I'd like to know how much they cost to buy, install and maintain ? A typical panel is £1,000 then you need an inverter at £1,000 on average (which lasts around 10 years)
The FiT scheme is subsidised (although it finishes in August), how much did they make in real life?
How much is their normal electricity bill reduced by because of using the panels?
How long do the panels last? According to Which?, around 25 years.

So to my maths, this system probably cost around £30,000 all told, and will save around £1,000 a year for 25 years at most.

I don't get it.

LSC your maths ARE off.

The school have banked £470 since march, if my understanding is correct this means that these panels have generated enough electricity to not only power the school but to sell some of that power to the grid to the tune of £470 so far. Add in the savings of not having to pay for electricity of say £500 a month that means they have actually saved/made £2.5k since these panels were fitted.

That’s £7.5k a year with possible variations due to seasons, but then its not exactly been brilliant weather the past few months so the savings/profits could be higher with nicer weather in the summer.

From what I have seen its been possible to get free solar panels or amazing offers on them, so far from costing £30k they may have cost nothing or no where near that amount. But even if they cost £15k that’s only two years till they pay for themselves, even if £30k that’s only four years, and after that the school budget is up £7.5k a year.

In these times when everyones budgets are being squeezed do you think a school would waste money, no far from it they are looking at ways to save and this school is not only saving in a big way but actually making money for the school.

I understand your maths Tony, but they don't fit in with the latest report from Which?, who generally seem to give independant studies.
That is why I'd like to see the figures from the school itself.
Also the school will still have a bill even if they generate ALL their power (which they can't do with solar power) as we all pay a bit of our bills towards maintianing the grid etc, not just the power we use.

I'm not saying this is a bad idea; I'm just saying I'd like to know all the facts.

I havent read the report from Which so cant comment on that.

What I do know is that this school is apparently £470 up on the deal in four months and I would imagine from the wording this includes whatever amount they may still have to pay to the utility company!

My estimate of £500 was a total guess so maybe their combines savings and income are less than the £7.5k a year, but even if half that its not to be sniffed at. Most schools I know do lots of fund raising and I doubt this one is different so this scheme will be a great boost to the coffers.

Now that the rules have changed these kinds of schemes may not be so profitable if at all but good on this school for going for it

I just don't know Tony, and that is my problem with it all.
The £470 saved is subsidised, so it's partly your money anyway. It isn't a real saving.
Also it isn't the school that benefits, because the school doesn't pay the bills. The council do. And we all know how council funding is an enigma wrapped in a paradox and coloured with red tape and politics.
By saving on the electric bill that doesn't give the school more money for books or teachers; it doesn't work like that. Different budgets.