Excellent response Steve.
It is going to take me a while to wade through all that info, but a few points-

1. The Sharp/Currys system does not claim to produce all the electrical power in a UK home. At an average 3300kWh/annum UK electricity consumption, a 1600kWh/annum system would produce roughly 50% of it.

2. Based on an average European solar radiation at surface of [say] 1000kWh per sq.m, and 8.5% conversion x 67% efficiency, then to produce 1600kWh/year requires c.28 sq m of panels = 9 panels of c. 3 sq.m.
So, the system is technically viable for what it aims to achieve, it is just too expensive.

3. Most UK homes use fossil fuel for heating, with very poor insulation in most of them. I quite agree that to expect pv cells to generate enough electricity to run all the home-energy requirements of our existing housing stock is impossible.

4. Cover Wales in pv cells?
What a tempting notion! [Linked Image]

Alan

Wood work but can't!