Free solar power system. Is it a scam?

24567130

Comments

  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Rampant Recycler
    Forumite
    SarahLucyD wrote: »
    It is nothing to do with Feed in Tariffs - that system will be stopped next year - we will get our income through the new Generation Tariff that will come into force in April 2010. We have actually been liaising with Whitehall about this - there should be an announcement about the new Generation Tariff in the first week in January 2010.

    Can you please clarify about feed-in tariffs stopping, we were given to understand that the proposals for feed in tariffs were to be adopted next year.

    How is it that a commercial firm has access to information on 'The new Generation Tariff'(and is setting up a business on the strength of that information) when the information is not yet released?

    I assume that you will sell solar panels to those who are not selected for free panels?
  • Mankysteve
    Mankysteve Posts: 4,257
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    edited 18 November 2009 at 2:24AM
    Its a nice idea but I would agree its a scam. Ask them who doing the insulation them or an outside contractor, as looking at the consultancy docs they'd have to get the fitting done by an MCS registered fitter and parts must also be MCS regulated. The MCS may have a view on this scheme

    They only mention Part P electrical fitted which isn't good enough to connect a generation factity it must be up to G59 regulation. MCS website
    http://www.microgenerationcertification.org/
  • SarahLucyD
    SarahLucyD Posts: 50 Forumite
    edited 18 November 2009 at 9:19AM
    Cardew - we have been researching this for some time and anyone has access to this information, not just commercial firms - as long as you know who to speak to. Further, this is not simply a promise, there has been a consultation paper about this and there is a link to the PDF version of it on our website. The 'feed in tariff' is already in place alongside ROCs and grants - that system will be abolished and replaced by the Generation Tariff. We have not set up our business on any promises. I invite anyone to ring me on the number supplied on our website and arrange to come and see our company and inspect all our paperwork. How can you label us as a scam without first thoroughly inspecting what we do?

    Forgot to mention - no we do not sell solar panels to people whose roofs don't qualify. We don't sell solar panels - it's not what we are geared up to do - if anyone wants to buy solar panels there are plenty of firms in the UK who are selling them.
  • SarahLucyD
    SarahLucyD Posts: 50 Forumite
    edited 18 November 2009 at 9:16AM
    Mankeysteve - I publicly invite you to come and see me and inspect what we do. I would give you access to all our paperwork and you can also interview our employees and our fitters. We have our own fitting teams and electricians - we are newly launched as a company and have JUST been MCS approved and Part P - excuse me for being a little ignorant on this - I'm not the technical expert, our Director - John Wade would be willing to discuss all this with you if you ring him on the number on our website. Once again, how can you label us as a scam without first inspecting what we do? It's simply not equitable. Accordingly, once again I invite you to come along and meet us - the number is on the website or you can email me - [EMAIL="sarah@ashadegreener.co.uk"]sarah@ashadegreener.co.uk[/EMAIL]

    Sarah Dyson - A Shade Greener Ltd
  • SimonJB
    SimonJB Posts: 552 Forumite
    I knew someone who had one fitted under these circumstances a few years ago.
  • Mcfi5dhc
    Mcfi5dhc Posts: 323 Forumite
    edited 11 June 2010 at 2:45PM
    SarahLucyD wrote: »
    The 'feed in tariff' is already in place alongside ROCs and grants - that system will be abolished and replaced by the Generation Tariff.

    From April 2010 we should have FITs (source www.decc.gov.uk - the people who will actually be paying them!)
  • SimonJB - not by our company, we didn't exist years ago. Also, please explain your understanding of 'These Circumstances'? The circumstances under which we will be fitting the panels didn't exist years ago, the Generation Tariffs to which I refer don't come into being until April 2010. Perhaps you can give a few more specific details - cite some references? Names? Is it fair for you to make such accusations about our company without any evidence to back them up? I am being entirely straight, transparent and unlike you am not hiding behind a cloak of anonymity. I am inviting people to come and inspect our company and our practices and nobody has yet taken me up on my offer, instead preferring to continue to post anonymous messages that still insinuate this is some form of scam.

    Ring me on 0845 519 1598. Email me [EMAIL="sarah@ashadegreener.co.uk"]sarah@ashadegreener.co.uk[/EMAIL] and I will answer any questions you may have - you are welcome to record any conversation you have with me and you are welcome to visit our offices without giving us any notice and we will let you inspect our documentation - how much more transparent can we be?
  • Mcfi5dhc - the present system of ROCs and FITS will be abolished to make way for the new Generation Tariffs, that is fact. However, if your PV was fitted under the OLD system of ROCs FITS etc, it is our understanding after speaking to various people in Whitehall that the old system will still apply. We will be fitting under the new system, which will be guaranteed for all systems fitted between April 2010 and April 2011. I should be grateful if you would explain why you would avoid us like the plague. What have we actually done wrong? What is it that we are proposing to do that you consider wrong? Have you actually visited our website and read about us? I am rather baffled. As you do not know what the Generation Tariffs are proposed to be, how can you calculate whether or not it will generate us an income? Also, you will be basing your calculations on the old ROCs and FITS system and what you paid for your PV, which will have been retail prices. We are not paying retail prices for our PV, obviously.

    Sarah Dyson - A Shade Greener Ltd 0845 519 1598 sarah@ashadegreener.co.uk
  • Mcfi5dhc
    Mcfi5dhc Posts: 323 Forumite
    edited 11 June 2010 at 2:46PM
    SarahLucyD wrote: »
    Mcfi5dhc - the present system of ROCs and FITS will be abolished to make way for the new Generation Tariffs, that is fact.
    There is no present system of FITs
  • Mcfi5dhc
    Mcfi5dhc Posts: 323 Forumite
    edited 11 June 2010 at 2:47PM
    Dear MCFI5DHC,

    Thank you for your e-mail of 18 September to Ed Miliband, in which you expressed your concern about the treatment of existing renewable generating installations under the proposals for a feed-in tariffs (FITs) mechanism in our Renewable Electricity Financial Incentives consultation. Your message has been passed to me to reply.
    We are proposing that eligible microgenerators ( those with installations of 50 kilowatts capacity or less) who were accredited under the Renewables Obligation (RO) prior to 15 July should be automatically transferred to FITs once the scheme is introduced. We are also proposing that these microgenerators should receive a generation tariff set at an approximately equivalent level to the value of their previous support under the RO. In addition, they will have access to the export tariff, and the offsetting benefit which will apply to all installations in the FITs scheme.
    Our proposal for a tariff level for microgenerators transferred from the RO to FITs was arrived at based on the level of support that such generators previously received under the RO, namely 2 Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs). A ROC represents support of £45 per megawatt hour, which translates into 4.5p/kWh, and when multiplied by two comes to 9p/kWh.
    The treatment of existing installations is one of the aspects of the FITs scheme on which we are seeking views and comments, and your views will be taken into account.
    The consultation closed on 15 October. We will be considering carefully all the responses we have received before we publish our Government response towards the end of this year.

    Best regards.

    Mick.

    Mick Cornell
    0300-068-6159
    Renewables Financial Incentives Team
    Office for Renewable Energy Deployment
    Department of Energy and Climate Change
    3 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW
    [EMAIL="mick.cornell@decc.gsi.gov.uk"]mick.cornell@decc.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards