Solar installation rate.

rogerblack

http://www.decc.gov.uk/publications/basket.aspx?filetype=4&filepath=11%2fstats%2fenergy%2fenergy-source%2f3803-weekly-solar-pv-installation-and-capacity-.xls&minwidth=true#basket

No sign yet of any upswing in installations.

The previous announcement that 43p was going away happened Oct 31.
The week ending the 30th there were 5000 or so installs, and the rate was rising at 300 a week.
The next week, 1200 more than expected, then it takes off, with 3000 more.

The announcement that the government had lost the initial judgement happened Jan 20.
It's been 2 full weeks since, and there is no significant change in rate yet.
I guess the next few weeks will tell.

HalloweenJack

its because of the court case - its still on going as the government have said they will go to the supreme court and appeal

KevinG

Announcement due at 1.00 today, i.e. NOW!

WestonDave

I phoned a local installer on 20th to see what the chances were of getting an install from scratch by the deadline and they didn't think they could do it. When the announcement happened in October, companies had a backlog of already surveyed sites where people just had to give the nod to actually getting it put in, whereas this time, interest has tailed off, site surveys are down, and installers have laid off staff - plus of course we still don't know for sure that the appeal has been lost. Hence no upswing.

This was the whole point all along and the government will have succeeded in winning the war, despite losing a few court battles along the way. By dragging out appeals, its kept the uncertainty running to the point where there is now almost certainly not enough time to get many installs started (they'd have to be surveyed ones) and registered in time. If I had been surveyed, and gave the nod this afternoon, there would only be 3 weeks to get out on site, fit all the equipment and get it registered - that won't get many systems installed. In effect they will have pretty much shut the door on the 43p rate as at December as they wanted.

KevinG

Here we go:

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn12_010/pn12_010.aspx

Seems to confirm the 3rd March date. Also, I note the proposed increase in the Micro CHP rate. As I've got one of those as well, it would be nice if this were retrospective!

KevinG

KevinG wrote: »

Seems to confirm the 3rd March date.

No, sorry:

"The government cannot give certainty on tariff levels to people who install solar panels with an eligibility date between 12th December 2011 and 3rd March 2012 due to ongoing legal proceedings. DECC is appealing to the Supreme Court and has until 21st February to lodge its case."

WestonDave

So it will wait until 21st February close of business, decide not to proceed after all, and leave 8 working days to get systems installed and registered. Game over without wasting any more on court fees etc. If it actually bothers to lodge a case I will be very surprised as it will be an utter waste of money.

KevinG

KevinG wrote: »

Also, I note the proposed increase in the Micro CHP rate. As I've got one of those as well, it would be nice if this were retrospective!

The proposal is that it will rocket from 10.5p to 12.5p. Wow.

Brian99_2

WestonDave wrote: »

So it will wait until 21st February close of business, decide not to proceed after all, and leave 8 working days to get systems installed and registered. Game over without wasting any more on court fees etc. If it actually bothers to lodge a case I will be very surprised as it will be an utter waste of money.

Good thinking. Govt prolonging uncertainty as long as possible...achieving the slowdown they wanted.

zeupater

Hi

The other likely alternative would be to simply align the cut-off date with the consultation end-date on a retrospective basis, can't see them losing that one on appeal .... that's what I'd do, then sit back and watch all of the court cases where installers had been pushing the higher FiT as being available due to the Government losing the appeal ...

Has the industry been it's own worst enemy recently? .... it certainly looks like it to me. I've talked to a few installers over the past few months and not one of them agrees with the court case & appeals, in fact they're pretty angry over the whole thing, not with the Government, but with the greed of S0larCentury & H0mesun and are totally perplexed at why F0E have been stirring things up ....

HTH
Z

Martyn1981

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

The other likely alternative would be to simply align the cut-off date with the consultation end-date on a retrospective basis, can't see them losing that one on appeal .... that's what I'd do, then sit back and watch all of the court cases where installers had been pushing the higher FiT as being available due to the Government losing the appeal ...

Has the industry been it's own worst enemy recently? .... it certainly looks like it to me. I've talked to a few installers over the past few months and not one of them agrees with the court case & appeals, in fact they're pretty angry over the whole thing, not with the Government, but with the greed of S0larCentury & H0mesun and are totally perplexed at why F0E have been stirring things up ....

HTH
Z

True, and from what I've read and heard, they were particularly worried about the EPC C rating proposal. So changing it to D (which I believe can include the gains from the proposed PV) has allayed a lot of those concerns.

I wonder how long the industry will take to get back to normal after all the recent silliness, with massive peak then massive trough?

Mart.