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Good Energy rewards renewable heat generators
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 3rd February 2009 at 10:42 am
Solar thermal panels to heat your water just got more attractive with the launch of Good Energy's renewable heat incentive, or HotROC, contract. This means that customers who generate heat or hot water from renewable sources are paid for the energy they create. This is a first step towards putting t…
Posted in: Biomass, Combined heat & power, Solar heat & hot water
Microgeneration high among Tory proposals
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 21st January 2009 at 9:07 am
Large scale use of renewables are part of the Conservative party's plans for a low carbon economy published last week. With a feed-in tariff, they hope homes, businesses, schools and hospitals will contribute the electricity they produce into the national grid, earning money in the process. To m…
Posted in: General, Energy efficiency
Renewable energy grants still available
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 15th January 2009 at 9:23 am
Homeowners who want to install energy generating equipment such as solar panels, wind turbines or biomass boilers will be able to apply for grants until June 2010. It is anticipated that a feed-in tariff should be in place by then, which will incentivise homeowners and communities to invest in micro…
Posted in: General
Blueprint for feed-in tariffs proposed by industry
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 30th March 2009 at 11:58 am
The renewable energy industry presented its proposals for how feed-in tariffs could best be introduced to energy minister Mike O’Brien last week. Last year’s Energy Act outlined plans for a feed-in tariff to pay microgenerators for the electricity and heat that they produce from April 2010. The …
Posted in: General
Will feed in tariffs deliver for us?
Posted by Matthew Rhodes on 27th March 2009 at 7:38 am
I spent most of yesterday at a conference about feed in tariffs, the new incentive mechanism proposed for renewable energy technologies from next April (2010) to replace the existing grant regime. It was organised by the Renewable Energy Association (REA) It is encouraging to see the government …
Posted in: General
PV shipments grow as community grants dry up
Posted by Graham Eastwick on 18th March 2009 at 10:29 am
Shipments of photovoltaic (PV) panels (solar electricity) are growing year on year at a rapid rate around the world. Much of this is driven by multi-MW PV farms or so called Solar Parks. These require large areas of land and are best suited to sunnier climes and places where land is more available. …
Posted in: Solar electricity
What size and type of turbine is most suitable for my site?
Posted by Graham Eastwick on 26th June 2009 at 10:28 am
Choosing the best wind turbine for your site will depend on a number of factors. The first thing is to determine if you have enough wind. A national database of wind speeds is available and will give you an indication of the wind speed at your home. This can be accessed fr…
Posted in: Wind turbines
What the renewable energy strategy and low carbon transition plan mean for your home
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 20th July 2009 at 3:01 pm
Households are expected to make cuts in their carbon emissions of 29% by 2020 according to the Government's Low Carbon Transition Plan, announced by Ed Miliband last week (houses currently emit more than a third of the UK's carbon). This will be done through a combination of cutting the amount o…
Posted in: General, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Solar panels have never been so attractive
Posted by Chris Rudge on 10th August 2009 at 10:50 am
With the feed-in tariff due to start in April 2010 (after a short consultation period to October) the benefits of installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on our houses before the end of the 2009 are probably better than we will ever have again. Simply put, if you have a PV installation befor…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Feed-in tariffs are not fair to renewable energy pioneers
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 14th August 2009 at 9:17 am
Renewable energy pioneers have been dealt a dismal hand by DECC's proposed rates for the feed-in tariff. Existing microgenerators (whose installation has been accredited under the Renewable Obligation) will be automatically transferred to the feed-in tariff on a rate of 9p per kWh (kilowatt hours)…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Existing generators angry at feed-in cuts to income
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 15th September 2009 at 8:32 am
Feed-in tariffs are designed to incentivise people to invest in renewable sources of energy generation. Yet, the government's proposals will give much lower rates to existing microgenerators, leading to a cut in income for many. This seems a perverse move from government. The numbers of micro wi…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Solar PV: how to tell the difference between panel types
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 25th September 2009 at 9:50 am
Solar PV (photovoltaic) panels come in lots of different types - mostly with long and complicated names - so it's not easy to know what the difference is. Last night I went to an excellent evening organised by the Sid Valley Energy Action Group - a group of enthusiastic volunteers who promote ene…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Equal feed-in tariff for existing generation has heavyweight support
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 30th September 2009 at 10:10 am
Support for equal feed-in rates for those who already have small solar PV, wind turbines or hydro came from diverse parts of the renewable energy sector at yesterday's RegenSW conference in Bristol. Sponsor Christine Griffiths of Aeolus Power got her passionate call in early in the day - to be me…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Green party promises best finance scheme for microgeneration
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th November 2009 at 11:59 am
Proper insulation for every home and interest-free loans for domestic renewable energy are just some of the policies promised by the Green party if they win the next election. While it would be expensive, says Paula Black, Totnes councillor, and prospective Green Party parliamentary candidate for Ex…
Posted in: General, Energy efficiency, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Feed-in rate announcement may be delayed
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th November 2009 at 4:07 pm
The much awaited results of the consultation on feed-in tariffs may take a little longer than hoped. Internal wrangling between government departments is to blame according to the Guardian, and it's not clear when we're going to find out. Ed Milliband had apparently hoped to have the policy i…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Solar PV industry uncertainty as grants pot runs out
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 4th December 2009 at 9:23 am
The solar industry faces another phase of uncertainty as the grants money to support installation of photovoltaic panels in public sector buildings and charities has run out again. The Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 2 grant pot was topped up with £35m earlier this year, of which £13m was …
Posted in: Solar electricity
Back UK jobs, innovation and manufacturing through renewable energy
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 9th December 2009 at 10:25 am
With the announcement of the final feed-in tariff rates postponed until (probably mid) January, a frenzy of lobbying has erupted for a more ambitious settlement that will deliver more renewable energy, and more British jobs in manufacturing and installing. If you want to join in, here are some sugge…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Solar panels fall in price
Posted by Chris Rudge on 11th November 2009 at 10:30 am
There is both good news and bad news in the solar PV (photovoltaic) installation world. Over the last few months, the cost of solar electricity modules has fallen by anything up to 10%. This is due to an early year slump in demand throughout Europe in caused by the credit crisis. There had also b…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Renewable heat soon to join the energy revolution
Posted by Gabriel Wondrausch on 6th November 2009 at 9:13 am
Until a few months ago, solar thermal hot water heating has been the most cost effective way for people to generate their own renewable energy - for every pound invested it has usually delivered the highest units of energy. The reason for this is that solar thermal systems have always been the most…
Posted in: Solar heat & hot water
What will 2010 bring for microgeneration?
