If you are thinking of getting a solar panel system installed in your home, you’ll be more than happy to know that it brings with it a plethora of benefits. Not only will you be able to save on your electricity bill per month – but you will also benefit from the UK government’s special Feed-In Tariff programme. The FIT is a scheme from the government which is designed to advance the use of renewable energy in the country. With a good FIT scheme, small-scale installations of renewable energy can blossom, and we can reduce our emissions of harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. So what else do you need to know about the scheme and how can it help you if you install a solar panel system? Let’s find out.
What it can give you
Under the scheme, you could get paid for the energy your system produces if you have installed a system which is eligible, such as a solar panel system, a micro or hydro CHP (combined heat and power) system, or a wind turbine. The BEIS (Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy) is the decision-maker on policy for the FIT scheme, and they are the ones you can contact if you have any queries about the scheme’s legislation. But the regulator and administrator of the scheme is Of gem E-Serve.
There are specific suppliers of energy (also referred to as ‘FIT licensees’) who deal with FIT applications, and they will also make the payments for the scheme. Larger suppliers of energy are required under law to be a licensee of the FIT scheme. Although smaller suppliers of energy aren’t under obligation to be a licensee, many still choose to become a licensee and offer the service.
Solar panel systems are, of course, more popular with residential properties, and there are now more solar panel systems being installed than ever, thanks, in part, to the FIT scheme.
What and how much you can receive
Under the FIT scheme, you can receive the following:
- A generation tariff. This generation tariff comes from your energy supplier, who will give you a specific rate for every kWh of energy generated by your system. When your system is registered, your tariff will be assured for the tariff period (up to two decades); they will also be index-linked.
- An export tariff. Your supplier of energy will give you a further specific rate for each energy unit you export or sell back to the grid. That means you can sell whatever electricity you produce but do not use. At a certain point, you may install smart meters so that you can measure whatever you export; until such time, the electricity you export will be assumed at 50% of the power generated by your system.
- As you already know, you will also receive savings in regard to your energy bill. When you generate your own electricity to run your appliances, you don’t need to purchase as much electricity from your supplier, which results in savings on your bill. Your savings amount will, of course, vary based on how much energy you use, as the specialists in solar in Cheshire such as Atlantic Renewables attest.
Eligible systems for the scheme include solar panel installations with a total capacity of 5MW (or less), whether it’s stand-alone or mounted on the roof. Other eligible systems include wind turbines (with a 5MW capacity or less), hydroelectricity systems (with 5MW capacity or less), micro CHP installations (with 2KW capacity or less), and anaerobic digesters (with 5MW capacity or less).
