YouGen Blog

Optimising solar pv siting

Posted by Graham Eastwick on 28th January 2009 at 8:34 am

It’s obvious that solar PV systems need as much sunlight as possible – so the ideal is to position them at about 37 degrees to the horizontal (in the UK) and facing due South. Even better, if you can afford one, are tracker systems that ensure the modules follow the sun through the sky – altho…

Posted in: Solar electricity

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

Island grid increases energy security aspect of microgeneration

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 28th September 2009 at 10:04 am

Security of electricity supply is one of the main reasons that people install their own solar panels or wind turbine. However, a system that is connected to the national grid currently doesn't afford total control. The benefit of grid connection is that you can sell any excess you generate to the…

Posted in: Hydro electricity, Solar electricity, Wind turbines

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

Prices vary hugely between renewable energy installers

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 27th November 2009 at 11:17 am

Prices for renewable energy installations vary wildly, making buying decisions difficult for homeowners, according to Power from the People, a new study by researchers at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute. In addition, there is little correlation between price and the generation …

Posted in: General, Biomass, Heat pumps, Rainwater harvesting, Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water, Wind turbines

Feed-in tariffs boost growth of UK solar panels

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 23rd July 2010 at 9:15 am

The feed-in tariff is expected to boost growth of solar panels on British roofs fivefold this year, and 30 times over by 2015 according to a report from Price Waterhouse Coopers. By 2015, the researchers estimate that 1,000 MW of electricity will be generated by solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Ev…

Posted in: Solar electricity, Green Electricity

Inverters for solar PV panels: your questions answered

Posted by Chris Rudge on 6th August 2010 at 8:52 am

Q1: I hear that inverters for solar PV systems typically last a maximum of 5 years, (Sunnyboy ones seem to fall over in Cambridge after a year, because of the way the grid is here). At £1,000 a pop, that makes a big difference to the economics of PV/ FITs, so it would be great to have someone blog…

Posted in: Solar electricity

Are council planning departments making it difficult to install solar panels?

Posted by Robert Palgrave on 18th August 2010 at 9:27 am

Installing solar PV panels should be easier for home-owners since a planning appeal confirmed what is allowed under permitted development. Planning departments at some councils in England seem to want to make it difficult for householders to install photovoltaic solar panels. But as a result …

Posted in: Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water

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

Find out what an energy efficient home really looks like

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 7th September 2010 at 2:22 pm

SuperHome owners across the country are throwing open their doors this month to inspire others to reduce the energy needed to run their house. These aren't high tech new builds, but old homes, that the owners have renovated to reduce carbon emissions by at least 60%. Convinced that seeing is beli…

Posted in: Energy efficiency

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

Future of feed-in tariff still uncertain

Posted by Howard Johns on 26th November 2010 at 10:38 am

The uncertainty surounding the future of feed-in tariffs continues after yesterday’s meeting between energy minister Greg Barker and representatives of the PV industry and other stakeholders. Its purpose was to discuss the implications of the comprehensive spending review on the scheme. He confirm…

Posted in: Solar electricity

How grid-connected home-generated electricity works

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 2nd February 2011 at 8:45 am

Understanding how a home microgeneration system switches from solar PV (or wind) generated power to mains electricity and back again is much simpler than you might think. It's all completely automatic and requires no human intervention. The system comes with an inverter, which converts the home g…

Posted in: Green Electricity

What to expect from your PV panels throughout the year

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 4th February 2011 at 9:20 am

We're often asked how much electricity you should expect to generate from a solar PV system, and how much it will vary through the year. I'm going to use my 2.1kWp system as an example to give you an idea of what you might expect. Our system is mounted on the garage roof. It's a steep (45 degree)…

Posted in: Solar electricity

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 much are your solar panels generating?

