Solar Feed In Tariff Website

On a rooftop in Suffolk there now sits a vast 500KW solar panel project which, much to the pleasure of the solar installation firm involved Going Solar and client, Debach Enterprises has been completed in advance of the August cut-off date for the current feed-in tariff rates. For projects completed after that date, tariff rates will be reduced as part of controversial reductions in the money paid out as part of the scheme. The £1.2m project would have fallen foul of the cutbacks in the tariff as it is over the 50KW threshold putting it in the large scale project bracket.

The 2,200 solar panel project completed by Going Solar will generate up to 440,000kw hours of electricity every year, enough to power the warehouse and provide a surplus to the national grid which as well as being enough energy to power 100 homes, will generate a healthy revenue stream via the tariff pay outs. The government’s cuts in the feed-in tariff come as they try to move the emphasis away from large scale solar farms and into smaller scale roof mounted solar projects. Going Solar Director Charles Houston believes that not all rooftop schemes should face the cuts and that size should not necessarily be a factor in precluding them from the tariff scheme.

“The consultation has only just been completed and we are arguing there is a case for treating rooftop installations differently. The government has a valid point trying to address large solar farms, but with rooftop installations the energy is often used on site and you are only using dead space that is up on a roof. If a business wants to cut its carbon by using that space then it should be encouraged to do so.”

Going Solar has announced that they will be focusing on solar thermal projects in the future with Houston going onto explain that,

“The Renewable Heat Incentive is about to make solar thermal collectors very attractive to schools, hotels and other sites with high water demand, while there is a real window of opportunity for 50kW solar installations. The feed-in tariff went up in April as it is linked to inflation and at the same time solar panel prices have come down. There is now an opportunity for businesses installing mid-sized projects to complete installations before the long track review of feed-in tariff likely recommends further cuts to come into effect from 31 March next year”.

Tags: Charles Houston, Going Solar, roof mounted solar, solar energy, Solar Feed In Tariff, solar industry, solar installation, solar investment, solar panels

With the impending contraction of the solar feed-in tariff, the race is on for those wishing to tap into the existing rates paid out to investors in solar energy in the UK. One of many hoping to set up under the current tariff regime is German manufacturer Solon who having secured a deal to construct a 408kw site in Buckinghamshire will be looking to have everything in place sooner rather than later.

The impetus to have everything in place comes from the fact that in August, the government are to make cutbacks to the feed-in tariff meaning lower yields for installations falling after that date. Meeting their construction timetable will mean client Rockspring benefitting as a large scale generator from tariff rates which will be cut for projects over 50kw through cutbacks.

Covering 1.4 hectares and employing over 1,500 modules this project is a good example of the large scale solar farms which the government is trying to push away in favour of smaller scale solar installations.

Having faced the challenge of cheap solar modules flooding the market from China and reductions in subsidies across the European Union, missing the revenues to be generated from the UK feed-in tariff would certainly be a bitter pill to swallow. In all, things are not overly rosy for the German manufacturer and missing the opportunity of revenue from the solar feed-in tariff could prove one misfortune too many.

Tags: rockspring, solar energy, Solar Feed In Tariff, solar investment, solar panels, Solon