Indicative prices are based on the RenSMART price model (solar wind ) and are not based on any particular manufacturers product that you have selected. The RenSMART indicative price model does not include any ground work, scaffolding, wind turbine foundations or cable trenching as these will vary for each property.
Visit each of the tabs in order to get your estimates.
The Site Planner tool gives estimated information about a wind or solar micro-generation installation based on details given by you.
You do not have to enter values in all of the entry fields, but where you give information, it will be used to give a more accurate estimate.Where you have not given details, we take average values based on leading industry models and measured data.
Each time you change a value, the Recalculate Now buttons will be highlighted in red to remind you that the estimates do not include your changes and you must press the Recalculate Now button to get updated information.
Although you can use the site planner tool without being a RenSMART member, to be able to save your site plans, you need to register. Registration is FREE and the process simple to follow.
You can review our estimation process on the following pages:
You can select one of the RenSMART Example projects to get you started from the drop down list below.
Current Project Name:
Your Saved Projects:
These are projects that you have created and saved.
Example Projects:
These are projects that we have created to help you get up and running fast. You will need to rename the project if you want to save the changes you have made.
The entry fields above show the current project name and gives you a list of other projects you can select. You can change the project name at any time to create a new project.
Pressing the save button will store your project permanently with RenSMART. You will be able to load the project again when you revisit the site, and it will be listed on your RenSMART member home page.
This tab gives you an overview of your project's performance over the life of the feed-in tariff.
Estimates For Micro-generation Installation Running Over 20 Years
Indicative prices are based on the RenSMART price model (solar wind ) and are not based on any particular manufacturers product that you have selected. Click here for Notes
These values are the estimated system returns that are not included in the financial projection.
Guide Price - The estimated cost of installing the system you have chosen. This is a guide price based on our analysis of previous quotes received and systems available for sale. You can read about our method for calculating guide prices for wind turbines here and for solar PV systems here
Return On Investment (ROI) - The percentage gain your system may produce compared with its initial cost. The calculation is (financial benefits - system cost) / system cost. You can find more information about ROI or Rate of return on wikipedia .
CO2 Avoided - This is the amount of CO2 that would have been released into the atmosphere if you imported the energy generated from the national grid. The method for working this out can be found here .
Generated - This value is given as a yearly and a total value. It is the estimated energy generated by your system.
Pay back time - This is the time required for the savings and income from your system to exceed the initial cost of installation. It is based on the first year that your project ROI rises above 0%. This can be seen under the Financial Projection tab.
Clean Energy Cash Back - This is the feed-in tariff that your system is entitled to for each kWh generated over the life of the project. The value is index linked with the inflation rate taken from the retail prices index. You can further information on the Clean Energy Cash Back scheme here .
Exported - This is the estimated amount of energy your system will export to the grid each year. Energy is exported whenever the energy you generate is not used by you.
As a result of developing this process, we have shown that sizing your installation to match your electricity use makes a significant difference to the financial return from a system. With the export tariff rate set at 3p per kWh, minimising exports is essential.
The two charts below display an estimate of the proportion of your energy that would be imported and the proportion of your energy that would be exported over an average year.
These values are the estimated financial returns from your system over the projects life.
Reduction in Energy Bills - An estimate of the amount you would have paid to import the energy your system generates over the life of the project.
Clean Energy Cash Back - The estimated return you will get from your system from the Clean Energy Cash Back feed-in tariff scheme over the life of the project. You can further information on the Clean Energy Cash Back scheme here .
Export Revenue - The estimated return you will get from your system due to exporting excess generated energy to the national grid.
Maintenance Costs - This amount has not been factored into our model yet. It is the estimated cost of maintaining your system. We hope to have estimates for this value soon.
Total Revenue - The sum of the reduction in energy bills, the clean energy cash back and export revenue, with the maintenance costs subtracted.
Income Breakdown
Outgoings Breakdown
Select your location by searching for a postcode, address or by using the map.
Postcode
You can drag the map on the left to see other areas and use the plus and minus buttons to zoom in and out. Clicking on the map will place a marker that will be the location we will use to generate estimates.
The location section describes the site where you propose to place your system. The details are used to look up estimated solar energy and wind speeds from our databases and for installers to assess the planning permissions required and changes to your grid connection should you request quotes.
