Newbie question on pre-2020 FIT

C0lin61

A friend has asked me to investigate their use of Feed In tariff ( solar panels)

From what I can gather:-
the system was installed in 2012 
and there is a payment for:-

• generated
• Deemed export of 50% of generated.

The FIT generation is 3000kWh per year; the "normal" bills are 1000kWh for day and 1000kWh for night.

Am I correct in thinking that the Generated figure is exactly that and payment is made whether the electricity is used  or exported?

My friend makes pottery and, to date, has been running the kiln on night rate electricity....as she believed that to be the cheapest option.


Would it make sense to use the kiln when the solar Panels are generating and hence use "free" electricity without impacting on the generated payment?

TIa, Colin

[Deleted User]

The FIT Scheme pays for every kWh generated by the array plus an export payment based on 50% of the generated outputs. That said, FIT payers are moving towards actual export payments based on smart meter data.

You are correct. High energy appliances are best used when the sun shines. That said, how big is the kiln in terms of the power (kW) that it requires, and how often is the kiln used? Solar panels give out very little power on a dull day in Winter so some form of tariff choice is needed.

C0lin61

Thanks Dolor,
my friend only has a old-style, mechanical day/night meter.
The kiln is 14kW so far exceeds the, max., 4kW output from the panels.

A "silly" question....
if there is less load that what is being generated then does the meter go backwards? 

[Deleted User]

C0lin61 said:

Thanks Dolor,
my friend only has a old-style, mechanical day/night meter.
The kiln is 14kW so far exceeds the, max., 4kW output from the panels.

A "silly" question....
if there is less load that what is being generated then does the meter go backwards? 

It shouldn't as analogue meters are supposed to have meter stops to prevent this happening. Technically, if the meter is going backwards and it hasn't been reported it could be deemed to be energy theft.