Solar Pv panels and Feed -in -tariff

Penrice

Hi,
After just being about to change to an "online 19" tariff with NPower I checked to see whether that would still be OK for when we have Solar PV panels fitted and want to benefit from the "Feed in Tariff". I was then told that actually we would then have to change back to the standard tariff and pay 20 pounds for the privilege! This seems a bit contradictory to the scheme and dare I say it a way of the energy provider clawing back some of the tariff.
I don't know whether anyone has had a better experience with other energy providers?

Does anybody know of a provider who seems particularly up to speed with respect to the Feed in tariff? I have been told that "Good Energy" seem to know what they are doing.

Any advice before we commit to putting panels up is welcome.

Thanks

[Deleted User]

we are with good energy and they are an A1 company to deal with. We only moved here to a new house 10 weeks ago and we already have our FIT tarrif from good energy and are on the system. They are very friendly to deal with and always answer e mails

Poosmate

Do you have to sell the free generated electric to NPower though?

I'm sure I read somewhere that you could receive your (paid for) electric from say, NPower and sell it (receive the FiTs payments) from British Gas?

Might be worth checking out - you'll get the best of both worlds then.

Poo

nearlynew

Poosmate wrote: »

Do you have to sell the free generated electric to NPower though?

I'm sure I read somewhere that you could receive your (paid for) electric from say, NPower and sell it (receive the FiTs payments) from British Gas?

Might be worth checking out - you'll get the best of both worlds then.

Poo

The FIT is paid on what is generated not what is exported (sold).

Jon_Tiffany

nearlynew wrote: »

The FIT is paid on what is generated not what is exported (sold).

Not quite right - the FIT is paid for all generated electricity and the exported electricity.

Cardew

The FIT is paid on what is generated not what is exported (sold).

Jon_Tiffany wrote: »

Not quite right - the FIT is paid for all generated electricity and the exported electricity.

Methinks you two are at cross-purposes! The exported electricity is part of the generated electricity.

i.e. If you generated 1,000 kWh and exported 500 kWh you would get the FIT on 1,000 kWh - not 1,500 kWh as the second quote implies(I appreciate you know this - but your post could mislead)

noncom_2

More specifically, the 41.3p* per kWh Generation tariff would be paid on the 1000kWh, and the additional 3p per kWh Export tariff paid on the 500kWh.

* Assuming your installation is less than 4kWpeak, and retrofitted to an existing dwelling.

Rodders57

Hi all just wondered how the exported taffif works, I mean how do they measure whats been exported when the generastion meter only measures whats been produced??

noncom_2

There are two possibilities:

1) They fit an Ofgem-approved Export meter in the wiring which genuinely measures how much you feed to the Grid.

2) They assume that a certain percentage (50% commonly) of what you generate will be exported.

The second option seems to be the more common at the moment. Note that since a typical household which is empty for much of the day (ie when the panels are producing) is likely to export MORE than 50%, you are being under-paid if the second method is used. There doesn't seem to be anything you can do about this - it doesn't seem to be possible to insist upon an export meter.

Cardew

noncom wrote: »

The second option seems to be the more common at the moment. Note that since a typical household which is empty for much of the day (ie when the panels are producing) is likely to export MORE than 50%, you are being under-paid if the second method is used. There doesn't seem to be anything you can do about this - it doesn't seem to be possible to insist upon an export meter.

Agreed.

The problem is that the 50% was the figure arrived at for small systems generating, say 1,200kWh pa; so 600kWh used in the house might be a reasonable figure to cope with the background load.

A larger system might generate, say, 3,500kWh pa and whilst probably more than 600kWh might be used in the house, it would be difficult to use, say, 1000kWh

Rodders57

So depends on the DNO who are a law to themselves, so there is no legal requirement under FIT for them install an export meter? thanks for the replies.