Organistation Type - This can be either Private Home or Commercial Premises. This effects the planning applications required for different types of installation. Private homes normally do not require planning approval for roof mounted solar pv systems, a commercial premises does.
Latitude and Longitude - This is the position of your location in EPSG:3395 format as used by Google Maps. Most of our site location data is displayed using this excelent tool from Google.
Site Rent - In some instances, a site rent may be required, for instance where a wind turbine is sited in a field adjacent to a property. The rent can be expressed as a simple yearly payment or as a percentage of the revenue generated by the installed system. The percentage is applied to the sum of the reduction in energy bills, the clean energy cash back and export revenue, once the maintenance costs have been subtracted
Planning application progress - This information may be used by installers if you request quotes. Some installers will help with planning applications and planning appeals. We capture four different states of planning application progress
Not Submitted - No application has been submitted
Submitted - An application has been submitted but has not yet been accepted
Completed - Planning approval has been granted for installation of the system described
Rejected - A planning application has been rejected for installation of the system described
Not Required - The local planning authority has confirmed that no planning approval is required for the system described.
Local Planning Authority - The name of the local planning authority for the proposed location
Site in AONB - Check this box if the proposed location is in a designated area of outstanding natural beautiful
Site in SSSI - Check this box if the proposed location is in a designated site of special scientific interest
Is Heritage Site - Check this box if the proposed location involves a designated heritage site
Involves Listed Building - Check this box it the proposed location includes a listed building
Off Grid - The location is not connected to the grid
Distance to Grid - The number of meters from the location to the nearest grid connection point
Supply Phases - Most domestic houses will have a single phase connection, commercial premises may have a three phase supply. Where a proposed installation is rated higher than 3.8kW peak, a three phase supply may be required.
If you would like to include a Wind Turbine in your project check this box
Wind Turbine Location Details
Location type
Distance to nearest building or obstruction
metres
Clear area available for turbine(s) footing
metres by metres
Wind Turbine Details
Turbine Model
Turbine Hub Height
m
Turbine Diameter
m
Turbine Peak Output
kW
Inverter Efficiency
includes cable losses of 15%
Generated
kWh/year
Average Generated
kWh/day
Indicative Price
£
Indicative prices are based on the RenSMART price model (solar wind ) and are not based on any particular manufacturers product that you have selected.
This section describes the information required to generate estimates wind turbine at proposed your location.
Location type - Different location types suggest a different change in wind speed at different heights (called wind sheer). We use the location type to estimate wind speeds at different heights based to the wind speed at 10 meters. This is required when a wind turbines mast is at a height other than 10 meters.
Distance to nearest property - The distance in meters from the base of the proposed turbine to the nearest property. Wind turbines do make some noise and can also cause flickering of sunlight in a property if they are not situated correctly.
Average Wind Speed at hub height - The estimated wind speed at 10 meters given by the RenSMART database is converted to an estimation for the height of the turbine using the information given and the RenSMART model that you can read about here.
adjusted for urban environment - If the turbine location is in an urban environment, then further calculations are used to improve the estimate. This process part of the RenSMART model that you can read about here.
Clear area available for turbine(s) footing - The area available at the base of the turbine. A wind turbine needs a space around its base. This differs depending on the turbine mast type. Giving an idea of the area available will help installers in choosing a suitable turbine type for use at your site.
Turbine Model- The model of turbine to use. Selecting a model other than generic will automatically fill in the other fields based on the turbine's specification
Turbine Hub Height- The height of the centre of the turbines blades above ground level
Turbine Diameter- The diameter of the circle swept by the turbine blades.
Turbine Efficiency- The efficiency compared with the theoretical maximum energy that could be extracted from the wind.
Turbine Peak Output- The peak rating of the wind turbine. In the case of a generic model, this is the power output in a wind blowing at 12 metres per second. This is the value that is used to set the 'Clean Energy Cash Back' feed-in tariff rate.
Guide Price- This is the estimated cost to install this turbine based on our analysis of installation costs given by installers. You can read about our method for calculating guide prices here
Inverter Efficiency - The inverter converts the electricity generated by the turbine into a form that can be used on site or exported to the national grid. In the process it looses some of the electrical energy as heat. The percentage of electricity that is converted is the inverter efficiency.