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 14th February 2011 at 9:39 am

Watching the kWhs clock up as the sun shines is one of the great pleasures of solar PV panels. But which meter do you watch? I watch the total generating meter, and am ashamed to say that I haven't yet worked out what all the different buttons on the inverter do. But that's all about to change... …

Posted in: Solar electricity

Solar PVT: can solar PV and solar thermal panels be successfully combined?

Posted by Paul Hutchens on 17th February 2011 at 10:01 am

Most of us are now aware of solar panels that heat water and those that produce electricity. But could we install a panel to do both? Solar PVT (PV and thermal) is a concept designed to create electricity and use the waste heat (solar PV panels are only about 15% efficient and the rest of the ene…

Posted in: Solar electricity

Feed-in tariff review: an update

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 22nd February 2011 at 1:44 pm

Concern that large-scale solar is set to take a significant quantity of the set amount of funding is the main driver of the feed-in tariff review, according to RegenSW chief executive Merlin Hyman, who recently met Greg Barker MP, the minister responsible for feed-in tariffs at DECC. Barker is de…

Posted in: General

"Onshore wind is the future, and it works" - Chris Huhne

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 23rd February 2011 at 11:32 am

Chris Huhne expressed his strong support for onshore wind at yesterday's launch for the repowering of Good Energy's Delabole wind farm: "I wish our fellow country people were more open-minded about onshore wind. It is the most competitive of renewable technologies, on a base with nuclear. And at …

Posted in: General

Shading has more impact on solar PV than orientation or pitch

Posted by Paul Hutchens on 9th March 2011 at 9:15 am

Many of our clients ask about the orientation and pitch of solar panels - it appears that this has been well publicised. However, the effects of orientation and pitch are less than most people think. Moving the orientation from south to south-west, for example, reduces efficiency by less than 5% as …

Posted in: Solar electricity

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

How easy is it to use renewable energy 'off-grid'?

Posted by David Hunt on 6th May 2011 at 9:38 am

Q: A friend owns a remote property and has been quoted approx £60k to have his 4 bed house connected to the mains network. He was wondering if he would be better off investing in solar panels or wind generation but he needs a constant supply. Will solar panels cope or would he need a generator too.…

Posted in: Solar electricity, Wind turbines

How to store your solar generated electricity to use in the evening

Posted by Chris Rudge on 11th May 2011 at 9:28 am

Q: I have installed solar panels and am amazed at the power I am creating. This is great in sunlight hours - but has anything been produced to store this power so I can use it in the evenings? This is such a waste of free power, surely someone somewhere must have this on board. It…

Posted in: Solar electricity

Is your council blocking your solar PV installation?

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 12th May 2011 at 11:05 am

A new campaign is calling for local councils to stop making it difficult for householders to install renewable energy. Government policy says that in most cases domestic renewable energy installations are permitted development. Yet this isn't stopping councils like Eden Valley in Cumbria from ma…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity

Council's planning policy stands in the way of solar progress

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th May 2011 at 9:06 am

West Lancashire Borough Council is the latest to be caught demanding that homeowners formally apply for permission to have solar panels installed – something the Government has said is not required. The council is writing to residents telling them "it is in your own interest to submit a formal …

Posted in: Solar electricity

Manufacturer's claims for solar PV performance stand up to scrutiny

Posted by Gabriel Wondrausch on 31st May 2011 at 9:20 am

Offering our customers the best products available is a key commitment for SunGift Solar, and thorough research and testing of products to ensure that they stand up to manufacturer’s claims is part of that. We always try to visit manufacturing plants and company head quarters and meet with the key…

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

Solar PV companies use dodgy sales tactics and give poor advice, says Which?