Posted by Matthew Rhodes on 18th January 2010 at 9:39 am
I have a growing feeling that 2010 will mark a watershed in the development of microgeneration in the UK . The introduction of feed-in tariffs (FiTs) from April marks a sea change in established attitudes to small scale renewables, and a very belated attempt by the UK to catch up with the rest of…
Posted in: General
Public wants ambitious support for microgeneration
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 28th January 2010 at 9:32 am
Renewable energy in homes, communities and businesses got a public vote of confidence this week, but needs ambitious goals and support from government to succeed. A new survey found that people are prepared to pay higher energy bills to support a stronger feed-in tariff. Two thirds of the pop…
Posted in: General, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Feed-in tariff explained in video
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 3rd February 2010 at 3:41 pm
For those of you who prefer your information visually, here's a great video from Solar Century. …
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Feed-in tariff scheme is shortsighted
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 8th February 2010 at 12:46 pm
A last, we've got our foot firmly on the road to making renewable energy part of the UK's energy mix. Yes, the Feed-in Tariff rates could be higher. The government's goals for microgeneration could have been more ambitious. But the rates are probably attractive enough, especially in the current e…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Conservatives support fair treatment for all microgenerators
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 17th February 2010 at 9:07 am
If elected, the Conservatives will pay early adopters of microgeneration technologies the same rate of Clean Energy Cashback (the government's new financial incentive for renewable generation) as new installers according to a new campaigning website. Charles Hendry, the shadow minister for energy…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Three ways we could improve UK feed in tariffs
Posted by Matthew Rhodes on 22nd February 2010 at 9:17 pm
I am a stalwart supporter of feed in tariffs, and anticipate a revolution in UK microgeneration in the next few months as a result. Their introduction is long overdue. However, on Monday I sat through a lengthy discussion both of feed in tariffs (FiTs) and the proposed renewable heat incentiv…
Posted in: General, Combined heat & power, Heat pumps, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water, Wind turbines
Rainwater harvesting: where are the incentives?
Posted by Barry Nutley on 5th March 2010 at 9:06 am
The recent announcements surrounding the feed-in tariff (FIT) and renwable heat incentive (RHI), are (generally) fantastic news for the renewable industry. But the Government seems to have forgotten about rainwater harvesting. Whilst technically not a renewable technology, water is still an impor…
Posted in: Rainwater harvesting
Conservative energy policy is a damp squib for renewables
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th March 2010 at 9:30 am
Twelve actions "to put our energy system back on its feet" are at the heart of the long awaited Conservative energy policy which was finally launched last Friday. Of them, three relate directly to domestic renewable energy and energy efficiency, but it's difficult to see that they add much new to th…
Posted in: General
EDM adds weight to campaign for equal rates for microgeneration pioneers
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th March 2010 at 9:29 am
Sixty seven MPs have signed early day motion 953 calling for equal clean energy cashback (feed-in tariff) for pioneer microgenerators. You can check whether your MP is one of them on the parliament website. If not, why not ask them to sign it. The easiest way to do this is at Write to Them. The m…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Long awaited Baxi Ecogen Micro-CHP unit launched
Posted by Gilly Jones on 6th May 2010 at 2:58 pm
The Baxi Ecogen Micro-CHP home boiler is finally available. The first wall-hung combined heat and power (CHP) unit is currently only available through British Gas' network of installers. It's only suitable for houses on the mains gas network. Baxi claims that the Ecogen is …
Posted in: Combined heat & power
Solar PV installations are held up by a shortage of inverters
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 17th May 2010 at 9:18 am
Delays of up to 17 weeks on delivery of inverters is causing problems for solar panel installers. With demand up because of the feed-in tariff, installers cannot finish jobs on time, as they wait for inverters. 'The inverter situation is pretty drastic,' said Chris Aloise, managing director of Eu…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Uncertainty ahead as Low Carbon Building Programme is cut
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 26th May 2010 at 12:31 pm
The Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP) grants scheme closed to new applications on Monday. We're calling on the Government to act quickly to eliminate the state of uncertainty facing consumers and the renewable heat industry as a result. The cut came as part of the Department of Energ…
Posted in: General, Biomass, Heat pumps, Solar heat & hot water
Barriers to microgeneration part 2: finance
Posted by on 31st May 2010 at 9:37 pm
Initial capital outlay is a major barrier to installing microgeneration systems, whatever someone's motivation. Renewable energy installations can cost from £4,000 to £25,000. Access to sums of capital of this size is not realistic for most UK homeowners. So how do we get around this? Especiall…
Posted in: General
Tell Dave and Nick what you think of their energy plans
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 8th June 2010 at 9:22 am
The government is asking for our views on its programme for government. We've had a look at its proposed measures for energy and climate change, and our response is below. You can comment too - but get your skates on, they want to hear from us by Thursday 10 June. Our first thought is of motherho…
Posted in: General, Energy efficiency
Ecotricity offers the best tariff for pioneer microgenerators
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th June 2010 at 9:25 am
The best generation rates for early adopters of solar electricity and micro electricity who installed their system before the 15 June 2009 cut offs for feed-in tariffs are available from Ecotricity. The green electricity provider has introduced a new Microtricity scheme that pays 16p a unit…
Posted in: Green Electricity
Feed-in tariffs: how to claim them
Posted by John E Martin on 5th July 2010 at 9:39 am
