Solar Panel Consideration

ollywolf

Hi,


I am currently considering a Solar Panel Installation in my home and was wondering what everyones thoughts are regarding the fact that he FIT's are stopping in April 2019, does this mean that Solar is no longer viable.....?

Martyn1981

Hiya Wolfy. PV is still viable, but it's a tougher call these days with such a low subsidy rate, and a small rise (I think) in prices as the UK is simply handling far less PV kit these days.

The removal of the FiT in April 2019 is more a sympton of the government's policy to 'mature' technologies that have been subsidised for a few years and have gotten cheaper.

Rant warning - but they seem happy to offer higher subsidies to nuclear which has been receiving support for nearly 10x longer than PV.

Hopefully some new scheme will be launched, and prices may start to fall again, especially if we (the EU) start to see the prices the rest of the world can get PV panels for, or to put it another way, the MIP (minimum import price) that protects German panel manufacturers is finally removed.

Till we get some good news, I'd suggest thinking about acting before next April if you really want PV, or else, wait and see what, if anything, the government proposes next.*

*And I'm not being sarky, other than off-shore wind and nuclear, the government isn't doing much for leccy generation, and even less for transport and space heating, so there is a chance that they will have to act eventually ..... maybe.