Solar energy - Feed-in Tariff payment delays - your experiences?

DanH84_2

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

Do we get a choice these days? I get the impression that the only firm that will take me is NPower because I am their customer, and even they are not friendly - give the impression of wanting to find a uncrossed T or non dotted I on the application form so they can reject it.



I felt paranoid like that, but I now have all the paperwork - the reality was that I had found a small firm in order to beat the 03March deadline and their MCS registered supervisor is chasing his tail trying to keep up with the 03 march deadline. Lucky it is a leap year !



Which company, I wish I was with them

My struggles with the nPower form and supporting paperwork:

There are two questions on the application form and I am not sure if I/my installers have the correct answer to these questions:

Installed Capacity (kW}
&
Declared net capacity (kW)

Now I have 18 panels nominally rated at 205 watts each.
so 18 x 205 = 3.690. So does that go down as the answer to both questions?

I also notice that a data item in the commissioning certificate has been left blank:
MAXIMUM PEAK SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT (A)

From the USA installation manual, it would appear the answer is 20 amps per string for a nominally 3.6 kWp inverter (presumably both strings would not short out at the same time).

They need to confirm the details of the application but, provided they've acknowledged receipt (or you have proof of postage) it doesn't matter if they initially come back to you with something incorrect or incomplete, they'll set your eligibility from the day they originally received it (as long as you provided MCS cert or number with it - it's not valid without).

Your DNC is on your mcs certificate, the calculation you've come up with sounds correct but just transpose whatever is on there.

Your total installed capacity will probably be the same as your declared net capacity but they have to ask the question due to the rules on extensions. You could already have 2kw installed which would give you a higher TIC than the DNC you are applying for in that instance.

Someone mentioned earlier about the 3p export being sold to a different company. The basic reason for this is that large energy exporters (typically installations with a minimum of 750kw) can enter into what is known as a Power Purchase Agreement. This isn't paid through the Feed in Tariff scheme but is an individually negotiable contract with a supplier to supply them with a certain level of energy per quarter/year. The company can then hedge these levels into the market and take a margin from the customer based on the prices at the time. Typically this is higher than the 3p export but should it ever be lower then the customer could always just revert back to the 3p FIT payment. Companies just won't enter into Power Purchase Agreements with small exporters as the energy produced is too small to hedge against the market and as such the energy supplier only ever gets a 'spill' price for it which is typically at or below the 3p a unit making it unprofitable to enter individual negotiations.

Thanks

GaryMo_2

don0301 wrote: »

most people would prefer to see money in their own pocket rather than someone elses!

you haven't really got the hang of the money saving bit of this forum, have you?

but each to their own

But eventually it will end up in my pocket, I'm saying I'm not bothered if it's 10 days or 50 days after submitting the reading.

John_Pierpoint

Experienced user writes:

...still have not received my cheque for Sept-Dec. Npower have had the readings for 10 weeks now. Today they have the cheek to send a reminder and a threat to get the debt collectors in for an unpaid bill due 2 weeks ago. I don't actually 'owe' them anything.

It was all so different when they all had their quotas to fill.

jimjames

Submitted my reading to British Gas this week for our first 3 months. Automated email reply that payment will be received within 28 days so now waiting to see if this is true.

If it is then it may be worth switching to a FIT provider that delivers a decent service as there is no requirement to have the same FIT company as the one that supplies your electricity.

jimjames

GaryMo wrote: »

Im really not that bothered, as long as it arrives at some point. I'm in it for the long term, not to spend every cheque that drops through the door.

This quarters payment isn't a massive issue as it is £170 approx but for the one covering the summer where it could be £700 I would definitely want that money in my bank asap so I can use it!

getevenfromsteepleashton

Npower would not tolerate any customer paying their bill by cheque 60 days after the billing period ended so why do they think that I will accept the same terms for my FiT payment?? Answer arrogance! I have waited for this time although there does not seem to be any guidance on what is or is not acceptable and still no payment. Now my bank charges 30%APR on unauthorised borrowing, npower charge both for late payment and for payment by cheque, I wonder how they will like the same back?? Today I have sent my complaint to Npower minions, the CEO and ombudsman. Bearing in mind that all ombudsman schemes are in the pockets of the industries that they are regulating. What will happen..... Likely to be sweet nothing. But this lil' lady won't go away and certainly will not go without a big noise. Watch out boys you have met your nemisis!

orrery

getevenfromsteepleashton wrote: »

Npower would not tolerate any customer paying their bill by cheque 60 days after the billing period ended so why do they think that I will accept the same terms for my FiT payment?

You've hit the nail on the head. They want the money in their account so they can fund their business with it.

Ask them if you can set up a direct debit with a fixed amount every month and then at the end of the year, when you've taken too much, reduce it next year slightly so you end up having taken too much again, just like they do with my leccy bills.:rotfl:

greengrow

getevenfromsteepleashton wrote: »

Npower would not tolerate any customer paying their bill by cheque 60 days after the billing period ended so why do they think that I will accept the same terms for my FiT payment?? Answer arrogance! I have waited for this time although there does not seem to be any guidance on what is or is not acceptable and still no payment. Now my bank charges 30%APR on unauthorised borrowing, npower charge both for late payment and for payment by cheque, I wonder how they will like the same back?? Today I have sent my complaint to Npower minions, the CEO and ombudsman. Bearing in mind that all ombudsman schemes are in the pockets of the industries that they are regulating. What will happen..... Likely to be sweet nothing. But this lil' lady won't go away and certainly will not go without a big noise. Watch out boys you have met your nemisis!

For your information the rules say that FIT providers cannot discriminate. They cannot treat feed-in customers differently to non feed-in customers. You might mention this if they take more time to process payments than bills.

KevinG

greengrow wrote: »

For your information the rules say that FIT providers cannot discriminate. They cannot treat feed-in customers differently to non feed-in customers. You might mention this if they take more time to process payments than bills.

Unfortunately that is a non sequitur - not discriminating against feed-in customers has nothing to do with taking longer to process payments than bills - the non feed-in customers will have no payments to process!

Brian99_2

I wonder if the Utilities have hold-ups, getting the money from the kitty ??

I believe all the FiT money goes into a pool, prob supervised by OFGEM, then the various utilities draw it out to pay the FiTs.

Does that make sense ?