Feed-in tariffs are now up and running and many people are keen to take advantage of the potential returns. This is a guide to how to qualify and apply to receive these payments. If you are applying for an installation commissioned after 1 April 2010 you will need to ensure the following: …
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Can I get the feed-in tariff and a grant?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 7th July 2010 at 12:15 pm
Community groups and schools that received Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP) phase 2 grants have been told that if they want to receive the feed-in tariff they will have to pay the grant back. As many of them went ahead and installed in the belief that they would be entitled to the feed-in …
Posted in: Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Early adopters and the feed-in tariff: an update
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th July 2010 at 10:05 am
The Conservative party promised, prior to the election, that early adopters of microgeneration will get the feed-in tariffs. Since the election the silence on the subject has been deafening. Until now. An early adopter has just sent me this letter from DECC: "As set out in the Coalition Progr…
Posted in: Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Solar panels are now an investment opportunity
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th July 2010 at 11:40 am
There are lots of reasons people install solar panels on their roof. It may be to protect themselves from rising energy prices, a desire to reduce their carbon footprint, or concern about energy security. Until recently, it certainly wasn't to make money. However, two things have changed. The int…
Posted in: Solar electricity, Green Electricity
Feed-in tariff for early adopters: an update
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 6th August 2010 at 10:28 am
Prior to the general election, the Conservatives promised that early adopters of microgeneration technologies would receive full feed-in tariffs (and not the much lower 9p rate currently on offer). Since the coalition government formed there has been a deafening silence from Whitehall on the subject…
Posted in: Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Free solar panels: is it too good to be true?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 11th August 2010 at 8:54 am
Solar PV panels worth £10-12,000, installed on your roof, free of charge - it sounds too good to be true, but is it really? The 'rent a roof' model, as it is known, is proving attractive to installers and investors. A Shade Greener, Homesun and Isis Solar are just three of companies offering the…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Good news on grants and feed-in tariffs
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 1st September 2010 at 2:22 pm
Many schools and community groups are being told they can claim the feed-in tariff and keep grants received under the Low Carbon Building Programme, following months of uncertainty. Under threat of having to pay back their grant many organisations faced financial difficulty. Their calculations pr…
Posted in: General
Feed-in tariff registration: why is it taking so long?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 3rd September 2010 at 9:55 am
I've heard a number of complaints from people about how long it's taking to register their solar or wind installation for the feed-in tariff, so when I was talking to Ofgem about grants this week, I asked about that too. It appears that the delay is mostly in migrating installations that were reg…
Posted in: General
Government breaks feed-in tariff promise for early adopters
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th September 2010 at 5:44 pm
Tories and LibDems both promised equal feed-in tariff rates to early adopters of renewable energy in the run up to the general election. Now the coalition government has broken that promise and we're calling on early adopters, and others that care about the shift to renewable energy, to let their M…
Posted in: General
Feed-in tariffs: make sure your installer is accredited
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th September 2010 at 8:53 am
Feed-in tariffs are only available if you are installing an MCS accredited product and using an MCS accredited installer. There's no margin for error on this, so it's worth checking that this is the case before going ahead with an installation. Without the feed-in tariff the return on your investmen…
Posted in: General, Solar electricity
Do solar panels affect house sales?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 29th September 2010 at 3:35 pm
A solar panel installation should make a house more desirable, shouldn't it? There's the saving on energy bills from using home-generated electricity, and even at the lower early adopters feed-in rate the combination of generation rate and export rate begin to add up to a nice bit of extra income. …
Posted in: Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water
'Free' solar panels are not a great deal, says Which?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 5th October 2010 at 2:10 pm
Installations companies stand to benefit more than consumers from 'free' solar pv panels according to new research from Which?. They found that householders could save as much as £10,500 over the next 25 years by buying their own solar pv panels (to generate electricity) instead of signing up to…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Is there a limit on solar PV generation? Q&A
Posted by Paul Hutchens on 11th October 2010 at 9:27 am
Q: I am about to install a solar PV panel system on my roof and have come across a problem with my Distribution Network Operator (DNO). I want to take full advantage of the feed-in tariff and was planning a 3.995Kwh system on my roof. Unfortunately the DNO insist on increasing the cost to incl…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Spending review: what it means for home owners
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 20th October 2010 at 4:27 pm
Given the dread with which most of the renewables world has anticipated the comprehensive spending review, it has been quite a good day. The Chancellor confirmed that there will be a renewable heat incentive and that he (probably) won't be tinkering with the feed-in tariff before the first scheduled…
Posted in: General
Spending review: a solar industry view
Posted by Howard Johns on 21st October 2010 at 10:07 am
Well it is the day after the spending review and I can’t help feeling the renewables sector has been very lucky. The Feed in Tariff (FiT) will remain and we are going to have a renewable heat incentive (RHI). After months of campaigning and ups and downs the waiting game is over and the solar indu…