Generated- An estimate of the amount generated by the wind turbine over an average year.
Average Generated- An estimate of the amount generated by the wind turbine on an average day.
Wind Energy Star Rating
Average Wind Speed
m/s at a height of 10 metres above the ground
Estimated Average Wind Speed at Your Location Taken Over a Year
This section gives you an estimate of the average wind speed for your site over a year.
Renewable Energy Estimate - This is a RenSMART star rating for your chosen location's wind energy resource. We developed the rating system by looking at the wind resources throughout the UK.
Wind Speed - This is the wind speed at a height of 10 metres above the ground. If you have a value that you would like to use either from a site survey or another data source, select 'a value I supply' from the drop down options and the wind speed will become an editable field.
Include Wind Turbine Installation - Check this box if you wish to include a wind turbine in your proposed system. When selected, a number of further fields will be displayed for you to select a turbine type and size.
Choose an Alternative Wind Speed Information Source
Take Wind Speed from
Turbine Efficiency
%
If you would like to include Solar PV in your project check this box
Roof Details
Roof Type
Roof Material
Roof Orientation
Roof Shading
Roof Space Available for Panels
width metres, height metres
Solar Panel Details
Solar Array Peak Output
kW
Indicative Price
£
Indicative prices are based on the RenSMART price model (solar wind ) and are not based on any particular manufacturers product that you have selected.
This section describes the roof where you intend to mount solar panels at your proposed location.
Panel Area- The area available for solar panels
Roof Type_- Either flat or pitched. A pitched roofs solar energy potential is effected by the roof's orientation to the sun. A flat roof is not.
Roof Material- This information is useful to installers when selecting a product that will fit well on your roof.
Roof Orientation- On a pitched roof, this will effect the amount of solar energy that can be captured over a day. We do not suggest fitting solar panels that are oriented closer to North than directly East or West.
Roof Shading- Roof shading by chimneys, other buildings or trees over the course of a day will effect the amount of solar energy that can be captured.
Solar Array Peak Output- This is the peak rating of the solar panels when the incoming solar energy is at 1kW per metre squared.
System Cost- This is the estimated cost to install this panels based on our analysis of installation costs given by installers.
Inverter Efficiency - The inverter converts the electricity generated by the solar panels into a form that can be used on site or exported to the national grid. In the process it looses some of the electrical energy as heat. The percentage of electricity that is converted is the inverter efficiency.
Generated- An estimate of the amount generated by the panels over an average year.
Average Generated- An estimate of the amount generated by the panels on an average day.
Solar Panel Model
Solar Panel Efficiency
%
Peak Output Drop Per Year
%
You can find panel efficiencies on our comparison table of solar panels available in the UK here Click here for Notes
This section describes the solar panels proposed for your location.
Solar Panel Model- The model of solar panels to use. Selecting a model other than generic will automatically fill in the other fields based on the panel's specification
Solar Panel Efficiency- The percentage of the solar energy reaching panel that is converted into electrical energy.
Peak Output Drop Per Year- The peak output from a solar panel drops slightly over it's life. The amount is defined as a yearly percentage drop.
Solar Energy Star Rating
Solar Energy Arriving From The Sun
kWh/m2/day
Estimated Average Solar Energy at Your Location Over a Year
This is the energy from the sun arriving at your location. You will be able to convert 10-14% of this to electrical energy using Solar PV panels.
This section gives you an estimate of the average solar energy per metre squared arriving at your site over a year.
Renewable Energy Estimate- This is a RenSMART star rating for your chosen locations solar energy resource. We developed the rating system by looking at the solar energy resources throughout the UK.
Solar Energy - This is the solar energy entering your site vertically over a square meter of ground. If you have a value that you would like to use either from a site survey or another data source, select 'a value I supply' from the drop down options and the solar energy will become an editable field.
Include Solar PV Installation- Check this box if you wish to include a solar PV array in your proposed system. When selected, a number of further fields will be displayed for you to select a panel types and the area to be covered.
Choose and Alternative Solar Energy Information Source
Take Solar Power from
Enter the amount of electricity you use and how much you pay for it in the form below.
