Feed-in Tariff

Feed-in Tariff for Solar & Other Electricity Generating Technology

There are lots of things to consider when installing renewable energy such as solar but one thing you will need to consider is the feed-in tariff.

When you generate your own energy (electricity), you don’t just save money by not having to buy that energy – you can also get paid for the energy you produce.

If you have a renewable electricity generating technology such as solar PV, wind turbine, micro-CHP or micro-hydro then you may be eligible for the UK Government’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme. Introduced in April 2010, this scheme pays generators a tariff for each unit of electricity generated and an additional tariff for each unit of electricity exported to grid.

A similar scheme is being introduced for heat generation: the Renewable Heat Incentive.

At AJ Shire we advise about this process and help you apply for feed-in tariff but here are the basics of Feed In Tariffs as provided by the Energy Saving Trust.

You can also find feed-in tariff information at Department of Energy & Climate Change or some additional advice on the Guardian website.

Registering for Feed In Tariffs FITs

Once we have installed your generating technology, take these steps to register for FITs:

Ask your installer to register you on the central MCS database. The installer will then send you a certificate confirming MCS compliance.
Tell your chosen FIT supplier that you wish to register for the FIT and send them:
a completed application form
the MCS certificate
the Energy Performance Certificate that shows your home has an energy efficiency rating band D or better (for solar PV only from 1 April 2012 although the UK Government is consulting on whether to include this requirement for wind turbines and microCHP too).

Then as your qualified installer we will:

cross-reference your installation with the MCS database and undertake other eligibility checks.
confirm your eligibility and the date you are eligible for payments from
add you to the Ofgem Central FIT Register, which records all installations in the FIT scheme
agree with you if and when you will need to provide meter readings and when they will make FIT payments to you – these will form part of your statement of FIT terms.

That’s it. But as always we advise that you give us a call for a no-obligation chat. It sounds indepth but with our experience and expertise we can make it easy and painful.