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th June 2011 at 10:29 am

Which? is calling for the MCS certification scheme and the REAL consumer code for solar PV installers to be improved and better enforced to stop companies using hard sales tactics and giving bad advice. In a recent investigation, the consumer champion asked 12 certified companies to survey a hous…

Posted in: Solar electricity

Three things to consider before running a heat pumps with solar or wind power

Posted by John Barker-Brown on 30th June 2011 at 10:46 am

There is currently a lot of interest in becoming completely self-sufficient in terms of energy and heat. Security of supply, being green, low running costs, etc are all motives for doing this and more and more people are asking is it possible to run their ground source heat pump from their solar pv …

Posted in: Heat pumps, Solar electricity, Wind turbines

Solar PV: how to complain if you've been mis-sold

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 7th July 2011 at 9:25 am

Q: I just received a call from Anglian (0845 296 9668) who were offering an incredible 40% discount on their products. They were claiming you don't need direct sunlight for solar PV, only daylight and that PV can be placed on a north facing roof. Is there someone who I could complain to, as I know …

Posted in: General, Solar electricity

Why bother optimise voltage?

Posted by Matt Cody on 13th July 2011 at 9:12 am

This is an often-asked question. The simple answer is that it prevents energy waste that virtually all homes in the UK suffer as a result of electricity typically being provided at the higher end of the statutory range - and therefore saves energy, reduces carbon emissions and saves money. …

Posted in: General, Energy efficiency

How to get a grant for solar panels: tips from a community shop

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 25th July 2011 at 9:46 am

Solar PV panels have cut energy bills by around 15% at Dalwood Community Shop in Devon. With four freezers to run, energy bills are its largest outgoing, so the long and involved process of seeking grants to install them was worthwhile according to co-ordinator Shelagh Beak. As well as lower bill…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity

Eden Council backs down in solar building regs battle

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 29th July 2011 at 12:33 pm

We won. Our three month campaign, launched by Eco-Environments and supported by YouGen, to end chaos surrounding planning and building regs for solar panel installations has succeeded. Eden District Council in Cumbria, has confirmed to Eco-Environments that it will no longer require people to apply …

Posted in: Solar electricity

Off-grid solar electricity: a case study of a field studies centre

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 1st August 2011 at 12:37 pm

Solar generated electricity is the perfect answer for the Stafford Marsh field studies building on the Axe Estuary wetlands in East Devon. Off-grid, and a hard place to get electricity to, it was a "no brainer" according to nature reserve officer, Fraser Rush. This is the first off-grid installat…

Posted in: Solar 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

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

Are 4kW solar PV installations a thing of the past as network operaters tighten the rules?

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 30th August 2011 at 5:43 pm

Q: I want to install a 4kWp solar PV system to maximise my return from the feed-in tariff, but my installer says that Western Power will only let him install a 3.68kWp system. Why is that? A: As more and more people install solar panels, the district network operators (DNOs) are having to wor…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity

Comparing the performance of solar PV panels

Posted by Gabriel Wondrausch on 5th September 2011 at 9:45 am

You wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes without trying them on in the shop first. They may look great on the model in the advert, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to be the perfect pair for you. The same principle applies to solar panels. Most of the panels and components that we us…

Posted in: Solar electricity

Bicton Earth - a case study of building a renewable energy training centre

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 7th September 2011 at 9:09 am

A wide range of renewable technologies will be used in the new installer training centre and community interpretation centre at Bicton College in Devon. Old agricultural barns are being converted into a state-of-the-art centre. The heating will be set up to take first from the solar thermal panel…

Posted in: General

Your experience of small scale renewable energy is needed

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 13th September 2011 at 8:32 am

Have you installed small scale renewable energy such as solar panels or a wind turbine in the past 18 months? If so, Consumer Focus would like to hear how it went for you. Consumer Focus will use the findings of its research to feed into the government's consultation on the future of the feed-in …

Posted in: General

Auto control enables use of solar PV for immersion heater

Posted by Chris Rudge on 16th September 2011 at 10:38 am

Chris's previous article on how to use excess solar generated electricity in the home generated so much interest that he has written a follow up that goes into more detail about about the control he has built to use solar-generated electricity to heat water. One of the side issues of the Feed…