We will use this information to estimate how much electricity you use on a typical day for each month of the year. This is then used to estimate how much renewable energy will be imported and exported from your chosen renewable energy source.
Energy Use
Energy Use Profile
Used Yearly
kWh/year
Energy Use Calculator
Use this calculator to calculate yearly electricity use if you have the amount used over a different period.
kWh
Supply Information
Import Tariff
p/kWh
Average Rate Calculator
Use this calculator if your electricity bill gives two prices for electricity. We will calculate an average price per kWh.
This section describes the use of electricity at your location. The profile generated from this information is used to generate an energy profile. This information is then used to estimate the financial returns and energy generated by your proposed installation.
Energy Use Profile- The type of location where the generated electricity will be used. A commercial office generally uses little energy over a weekend or at night, whereas a domestic property uses more energy at the weekend and in the evenings. We have taken the profiles from leading UK research.
Used Yearly- The number of kWh used at the property over a typical year. You can find this value from your electricity bill. The average home uses 5600 kWh per year. If you bill gives the amount you use per day, month or quarter, you can enter it in the Energy Use field and press Calculate Yearly Use
Import Tariff- The amount you pay per kWh for electricity in pence. You can find this on your electricity bill. Often this is displayed as two tariffs, one for the first few hundred kWh used and another for the rest of the units you have used. You can use the calculator to the right of this field. Enter the First Rate kWh and price in pence and the Second Rate kWh and price in pence. Press Calculate Import Tariff to find the average import tariff paid.
The graph 'Energy Used Over a Year as kWh Per Day' displays three energy profiles based on the energy use profile you have chosen and the yearly amount of energy used. There is one profile for working day use, one for Saturday use and one for Sunday use. Each bar displays the average kWh used during an average day in each month. The information displayed here is used to generate the energy projection shown in the Energy Projection section.
Viewing Month- This is the month that the daily average is displayed for
The graph 'Energy Use Over a Typical Day as Average kWh' displays three energy profiles based on the energy use profile you have chosen and the yearly amount of energy used. There is one profile for working day use, one for Saturday use and one for Sunday use. Each point marks the average kWh used during an hour for an average day in the chosen month.
The information displayed here is used to generate the energy projection shown in the Energy Projection section.
This section describes how you pay and get paid for your electricity and how much you think you may pay in the future.
Base Load- The minimum amount of energy used in an hour at the property. If not, known use a value of 0.5
Peak Load- The maximum amount of energy used in an hour at the property. If not known, use a value of 10
Feed In Tariff Type- Currently we are only applying the 'Clean Energy Cash Back' tariff.
Current tariff type- The current type of tariff you are currently using
Electricity Supplier- The name of your current energy supplier
Export Tariff- The amount you would receive for electricity exported back to the grid in pence. This is set to 3p / kWh minimum by the 'Clean Energy Cash Back' scheme
_Tariff Increase- This is the amount we estimate the cost of electricity to rise above the underlying inflation rate expressed as a percentage rise per year
This tab shows you details of your projects generation and use of electricity over a typical year.
Energy Used, Generated, Imported and Exported Over a Year as kWh Per Day
The graph 'Energy Used, Generated, Imported and Exported Over a Year as kWh Per Day' displays five energy profiles based on the energy use profile you have chosen, the yearly amount of energy used, and the proposed renewable energy installation. There is one profile for energy use, one for wind energy generated, one for solar energy generated, one for energy imported from the grid and one for energy exported to the grid. Each bar displays the average kWh during an average day in each month.
The information displayed here is used to calculate the financial returns for the proposed installation.
Energy Used, Generated, Imported and Exported Over a Typical Day as Average kWh
Viewing Month- This is the month that the daily average is displayed for
The graph 'Energy Used, Generated, Imported and Exported Over a Typical Day as Average kWh' displays five energy profiles based on the energy use profile you have chosen, the yearly amount of energy used, and the proposed renewable energy installation. There is one profile for energy use, one for wind energy generated, one for solar energy generated, one for energy imported from the grid and one for energy exported to the grid. Each point marks the average kWh during an hour for an average day in the chosen month.
The information displayed here is used to calculate the financial returns for the proposed installation.
The Financial Projection table gives year-by-year estimates of the income and costs for your project
All values in brackets are negative.
