It was quite a while ago that I started the process of ordering solar panels. I saw two representatives, and then had to decide which one I would go with, and what exact setup I wanted. I had initially thought of as many panels on the roof as fits, and then a battery to make sure I can use the power generated during the day for energy consumption during the night. And infrared panels for heating of, initially, three rooms. But there are complications and considerations; firstly, I knew I also had to have the west façade of the house re-rendered. If I fill my roof up, this means I also get panels on the flat roof, and the flat roof is right underneath the wall that needs rendering. These two things don't go together well! I decided to only initially order the solar panels for the roof of the old part of the house. And with the money I would not immediately spend I could have the house re-rendered. And when that would be done, and my bank account would have recovered, I could order the second batch.
I also decided I would first see how things went before ordering a battery. I am not overly keen on batteries; chemically, they are rather unpleasant. And they tend to require rare metals that have been mined in all sorts of questionable ways. Maybe technology will progress and people will come up with something better.
In the end, it was therefore a rather stripped version of my original plan I ordered. And then I had to wait! As it so happens, the whole world has changed in between my first meetings with the representatives and me making the actual order. A lot of people now want to be independent of Russian gas, so my representative told me they got an increase in interest for their panels of, if I remember correctly, two orders of magnitude. I might have got in there just in time! But I shouldn't cheer too soon; I currently have no idea when there will actually be panels on my roof. But I hope very soon! And then (or even before) I need to get on the whole rendering business!
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