Posted in: General
Feed-in tariff is proving a big success
Posted by David Hunt on 15th November 2010 at 9:01 am
The government's feed-in tariff scheme has already got thousands of people generating their own electricity. When it launched the feed-in tariff scheme in April it was one of a range of policies aimed at inducing people to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Now, just five months later, an…
Posted in: General, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
FOI request reveals cost of paying feed-in tariffs to early adopters
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 18th November 2010 at 11:01 am
A freedom of information request has revealed the costs of paying early adopters of microgeneration the full feed-in tariff. DECC (the department of energy and climate change) estimates that: There are 4,936 installations affected. Annual cost in 2020 of allowing feed-in tariffs at …
Posted in: General
Solar industry starts and ends year with uncertainty
Posted by Howard Johns on 23rd December 2010 at 8:39 am
It feels as if the solar industry has been on a real rollercoaster during 2010. This was the year where we were finally meant to have an end to the stop start funding of the various grant schemes that have supported the sector in the past and move into the 21st (solar) century with the launch of a f…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Early adopters continue to call for equal feed-in tariffs
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 28th January 2011 at 9:50 am
While the feed-in tariff is being hailed as a great success, and solar PV installations are sky rocketing, the voice of early adopters has disappeared from the media. However, a group of microgeneration pioneers who are receiving just 9p per kWh generation tariff (compared to the 43.1p received by t…
Posted in: General
First review of feed-in tariff announced
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 8th February 2011 at 8:08 am
Energy secretary, Chris Huhne has announced a comprehensive review of the feed-in tariff to take place this year - a year earlier than scheduled. Rates are expected to stay the same until April 2012. Since the introduction of the feed-in tariff in 2010, more than 21,000 installations have been re…
Posted in: General, Solar electricity
Community owned energy companies thrown into turmoil by feed-in tariff review
Posted by Chris Rowland on 10th February 2011 at 11:17 am
Community-owned energy companies across the UK are shocked and dismayed at yesterday's announcement of an early review of the feed-in tariff by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne. A growing number of community-owned companies have been set up to build renewable ene…
Posted in: Solar electricity
How to choose your feed-in tariff supplier
Posted by Hugo House on 7th March 2011 at 9:11 am
You may not know this, but you do not have to get your feed-in tariff paid by the energy company that you buy your electricity from. You can shop around to find the one that offers you the best deal. At the moment they all pay out exactly the same rate, so you'll probably want to choose the one …
Posted in: Green Electricity
New feed-in tariff rates from April 2011
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 14th March 2011 at 9:12 am
The feed-in tariff is linked to the retail price index, so rates will increase (or decrease) each year in line with inflation. The rates for the year commencing 1 April 2011 will be as follows: Combined heat and power (CHP) CHP with electrical capacity of 2kW or less: up 0.5p, to 10.5p per kW…
Posted in: General
Fast track review of feed-in tariff rates for solar PV is a blow for community solar schemes
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 21st March 2011 at 10:03 am
Households are the only winners in the Government's fast-track review of feed-in tariffs for solar PV (for generating electricity). Rates for installations of 50kWp or less will not change (and on 1 April they will rise by 4.8% in line with the Retail Price Index). In stark contrast, the rates f…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Has the purpose of the feed-in tariff changed?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 23rd March 2011 at 12:07 pm
Do you know what the purpose of the feed-in tariff is? I thought that I did. I thought that it was about lowering the country's carbon emissions, to help us meet our EU carbon emission reduction targets. But, apparently not. According to Alasdair Grainger, the DECC official speaking at yes…
Posted in: General
Share issue for UK's first community-owned power station launches
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 15th April 2011 at 9:06 am
Lewes-based energy company Ovesco is racing to get the country's first community-owned solar power station up and running before the feed-in tariff rates are slashed on 1 August. The not-for-profit industrial and provident society has teamed up with East Sussex brewery, Harveys, to install 544 so…
Posted in: General, Solar electricity
Import and export meters and the feed-in tariff
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 29th March 2011 at 9:59 am
I've been a bit confused about export meters for the feed-in tariff. When my solar PV panels were installed my installer put in two meters. One measures the total amount of electricity generated. The other measures the amount I export. The meters are identical. So identical that they even have co…
Posted in: General, Green Electricity
Deeming export of electricity for feed-in tariff
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 25th October 2010 at 9:05 am
Deeming is usually associated with the proposed renewable heat incentive, but it is also used in the feed-in tariff to estimate the amount of electricity that is exported to the grid by microgeneration systems. We recently received the following question: "It would be interesting and informative …
Posted in: General, Green Electricity
Microgeneration pioneers continue their fight for equal feed-in tariff
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 4th May 2011 at 10:35 am
While DECC is said to be discussing compensation of up to £3m for solar entrepreneurs set to lose out from the recently announced fast track review of feed-in tariffs for large scale installations, the early adopters of domestic scale solar and wind power are still struggling to be heard. Repres…
Posted in: General
10 tips for choosing a good solar PV installer
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 2nd June 2010 at 2:43 pm
Choosing an installer is always a tricky business, so I asked Stuart Houghton, of Abacus Renewable Energy, who installed our photovoltaic solar panels, what his top tips are. Watch the video, or read on, to find out: 1. Find out ho…
