Fit Rate News

Ever since the government announced its review of the feed-in tariff scheme in October 2011, a great deal of confusion and uncertainty has surrounded the policy.

However, in February 2012 the future of the scheme was laid out, and we can now say with a degree of certainty where the tariffs are going in the coming months. There are several important changes to the scheme that consumers should be made aware of.

Firstly, the feed-in tariff rate for domestic installations below 4kw is now 21p/kWh. The March 3rd deadline has passed, so all eligible installations between now and July 2012 will receive 21p/kWh. For detailed information regarding the tariff rate on installations carried out between 12th December 2011 and 3rd March 2012, please visit http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

Secondly, from April 2012 the eligibility of a solar PV installation will be linked to the energy performance of the property. Householders with an eligibility date after 1st April 2012 will receive 21p/kWh provided that their home has an Energy Performance Certificate of band D or higher (with A being the highest). Homes that do not have an Energy Performance Certificate of a band D or higher will receive 9p/kWh.

TDFM Solar can provide you with an Energy Performance Certificate for your property. If your property is below a band D, we can offer cost-effective ways to improve the performance of your property, such as loft and cavity wall insulation, which will increase your rating to a band D or higher.

It is important to note that the PV system itself can be counted towards the energy efficiency of your home, so if you are a band E or slightly lower then you should be able to bring your property up to a band D by fitting solar panels, and therefore qualify for the higher rate without needing to carry out any extra works.

Lastly, it has been announced that the feed-in tariff rate will be decreased every six months. So for householders with an eligibility date after 1st July 2012 it is proposed that the rate will be between 13.6p/kWh and 16.5p/kWh. The exact rate will depend upon the number of PV installations between March and April 2012.

So our advice is as follows – firstly, if you believe your house is lower than an EPC band D, act before 1st April 2012 to receive the higher feed-in tariff rate.

Secondly, don’t miss out on the 21 pence rate – have a TDFM Solar system installed before 1st July 2012 and get a 10-12% return on your investment, with a payback period of under ten years.

For more information, call 0114 258 9509 and speak to one of our advisors.