Plans for largest solar farm in UK here in NI

RikM

How will we be able to tell if they reach that figure? Do we get profit sharing back? Doubt it somehow.

So, a company gets money, to supply subsidised electricity, which a grid company can point to and say "we're using this, give us our eco tax breaks please"...
And the public gets what? Expensive electricity. Unquantifiable "green" benefits. An unjustified sense of complacency...

qwert_yuiop

If it's that simple, it looks like it's time to set up a solar power plant, folks. Don't let the opportunity slip away.

warmhands.coldheart

RikM wrote: »

Er, solar? In NI? Kind of like a windfarm on the moon... Now if they could generate power from drizzle...

I actually thought someone was taking the mick when I saw this thread... seriously someone is actually thinking of building this thing in Northern Ireland?? Have they visited here before?
I'm liking the idea of a "Drizzle Power Generator" though. Even the name sounds catchy !!:rotfl:

qwert_yuiop

warmhands.coldheart wrote: »

I'm liking the idea of a "Drizzle Power Generator" though. Even the name sounds catchy !!:rotfl:

Trickle down economics

waltsalt

RikM wrote: »

I'm not sure the appearance of the thing is of much interest, to most of us.

On the other hand, the thought that this is just another government scheme for transferring tax payer cash to businessmen, without any real benefits - that's a possible topic for griping

The money comes from the electric companies, not the taxpayers.

The electric companies charge their customers a small premium on their electric rates which goes toward the subsidies.

donglemouse

not quite my understanding, but happy to be corrected by anyone who's a thorough understanding of this stuff as it seems somewhat complex

i believe the government operates a scheme called NIROC (NI Renewable Obligation Certificates) for large scale solar farm operators and makes payments to them under this scheme based on the amount of power generated

hence the government is paying a subsidy as far as i understand

i've never seen anything to suggest this government subsidy is in anyway fully funded or covered by levies placed on the electricity companies

warmhands.coldheart

donglemouse wrote: »

not quite my understanding, but happy to be corrected by anyone who's a thorough understanding of this stuff as it seems somewhat complex

i believe the government operates a scheme called NIROC (NI Renewable Obligation Certificates) for large scale solar farm operators and makes payments to them under this scheme based on the amount of power generated

hence the government is paying a subsidy as far as i understand

i've never seen anything to suggest this government subsidy is in anyway fully funded or covered by levies placed on the electricity companies

Careful now as what's good for the goose is good for the gander... there are a LOT of individual householders out there with solar panels on their roofs.. They are also in receipt of ROC's payments... Take it from one, it's only fair it should be taken from the other!!

waltsalt

The electricity suppliers buy the NIROCs to meet obligations set by government (who in turn are meeting obligations set by the EU).

The Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation, known as the NIRO, is DETI’s main means of increasing renewable electricity generation in Northern Ireland. The NIRO works in tandem with Renewables Obligations covering the rest of the UK. It obliges electricity suppliers to produce a certain number of certificates - known as ROCs - as a proportion of the amount of electricity which they supply to their customers in Northern Ireland.