Posted in: Solar electricity
New feed-in tariff rates announced for large scale solar
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 13th June 2011 at 9:50 am
As expected, the Government has confirmed that it will slash the feed-in tariff for installations over 50kW from 1 August 2011. Rates for domestic sized installations, and systems installed before that date will not be affected. The changes were defended by Greg Barker, climate change minister, w…
Posted in: Solar electricity
What is the aim of the feed-in tariff? And what do you think it should be?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th June 2011 at 12:20 pm
Ask 10 people what the aim of the feed-in tariff is, and you'll probably get 10 different answers, at least that's the impression I got at this week's MicrogenerationUK conference. DECC officials were speaking about the renewable heat incentive and the feed-in tariff at a session on financing…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
How to choose the best wind turbine for your site.
Posted by Graham Eastwick on 28th June 2011 at 2:40 pm
There are a wide variety of wind turbines on the market today. These split in to two main categories: horizontal axis akin to the old fashion wind mills and vertical axis turbines. Most installations use a horizontal axis, vertical axis turbines are most often found in urban environments. Below a…
Posted in: Wind turbines
Which energy company is the most helpful about the feed-in tariff
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 28th April 2011 at 9:44 am
Choosing your feed-in tariff supplier is important. Their efficiency, or lack of it, will affect how quickly and accurately you get paid for the electricity you generate, and you don't have to use the same supplier as you use to buy electricity. A recent blog outlined the questions you should as…
Posted in: Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines, Green Electricity
How the feed-in tariff rules work for an additional installation
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 8th August 2011 at 9:30 am
Q: What happens if I have additional solar PV panels fitted - would the whole of my system qualify for the new feed-in tariff? A: The answer to this question varies, depending on when the first installation was. If you add to an existing installation of the same technology within 12 months it w…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Beware: receiving grants from public funds may make you ineligible for feed-in tariffs
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 18th August 2011 at 8:52 am
The feed-in tariff is intended to replace grants from public funds as the main way of incentivising microgeneration. So anyone awarded a public grant to install or buy generating equipment is in danger of not being eligible for the feed-in tariff (unless they repay the grant). There are some exem…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Solar boom and bust: feed-in tariff RIP?
Posted by Howard Johns on 25th August 2011 at 9:05 am
Here we are in the midst of the UK “solar boom” and already this marvellous success story is being dismantled in front of our eyes. Speak to most of the new marketing-focused solar PV companies out there and PV is still the best investment ever. They are right, it is good at this mome…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Feed-in tariff accreditation for micro-hydro to be reviewed
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 9th September 2011 at 9:05 am
Micro hydro and the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) have had a rocky start. The MCS is designed to protect domestic consumers and covers small scale installations. Access to government incentives such as the feed-in tariff and the renewable heat incentive (RHI) are subject to both the ins…
Posted in: Hydro electricity
When eligibility for the feed-in starts: the definitive answer
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 21st October 2011 at 6:02 am
"What is the start date for my feed-in tariff payments?" and variations on it must be the most frequently asked question we get here at YouGen. Is it the date it's commissioned? Or the date the electricity company gets your application? And what happens if they lose it? Well I've just checked wit…
Posted in: Green Electricity
How to protect yourself against feed-in tariff cuts
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 26th October 2011 at 4:55 am
It's generally accepted that the rates of return on the feed-in tariff are much more generous than was planned and that a cut is due (although there's much debate about how big that cut should be). Until recently, the reduction was expected to take place from 1 April 2012. Suddenly the rumour-mil…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Future of feed-in tariff to be announced next week
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 28th October 2011 at 6:10 am
"I haven't come here to kill the [feed-in] tariff scheme, I want to fix it, enhance it and put the whole industry on a sustainable, credible economic path to a bright and exciting future," said energy and climate change minister Greg Barker yesterday, speaking at the Solar Power UK conference in Bir…
Posted in: General
Future of feed-in tariff leaks out early
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 28th October 2011 at 9:57 am
The consultation on the review of the feed-in tariff for solar PV is due to be announced in parliament on Monday 31 October. However, the significant element for the domestic market has leaked out early: the new rate to be consulted on is 21p per kWh (compared to a current rate of 43.3p). This will …
Posted in: General
Feed-in tariff cuts hits hard for both consumers and industry
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 1st November 2011 at 9:36 am
Feed-in tariffs for solar PV will be cut in half as a result of changes proposed by Government in a consultation announced yesterday. The cuts will bring the solar boom to an end, and are widely expected to create a solar bust. Currently installations of up to 4kW attract a generation rate of 43.…
Posted in: Solar electricity
What the proposed cuts in solar PV feed-in tariff mean for you (updated)
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 1st November 2011 at 7:29 am
What's changed? The government proposes to cut the rates of the feed-in tariff for new solar PV installations as follows: Up to 4kW: 21p / kWh (previously 43.3p for retrofit / 37.8p for new build) >4-10kW: 16.8p (previously 37.8p) >10-50kW: 15.2p (previously 32.9p) >50-15…
Posted in: Solar electricity
My top five energy saving tips
Posted by Adrian Wright on 3rd November 2011 at 3:03 am
