Solar Panel Guide Discussion

KevinG

orrery wrote: »

Yep, as I suspected - that's good for this time of year. Mine's down at 20 degrees - not good for the low sun.

I've now measured it properly and its 37, very close to the optimum for full year generation, which appears to be 36 where I am, but slightly sub-optimal for this time of year.

KevinG

KevinG wrote: »

I read somewhere else that this won't work and that the both the original install and the extension will be downgraded to the new FiT rates in April. If I find the link again I'll post it.

These documents appear to confirm that the extension will now be treated as a new installation:

http://www.fitariffs.co.uk/library/regulation/110727Extension_consultation.pdf
http://www.fitariffs.co.uk/library/regulation/110927ExtensionMods.pdf (see 33 and 34)

I'll keep searching for the reference to the original installation's FiT rate being downgraded as well, following the recent announcement of the December change.

KevinG

KevinG wrote: »

These documents appear to confirm that the extension will now be treated as a new installation:

http://www.fitariffs.co.uk/library/regulation/110727Extension_consultation.pdf
http://www.fitariffs.co.uk/library/regulation/110927ExtensionMods.pdf (see 33 and 34)

I'll keep searching for the reference to the original installation's FiT rate being downgraded as well, following the recent announcement of the December change.

OK, how about this, from http://www.ownergy.co.uk/faqs/:

If the time that will have elapsed between the registering of your initial installation and the registering of your extension is less than 12 months, you will receive the tariff that prevails at the time of registration of your extension for the whole (combined) system.
If the elapsed time between registrations is more than 12 months, you will continue to receive the level of tariffs that the initial installation has always received. As for your extension, this will receive the level of tariffs that prevails at the time of registration of your extension for the combined system size.

If this is correct, it seems pretty clear that the wheeze you describe will not work, unless someone lies about the size of the original installation.

Dave_Fowler

KevinG wrote: »

OK, how about this, from http://www.ownergy.co.uk/faqs/:

If this is correct, it seems pretty clear that the wheeze you describe will not work, unless someone lies about the size of the original installation.

The two links in your earlier quote appear to be for systems greater than 50kWp, however the FAQ link certainly indicates that the extension will cause the entire system to run on the post December 12th FIT rate.

I don't think my neighbour is going to be very happy.

Dave F

KevinG

Dave_Fowler wrote: »

The two links in your earlier quote appear to be for systems greater than 50kWp, however the FAQ link certainly indicates that the extension will cause the entire system to run on the post December 12th FIT rate.

I don't think my neighbour is going to be very happy.

Dave F

Yes, you're right, I hadn't spotted that, but I suspect the decision affects all systems, e.g. http://www.fitariffs.co.uk/FITs/regulation/review1_fast-track/Extension_consultation/ says "These changes apply to all FITs systems (not just those otherwise affected by the Fast-track review). They do not affect extensions made more than 12 months from the original installation."

kada33

Has anyone else had problems with actually being paid the tariff? We submitted readings on 27/09/11 and are still waiting to be paid. (05/12/11 today). The excuse is that there is no sysytem to who gets paid and in what order, its just chance. Some people get paid within a day, some within 13 weeks. This is Southern Energy but I don't know whether the same applies to all companies. What a way to run a business!

Dave_Fowler

kada33 wrote: »

Has anyone else had problems with actually being paid the tariff? We submitted readings on 27/09/11 and are still waiting to be paid. (05/12/11 today). The excuse is that there is no sysytem to who gets paid and in what order, its just chance. Some people get paid within a day, some within 13 weeks. This is Southern Energy but I don't know whether the same applies to all companies. What a way to run a business!

My EDF contract says up to 90 days. It usually takes 80 - just in time to send them the next reading.

orrery

Dave_Fowler wrote: »

My EDF contract says up to 90 days. It usually takes 80 - just in time to send them the next reading.

I've just registered mine with EDF and that performance is utterly shameful. So, lets make sure that the search engines find it, should we:
EDF FIT time payments shameful
EDF time taken FIT payments unacceptable
EDF time for FIT payment awful
Lets see if we shame them into sorting it out!

John_Pierpoint

Dave_Fowler wrote: »

Recently my neighbour ordered a 16 panel system and was promised an install and registration before the December 12th cut-off. Last week they turned up and installed 4 panels plus inverter, generation meter etc. The installers left, presumably to install another system at another address. It looks as if they are registering the minimal systems in as many places as possible and then extending them after December 12th, (but within the 12 month allowed period).

I wonder if they will get away with this.

Dave F

Perhaps the installer is unable to get enough panels to do the jobs (perhaps his credit limit is not good enough) so he is registering all 16 panels and intending to call back and fit the missing panels (at the post 12th December panel purchase price).

The minimal generation at this time of year would not give much away.

orrery

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

Perhaps the installer is unable to get enough panels to do the jobs (perhaps his credit limit is not good enough) so he is registering all 16 panels and intending to call back and fit the missing panels (at the post 12th December panel purchase price).

The minimal generation at this time of year would not give much away.

Doesn't he need to put the serial numbers on the certificate?