Posted in: Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water

How to know if your roof is sound enough for solar panels

Posted by Chris Rudge on 19th September 2011 at 3:29 am

Q: I've built a few houses and know how important it is to have calculations for roof trusses, considering the weight and "sail" potential of PV (I'm considering a 3.99kw 21 panel Schuco system in excess of £10k). Who takes responsibility if this lot blows off or you get some structural damage? The…

Posted in: Solar electricity

Free solar schemes: talk to your mortgage lender before you sign

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 21st September 2011 at 9:12 am

Rumours abound about banks, and whether or not they will let people who hold mortgages with them participate in 'free' or 'rent a roof' solar panels schemes, so I thought I'd investigate. The good news is that most banks will agree to these schemes, subject to certain conditions. Most of the onus…

Posted in: Solar electricity

REAL's top tips to avoid being ripped off by solar cowboys

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 5th October 2011 at 8:36 am

The REAL Assurance Scheme* has received a surge of complaints about solar PV installers, leading it to assert that rogue traders are taking advantage of the expanding solar panel market to make a killing before the Government adjusts the Feed-In Tariff in the spring. While they haven't yet specifi…

Posted in: Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water

Solar PV tiles: the pros and cons explained

Posted by Paul Hutchens on 14th October 2011 at 9:06 am

Q: We are currently in the planning process to build our own house and have lots of questions regarding the use of solar roof tiles. 1. Do you generate as much electricity with these roof tiles with the equivalent amount of panel space ? 2. I have noticed you can have panels that heat water an…

Posted in: General, Solar 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

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

Generation data helps people make good decisions about solar PV

Posted by Aldous Everard on 9th November 2011 at 4:48 am

Recent cuts to the feed-in tariff make optimal performance of solar PV systems more important than ever, to maximise both investment payback and sustainability of energy supply. Many people who have solar PV systems installed want to know how their system is performing as an investment, an…

Posted in: 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

Do I need to clean my solar panels to maintain efficiency?

Posted by Chris Rudge on 17th November 2011 at 7:33 am

Q: Research seems to suggest that solar PV panels are not especially durable and suffer from failure. Even if they lasted 25 years of time (and I have not seen one company offering the domestic user anything like that length of guarantee), I have read that they deteriorate in efficiency and nee…

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

Just another day in the Commons - where we merrily destroy the PV sector with spin

Posted by Howard Johns on 29th November 2011 at 9:31 am

Anyone working in the solar industry will have been appalled, dismayed and almost certainly angered to watch the debate on their future and the feed in tariff that took place in the House of Commons. I was sat in the viewing gallery watching and despite the best efforts of Caroline Flint and m…

Posted in: General, Solar electricity

'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

Solar is not just about the feed-in tariffs

Posted by Paul Hutchens on 9th December 2011 at 9:57 am

There has been much talk and debate about solar panels recently; most of it about solar PV and the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT). However, there is another game in town and it is potentially far larger than solar PV. Space and water heating in buildings accounts for nearly 70% of the energy consumed by the…

Posted in: Solar heat & hot water

Changes to permitted development for microgeneration in the UK

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 30th November 2011 at 9:33 am

The following changes to permitted development regulations for England came into effect on 1 December 2011. The main changes are to that wind turbines and air source heat pumps have become permitted development (with significant caveats). See below for the complete wording. Click the following link …

Posted in: Heat pumps, Wind turbines

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

A crazy end to a crazy year for solar PV

Posted by Howard Johns on 23rd December 2011 at 4:01 pm

2011 has been a crazy year to be working in PV in the UK. Massive growth in the sector, 2,500 new companies, 100,000 installations, huge cost reductions and three reviews of the feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme; with the most recent proposing to shut the industry down to 5 per cent of what it has been t…

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

Solar security: grid connection and batteries give the best of both worlds

Posted by Nick Roach on 20th January 2012 at 9:49 am

We’re pioneer microgenerators who installed PV in 2006 before the feed-in tariff or the spurious ‘when do I get my money back’ argument appeared on the scene. We live in a rural area with no mains gas, with overhead power cables flapping around in ever more frequent storms; we are s…