No increase based on inflation have been applied except in the case of import and export tariffs which may increase above the rate of inflation.
As no increase based on inflation has been included, the estimates should be taken as the value of money in today's terms.
Further information on each of the columns can be found by pressing the notes button at the bottom of the table.
Year - The financial year covered by this row with the project year in brackets. Project years run from April to April.
Import Tariff - The cost of importing a kWh of energy from the grid in pence. This is the value you have entered under the Energy Use tab and is increased each project year by the Tariff Increase % above inflation value that you will find under the Advanced Fields also under the Energy Use tab.
Export Tariff - The value of exporting a kWh of energy to the grid in pence. This value can be changed under the Advanced Fields on the Energy Use tab. Like the import tariff, this value is increased each project year by the Tariff Increase % above inflation value that you will find under the Advanced Fields also under the Energy Use tab. As part of the Clean Energy Cash Back scheme, the minimum value of an exported kWh is 3p. It is not currently clear whether this value will be increased in line with energy prices or the retail prices index.
Solar FIT Tariff - The amount given by your electricity supplier for each kWh you generate from your proposed solar PV installation
Wind FIT Tariff - The amount given by your electricity supplier for each kWh you generate from your proposed wind turbine
Maintenance Cost - The estimated cost of maintaining your system in running order each year.
Import Cost - The estimated total cost of the energy used at your location
Export Value - The estimated total value of the energy you export from your property to the grid
Used Value - The value of the energy you have generated that you use at your location
Wind FIT Value - The total value of the feed-in tariff you would receive for energy generated from the wind
Solar FIT Value - The total value of the feed-in tariff you would receive for energy generated from the sun
Site Rental Cost - The yearly cost of renting the site where your generation system is located.
Year Total - The total estimated income derived from your location over the year
Accumulated Total - The accumulated income derived from your location since the system was installed
ROI - The percentage return to you after the initial outlay has been subtracted
New for 2012.
As a RenSMART member and you can contact multiple local installers quickly and easily to organise site surveys or request quotes.
Sign up as a RenSMART member and you can contact multiple local installers quickly and easily to organise site surveys or request quotes using RenSMART's installer search application.
We will be introducing a new service for RenSMART members soon offering a report based on your project.
The report will be sent to your email address as a pdf document suitable for printing.
We will be making a small charge of £1 +VAT for this service to help pay for ongoing development of the Site Planner tool.
If you would like further information or have any questions, please email us at services@rensmart.com
Glossary
CECB
The 'Clean Energy Cash Back' scheme is a government scheme that offers owners of renewable energy generation systems a guaranteed amount for each kilowatt hour of electricity they produce. The money is paid to the owner regardless of whether they use it themselves or export it to the grid.
Export
In the context of the Site Planner tool, export refers to energy in kilowatt hours that exits the property via a reversible meter onto the national grid. The energy supplier then pays the site owner a small fee per kilowatt hour. This is the export tariff multiplied by the number of units exported.
Export Tariff
The amount paid to an energy supplier for each kilowatt of energy imported from the national grid in pence.
FIT
A feed-in tariff is an incentive scheme used to encourage the installation of renewable energy generation systems. It has and still is available in many countries around the world. A new feed-in tariff will be available in the UK from April 2010 called 'Clean Energy Cash Back'
Import
In the context of the Site Planner tool, import refers to energy in kilowatt hours that enters from the national grid the property via an electricity meter. The energy supplier is paid for this energy at the import tariff rate.
Import Tariff
The amount paid, in pence, by an energy supplier for each kilowatt of energy exported back to the national grid.
Inverter
Most renewable energy is not produced in a for suitable for use in a premises. An inverter takes the renewable energy and converts it into an AC supply suitable for use in a premises or for exporting to the grid.
kWh
Kilowatt Hour (a unit of electrical energy). One kilowatt hour is the equivalent of using 1,000 watts for 1 hour. For Exmple: One kWh would operate a 100 watt light bulbs for ten hours.
ROI
Return on investment ROI - This gives the percentage returned to an investor after the initial outlay has been subtracted. For example if you invested £100 and received a return of £125 you would have received a return of £125 - £100 = £25. This would be an ROI of £25/£100 = 25%
Solar PV
Solar Photovoltaics
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