1) Insulate!! Insulation is a no brainer. Why allow all of that expensive heat to escape through your walls and roof when you can receive grant funding from energy suppliers to have your home professionally insulated? Enact Energy can now do this for you completely free of charg…
Posted in: Energy efficiency, Solar electricity
Feed-in tariff cuts too deep and too fast says industry
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 10th November 2011 at 8:10 am
The feed-in tariff cuts are "too deep and too fast", say 90% of respondents to a survey circulated to solar PV companies by the Renewable Energy Association and the Solar Trade Association. The survey, which was answered by 139 companies, found that employment levels in the solar industry could…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Feed-in tariffs: the new landscape
Posted by David Hunt on 14th November 2011 at 4:31 am
So the dust is settling on a truly manic few weeks. From rumour and leaks to the final announcement, we now know what the new feed-in tariff (FIT) regime will be. Of course there is ongoing lobbying and campaigning to fight the depth of the tariff cut, and we’ll be playing our part in that campa…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Thoughts on the future of the feed-in tariff
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 15th November 2011 at 5:13 am
Proposed cuts to the feed-in tariff for solar PV are too fast and too deep say both industry and consumers affected by the changes. While most people agree that the feed-in tariff rates were too high, and needed to be cut, the speed and severity of the change is a severe blow. It's hard to unde…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Four major reasons to join in the mass lobby of Parliament on changes to the Feed-in Tariff
Posted by Howard Johns on 17th November 2011 at 9:08 pm
Now we have all got over the shock of the announcement of potential changes to the feed-in tariff (FIT) some people in the industry are saying we should just get on and make the 21p work. In many ways if that was what the plan really was I would agree, but having sat in the Ministerial Roundta…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Are the big energy companies obliged to take on new FIT generators?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 5th December 2011 at 9:22 am
Q: I am trying to sort out a FiT (feed-in tariff) supplier. I have emailed all the suppliers shown on the Ofgem website with a range of questions. As far as I can make out only two of the big suppliers will pay the feed-in tariff if you are supplied by one of the other big suppliers (British Gas and…
Posted in: Solar electricity, Wind turbines
'World's first RHI' launch over-shadowed by FITs debacle
Posted by Stewart Boyle on 7th December 2011 at 10:08 am
The long-awaited Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) officially ‘opened for business’ on 28th November. With £864 million available for the cashback scheme to support biomass boilers, solar water heating systems, heat pumps and bio-methane projects, it should have been a day of great celebration…
Posted in: General
What happens to the feed-in tariff when you sell your house
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 11th November 2011 at 4:53 am
Can I continue to receive the feed-in tariff payments on a solar PV or wind turbine installation after I've sold the house, is a question I'm being asked more often. My understanding of the original plans for feed-in tariffs (Labour's document) was that when someone sells their house they would sell…
Posted in: General, Green Electricity
Barker confirms 21p FIT rate: could this spark another mini solar boom?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 15th December 2011 at 10:21 am
In an uncertain world even a little bit of clarity is good, so we welcome energy minister Greg Barker's confirmation that, whatever the outcome of the consultation, the 21p rate of feed-in tariff (FIT) is fixed for the period from 12 December 2011 to 31 March 2012. That means that all systems instal…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Solar feed-in tariff consultation is a sham, say YouGen users
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 21st December 2011 at 12:26 pm
Disingenuous. Suspicious. Untrustworthy. These are just some of the words used by respondents to our recent survey (pdf) to describe the government's consultation on the feed-in tariff (FIT) review. By setting a cut off date for installations that is before the end of the consultation the governm…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Solar will exert a downward force on electricity prices
Posted by James Page on 22nd December 2011 at 10:09 am
There is still a day left to submit responses to the consultation on solar feed-in tariffs. Which is just as well as those in the industry have been a tad busy until now. Ironically my submission will centre on a point I also made in relation to nuclear power four years…
Posted in: Solar electricity
What we want for Christmas from Santa (aka Greg Barker)
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 22nd December 2011 at 11:07 am
This week has got progressively worse and worse for DECC (the department for energy and climate change) as all its green policies came under fire. First, Adair Turner, the chair of the Committee on Climate Change published an open letter to Energy Secretary Chris Huhne criticising the low ambitio…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Buyer beware as high court judgement on solar PV leaves consumers in limbo
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 23rd December 2011 at 11:57 am
The way the cuts to the solar PV incentive were introduced has been judged 'unlawful' by the High Court. Friends of the Earth, Solarcentury and HomeSun took the government to court, because the cut off date for the changes to to the feed-in tariff rates was before the end of the consultation period.…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Solar PV still in limbo as DECC appeals High Court decision
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 5th January 2012 at 10:35 am
The Department of Energy and Climate Change yesterday lodged an appeal on the High Court's decision to allow a judicial appeal against the government's proposals to cut the feed-in tariff for solar PV. DECC had proposed that a cut off date of 12 December 2011 for the reductions in tariff (from 43…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Solar PV: where we stand as consumers in all the chaos
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 17th January 2012 at 9:43 am
