Tariffs & Funding
The Feed in Tariff (FiT)
Introduced in April 2010 the Feed in Tariff is a Government backed initiative which was created to encourage the generation and use of energy from renewable sources
You can receive feed-in tariffs for both the generation of electricity (a generation tariff) even if you use some or all of the electricity yourself and for giving unused generated electricity back to the National Grid (an export tariff). The level of payment depends on the technology and whether it is being fitted to an existing home, or installed as part of a new build. In the UK, future payments are guaranteed for the next 25 years for solar and 20 years for wind turbine-generated power and are linked to inflation.
Scheme Eligibility
To be eligible for the FiT, it is important to note that both the product and the installer that carries out the work must both be accredited by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). MCS Accreditation has been introduced by the government to evaluate the quality of the products and of the installers and thus protect the consumer.
When a system is installed the utility provider will need to be notified so that the FIT can be paid
The Benefits of generating your own electricity are:
- A payment for all the electricity you produce, even if you use it yourself
- Additional bonus payments for electricity you export into the grid
- A reduction on your standard electricity bill, from using energy you produce yourself
- Added value to your property
Please visit DECC and the Energy Saving Trust for further details on the levels of payments available.
Renewable Heat Incentive
From June 2011 the Government is set to introduce a scheme similar to The Feed in Tariff (FiT) call the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
Much like FiT the RHI is a Government backed initiative which is being created to encourage the generation and use of heat from renewable sources. Once you have installed an MCS approved product from the categories of Air-source Heat Pump, Ground Source Heat Pump, Biomass Boiler, Solar Thermal, by an MCS approved installer you will be able to claim a fixed amount for the estimated heat that you generate. Further details on the RHI will be published in due course, however we would recommend that you speak to one of our consultants to establish what the RHI could mean to you.