Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs)
Governments Proposed Feed-in Tariff changes – 12th December 2011
The Government have released a consultation on the feed it tariff rates. The new proposed FiTs rates are as below:
- Systems must be commissioned and have applied for the FIT before the 12th December 2011 to get the current FIT rate (of 43.3p) for the next 25 years.
- Systems installed after the 12th December 2011 will qualify for the new tariff of 21p per unit. Between the 12th December 2011 and the 1st April 2012 (when the proposed rate of 21p comes into force) you will still get the current rate of 43.3p.
- Systems installed after 1st April 2012 will get 21p per unit, and will also require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above to qualify. For more info about the EPC please go to the Energy savings trust website
- Existing Customers with systems installed prior to the 12th December 2011 will not be affected by the above noted changes to the Feed-in Tariff and will continue to receive the current tariff levels.
Proposed Tariff Levels
| Systems Size | Proposed Generation Tariff (p/kWh) from 1st April 2012 |
| ≤4kW (new build) |
21.0 |
| ≤4kW (retrofit) |
21.0 |
| >4-10kW |
16.8 |
| >10-50kW |
15.2 |
| >50-100kW |
12.9 |
| >100-150kW |
12.9 |
| >150-250kW |
12.9 |
| 250kW-5MW |
8.5 |
| Stand alone |
8.5 |
If you are considering Solar PV and would like to book a free survey then we are very happy to talk to you about the available options with the new rates. We always aim to provide well installed systems with high quality panels and parts therefore even under the new tariff levels, and no deposits required, our solar systems can still provide you with a high return on your investment.
The Opportunity
By installing a solar PV system on your home you will get:
- The government has announced that the Feed-in Tariff scheme will run for 25 years with guaranteed income levels over this period which will also rise with inflation. The life span of the PV system is however considerably longer than this – up to 40 years according to some manufacturers – so even when the tariff scheme ends you will carry on benefitting from free electricity for years to come.A government-backed, tax-free income stream for 25 years (the Generation Tarif
- Additional income from electricity fed back to the national grid (the Export Tariff)
- Savings in electricity payments from the clean, renewable electricity generated – i.e. you buy less electricity from your supplier (Avoided Costs)
- Security against rising electricity prices
- A significant reduction in the amount of carbon your household produces
- A manufacturer’s warranty on the power output of PV modules for 25 years (subject to terms).
Applying for the Feed in Tariff (FiTs)
On completion of the installation you will have to register your solar PV system with your electricity supplier.
Below is a list of the main suppliers and details of want you need to do to register for the Feed-in Tariff
| Supplier | Telephone | What do I do? |
| British Gas | 0800 327 7173 | Ask for a Clean Energy Cashback Contract |
| EDF | 0800 4047 434 | Ask for a PV microgeneration application form |
| EON | 0800 1831 222 | Download a form here |
| NPower | 0845 078 2977 | Ask for a PV microgeneration application form |
| Scottish Power | 0845 2705 152 | Ask for a PV microgeneration application form |
| Scottish & Southern | 0292 027 3964 | Ask for a PV microgeneration application form |
Requesting the application form should be done as early as possible so that you can be well prepared.
All electricity companies should request a copy of your Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certificate. We email or post this to you once the installation is complete.