The rate of return on solar panels is currently in a state of flux, since the High Court found that proposed changes to the feed-in tariff were 'unlawful'. Now the government is appealing the decision, the uncertainty has been extended. So what does that mean for someone who wants to buy solar pa…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Solar PV: where we stand as consumers in all the chaos (updated)
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 19th January 2012 at 4:49 pm
Much of the uncertainty around the feed-in tariff rates for solar PV has lessened thanks to today's written ministerial statement from DECC. The government has laid a licence before Parliament to modify the Energy Act, with the result that any solar PV installations with an eligibility date on or…
Posted in: Solar electricity
10 things you need to know before installing solar PV
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 23rd January 2012 at 9:04 am
It's a time of confusion in the solar market, so it's especially important to do a bit of research and know what's what, so that the dodgy installers (who are in the minority, but often have big marketing budgets) don't pull the wool over your eyes. I'm writing this because a letter making seriou…
Posted in: Solar electricity
UK green media agrees blackout on rogue solar PV companies
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 31st January 2012 at 11:01 am
The UK's five leading green media companies have joined together to impose a voluntary blackout of renewable energy companies looking to exploit consumer confusion surrounding the Feed-in Tariff. The network of the biggest online sites is to create and maintain a blacklist of companies that will …
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Government loses feed-in tariff appeal, but uncertainty continues
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 26th January 2012 at 9:54 am
While the government failed to overturn last month's ruling that its rushed cuts to the feed-in tariff for solar PV are unlawful yesterday, the uncertainty over the rates still exists. As soon as the unanimous verdict was announced in the Court of Appeal, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climat…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Fiddling the feed-in tariff: prosecutions will follow...
Posted by John E Martin on 8th February 2012 at 9:34 am
It has become apparent that a number of companies have committed fraud by submitting feed-in tariff (FIT) applications (or getting the consumer to do so) without actually having installed the equipment. This has clearly been driven by the change of FIT rates announced and the eligibility date…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Feed-in tariff changes confirmed
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 9th February 2012 at 12:21 pm
The government's response to phase 1 of the consultation on solar PV feed-in tariff rates was published this morning. The feed-in tariff rates The 21p rate of feed-in tariff has been confirmed for solar panel installations of up to and including 4kW with an eligibility date on or after…
Posted in: Solar electricity
New proposals for the solar PV feed-in tariff and what they mean for microgenerators
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 9th February 2012 at 5:19 pm
Last year the government announced that the feed-in tariff rates for solar PV would be cut in half from 1 April. Today it announced that it plans to make two more significant cuts in rates this year. The consultation on cost control for solar PV FITs has some good ideas for the future of the sola…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Feed-in tariff consultation offers hope for community energy projects
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 10th February 2012 at 3:53 pm
The government is seeking views on how to define 'community' microgeneration installations, and how those who fall into the new definition could benefit from the feed-in tariff. It's looking at three areas in its consultation, announced yesterday: social enterprise, charities and social housing and…
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Coping with the feed-in tariff cuts
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 13th February 2012 at 7:54 am
The feed-in tariff rates (FiT) rates for solar installations have been cut by half. Since the announcement last year, many working in industry have prophesised that DECC has killed the industry dead. But has it? The ongoing saga and debate surrounding these changes shows just how it important …
Posted in: General
Feed-in tariff: your questions answered - updated
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th February 2012 at 11:12 am
The introduction of the feed-in tariff ushered in a new and exciting era for microgeneration, but it can be confusing. Here we answer some of the most common questions about the scheme. If you've got any more, please ask them in the comment section below and we'll do our best to answer. The informat…
Posted in: General
Feed-in tariff: your questions answered
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 8th February 2010 at 12:02 pm
Read the updated version of this article here. The introduction of the feed-in tariff (known as Clean Energy Cashback scheme) opens a new and exciting era for microgeneration. Here we answer some of the most common questions on the new scheme. If you've got any more, please add a comment bel…
Posted in: General, Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines
Solar PV does count towards new energy efficiency criteria
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 21st February 2012 at 10:58 am
Buildings must meet strict energy efficiency criteria from 1 April to qualify for the full level of feed-in tariff. When the government announced the change earlier this month it was not clear whether or not the solar PV installation would count towards the Energy Performance Certificate level D or …
Posted in: Energy efficiency, Solar electricity
Energy efficiency criteria for solar PV feed-in tariff lacks clarity
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 9th February 2012 at 12:42 pm
NB: The position is now clear. Solar PV will count towards EPC level D. Click here to read more. It's not clear whether or not newly installed solar PV panels are included in the new energy efficiency requirement of the feed-in tariff. The government has confirmed that a level D energy perfo…
Posted in: Energy efficiency, Solar electricity
Making the most of your solar generated electricity
Posted by Chris Rudge on 23rd February 2012 at 9:55 am
A lot of people ask how they can make the most of the power generated by their solar PV system. This question is especially important now the feed-in tariff (FiT) rate is (or will be) 21p as you will want to get the best from your investment. You will receive an export payment which will be 'deem…