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

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

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

Readers tips of the month - biomass and solar

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 20th February 2012 at 12:39 pm

This month's first tip comes from Lewis, a retired university lecturer who is still active as a runner, orienteer, and log collector. He has installed a wood burning stove for hot water and three radiators (gravity circulation). He self-installed solar hot water in 2010 (which means he won't be e…

Posted in: Biomass, Solar electricity, Solar heat & hot water

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…

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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…

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Can I use solar PV to heat my water?

Posted by Paul Hutchens on 5th March 2012 at 9:18 am

Q. Can you tell me what size PV panel would be required to run a standard domestic immersion heater?. I am not interested in returning power to the grid and want to dedicate the output from the panel to the immersion heater in my hot water thermal store. A. A standard immersion heater is …

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…

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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," …

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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

Readers tips of the month: biomass and air source heat pump

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 20th March 2012 at 9:02 am

When people register on YouGen we ask them about their renewable energy, and any tips they have for others. Here are our favourites this month: Drumrossie is retired, and lives in a large, old and difficult to heat house. He has installed a log burning boiler with a 60kW output and with 4,000 lit…

Posted in: Biomass, Heat pumps

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…

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Accuracy of predicted solar PV generation set to increase

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 2nd April 2012 at 9:09 am

The amount of sunshine in Sheffield is currently used as the basis for all predictions of solar generation, where ever you live. This means that people in the south are likely to be delighted when their new system produces more electricity than promised. The outcome isn't so good for people in north…

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

The potential for Solar PV Installers to perform EPC’s

Posted by Pete Roberts on 24th April 2012 at 10:52 am

On April 1st the EPC requirement for the Feed in Tariffs came into force. This means that installations looking to qualify for the full Feed in Tariff rate after this date, must prove they are an EPC band D or above. This banding is taken after the Solar PV has been installed and therefore in some i…

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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

Solar PV Installers can benefit twice if they invest in training to be a Domestic Energy Assessor.

Posted by Pete Roberts on 14th May 2012 at 9:40 am

With the Green Deal starting in October this year and the new EPC requirements for the feed-in tariffs, there is now more reason than ever to diversify and train to become a Domestic Energy Assessor. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) requirement for feed-in tariffs came into force on 1 Apr…

Posted in: General

Solar PV remains one of the best investments around say trade bodies

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 16th May 2012 at 8:40 am

Thanks to drastically falling costs, solar PV remains one of the best investments around, according to the four trade bodies which represent the British solar industry. They have joined together to debunk the myth that it is no longer attractive. The reasons they give for that claim is that it shiel…

Posted in: Solar electricity

Buyer beware: don't believe everything a cold caller tells you about solar PV!

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 18th May 2012 at 10:10 am

Do you know what the difference is between daylight and sunlight? Is there one? I was under the impression that we only have daylight thanks to the sun. Not according to a solar PV salesman who rang me recently. I'm on the telephone preference service, so I don't get many unsolicited phone calls.…

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Why is solar PV marketed on efficiency, not yield?

Posted by Ian_Smith on 22nd May 2012 at 3:08 pm

I was struck going round Ecobuild in March, not just by the sheer number of exhibitors of PV panels, but by their marketing. The vast majority were prominently promoting the efficiency of their cells or panels but very few were promoting energy yield at all - and none that I could see fo…

Posted in: pending

How free solar panels can affect your mortgage

Posted by Cathy Debenham on 24th May 2012 at 9:07 am

Q: Will installing solar panels impact on my mortgage? A: Recently the Guardian published an article about a couple that had been refused a mortgage by a number of lenders as they had installed "free" solar panels on their roof, through a "rent-a-roof" scheme. This couple thought they had don…

Posted in: Solar electricity