Posted in: Solar electricity
DECC appeal to Supreme Court extends uncertainty
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th February 2012 at 9:47 am
The confusion over feed-in tariffs continues, as the Government applied to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal against the High Court's decision on Tuesday. A DECC (department of energy and climate change) spokesperson said: "We respectfully disagree with the Court of Appeal’s decision on fee…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Campaign to root out cowboy solar installers launched today
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 3rd March 2012 at 1:03 am
A campaign is launched today to help people to avoid “unscrupulous” installers of solar panels and other renewable technologies seeking to cash in on confusion surrounding the Government’s feed-in-tariff and other incentives. We have developed the campaign as a result of stories we've heard…
Posted in: General, Solar electricity
Find the best renewable energy installers: 11 points to check before you invest
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 3rd March 2012 at 1:03 am
1. If you want to benefit from the feed-in tariff or the renewable heat incentive (the Government’s financial incentives for renewable energy), you must ensure that both the installer you use, and the product they are installing are accredited under the Microgeneration Certificat…
Posted in: General
Response to feed-in consultation will make a real difference
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 7th March 2012 at 11:33 am
"This is a genuine consultation," says Alex Weir, senior policy advisor, feed-in tariff review, DECC. "We are really interested to know what the costs [of installing solar PV] are and how they are changing. It is in everyone's interests that costs and tariffs come down together." Speaking at the …
Posted in: Solar electricity
Standalone solar PV defined for feed-in tariffs
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th March 2012 at 9:16 am
There's quite a lot of confusion over what "standalone" means in the context of a solar PV system applying for the feed-in tariff. Understanding the difference between standalone and on-site renewables is important as it makes quite a difference to the rate of generation tariff you get fro…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Six things to put in your response to the feed-in tariff consultation
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th March 2012 at 12:39 pm
Government will take note this time, so make sure you respond to the current consultations on the future of the feed-in tariff, says Solar Trade Association PV specialist Ray Noble. "Because they already had an overspent budget to defend, they didn't take notice of last October's consultation," …
Posted in: Solar electricity
Just two weeks for owners of energy-guzzling buildings to claim the top rate of feed-in tariff
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th March 2012 at 3:28 pm
Solar PV installations will only be eligible for the full feed-in tariff from 1 April if the building they are mounted on, or wired to, have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of at least band D. This leaves a brief window of opportunity for the owners of old, drafty buildings to get in before …
Posted in: Solar electricity
Legal battle over solar feed-in tariff ends in defeat for DECC
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 26th March 2012 at 11:31 am
Solar installations made between 12 December 2011 and 3 March 2012 will get the higher rate of feed-in tariff (43.3p for up to 4kW systems) as the Supreme Court rejected DECC's appeal on Friday. The industry has been dogged with uncertainty since the legal battle began in December last year. Frie…
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When is an EPC not required for solar PV feed-in tariffs
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 27th March 2012 at 2:38 pm
The new energy efficiency requirement for the feed-in tariff (FiTs) for solar PV kicks in on 1 April 2012. This means that the full FITs rate is only available for buildings which have an Energy Performance Certificate of band D or above. This is currently a bit less than half the UK housing stock. …
Posted in: Solar electricity
How do I ensure the solar PV for our new build gets 21p FITS rate?
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 29th March 2012 at 1:13 pm
Q: We are at the start of a new build in Buxton Derbyshire. The foundations are in place and the walls start to go up at the end of April with a completion date of mid July for the build (excluding the internal fitting out of kitchen, bathroom etc). When would we need to have a solar PV system commi…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Trust individuals and take more imaginative approach to consumer protection
Posted by Matthew Rhodes on 30th March 2012 at 9:50 am
When markets have large numbers of small businesses, all innovating and desperate to compete and survive, consumer protection becomes much harder. DECC (the department of energy and climate change) can monitor and fine the big six utilities relatively easily, but it’s much harder to control a mark…
Posted in: General
Feed-in tariff eligibility dates: make sure you get your application in on time
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 5th April 2012 at 9:01 am
Q: The Guardian recently reported that 30,735 homeowners and businesses who installed solar panels after a 12 December cut-off date and before 3 March will now be eligible for the previous, higher feed-in tariff (Fit) of 43p per kWh of energy generated. I hoped and expected that the Government w…
Posted in: Solar electricity
Help: I'm getting conflicting advice about split aspect solar PV and inverters
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 10th April 2012 at 9:01 am
Q: I have had 3 consultants for solar PV and now I am confused. I already have a 2kW system, and wanted to get another 3kW installed. One company said they could not do it, the next said I would get rid of my bill and was going to do split aspects on one inverter. The third one said that I couldn't …
Posted in: Solar electricity
Rumours of solar PVs death have been greatly exaggerated
Posted by Paul Hutchens on 2nd May 2012 at 9:26 am
Like many people, I have noticed the drop in installations of solar PV since the introduction of energy efficiency (EPC) requirements on April 1 this year. With DECC publishing weekly data on the feed-in tariff scheme’s capacity, I am not alone. It has been suggested in the press and by some in…
Posted in: Solar electricity
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