Viridis Energie Consultants

UK green media agrees black-out on rogue solar PV companies

barry — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:58 +0000

The UK’s five leading green media companies have joined together to impose a voluntary blackout of renewable energy companies looking to exploit consumer confusion surrounding the Feed-in Tariff.

The B2B and B2C network of the biggest online sites is to create and maintain a blacklist of companies that will be refused editorial and marketing space.

The move is in response to press releases and online advertising campaigns targeted at the consumer, which carry misleading claims and false facts to exploit the current confusion and uncertainty in the market.

BusinessGreen, ClickGreen, GreenWise, Renewable Energy Installer and YouGen have agreed to impose the three-month blackout in an attempt to deter companies from promoting inaccurate and irresponsible claims in editorial submissions and advertising.

ClickGreen’s Stuart Qualtrough explained the joint agreement would hopefully help support the industry’s long-term reputation.

“We will not be naming and shaming but simply ignoring,” he added. “We want to promote a level playing field for both the installers and the consumers that will encourage the further roll-out of renewable energy across the UK.”

And James Murray, editor of BusinessGreen, said the aim of the blackout was to protect both readers and reputable solar firms from misleading claims about the current level of incentives for solar installations.

“Rightly or wrongly the government has created confusion in the solar market by again appealing against a court ruling that deemed its proposed cuts to feed-in tariffs were unlawful,” he explained. “But there are some adverts and claims circulating that ignore the nuance of the case and are attempting to drum up short term business based on misleading claims.

“We are delighted to promote reputable solar firms that communicate with customers in a clear manner, but those that seek to exploit current confusion are only serving to damage the entire market.”

Cathy Debenham of YouGen, added: “It is really important that consumers are protected from this totally unethical practice. High feed-in tariff rates have led to many to many people being misled by dodgy sales people.

“We know that there are lots of excellent solar PV installers giving realistic information, and we want to make sure that it is their voices that are heard during this period of uncertainty, not those of the cowboys.”

GreenWise editor Louise Bateman, said: “The solar Feed-in Tariff debacle has been the biggest story to hit the UK green sector and it is important that it continues to be reported accurately and that rogue traders are not allowed to take advantage of the situation and further damage this important renewable energy industry. That is why we have agreed to this voluntary blackout.”

And Lu Rahman, editor of Renewable Energy Installer, added: “We represent the interests of the small-scale installer, the majority of whom have worked hard to create businesses built on trust, strong customer relationships and knowledge of their sector. It is therefore disappointing that a small number of installers are looking to exploit the current Feed-in Tariff situation for financial gain.

“Prior to the 12 December deadline many companies were working tirelessly to ensure their pre-bookings were met and customers qualified for the higher rate tariff before it was cut. Now we have businesses looking to make what they can from the situation without thinking about the knock-on effects it will have for the reputation of a growing industry.

“Only last year, the sector had to rise above the media claims of ‘cowboy installers’. Let’s hope the Feed-in Tariff doesn’t create a new reason for renewables to hit the headlines, in all the wrong ways.”

If you would like to ensure that you are receiving the right information on your solar installation, then contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to Click Green

Huhne Keeps Solar Industry in Limbo

barry — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:15:04 +0000

Chris Huhne, energy secretary, has taken another step to undermine the solar industry in seeking to appeal to the Supreme Court to defend his feed in tariff cuts. The saga of the cuts started back in October when Chris Huhne first proposed that the rate that home-owners received for their excess energy should be halved. Although the industry accepted that the price of panels had significantly reduced and therefore profits were higher than expected, the proposal to backdate the cuts before the end of the consultation period was the real bugbear. Solar companies, HomeSun and SolarCentury along with Friends of the Earth, decided to take the Government to court and quickly won their case. Since then the Government has been appealing the decision.

HomeSun states: “The FiT was due to reduce in April 2012, and the industry had proposed a reduction of 30%. Suddenly on 31st October, government announced a ‘consultation’ running to 23rd December, and a proposed cut of 50% from 12th December 2011. This announcement created chaos: thousands of people trying to get installed when there weren’t enough people or kits to do the job; thousands of businesses going to the wall because they had committed stock which wouldn’t be arriving until 2012; thousands of people put on notice of losing their jobs.”

A report commissioned by Friends of the Earth states that: “DECC’s plans will have dramatic, negative impacts on the solar industry and on the deployment of solar PV in the UK. DECC’s own Impact Assessment concedes that PV installations will fall 50-95%.The rate of new installations forecast by DECC in its proposals would support only around one-third of the jobs currently in the sector, placing at least 18,000 jobs at risk.”

The Government has now announced that no matter what the outcome of this latest appeal, they will implement the cuts on the 3rd March. The fear is that this will generate another rush on installations that the industry simply won’t be able to fit in time.

SolarCentury hosted a web-based Q&A session with Which? magazine to try to answer questions from the general public about the current status and the future of solar. By far and away the most common question was “Should I gamble on achieving a March installation?” Clearly the drive is still there to install panels and reap the rewards of clean energy, but even companies whose business is solar are advising caution until this final appeal is resolved.

If you would like advice on your solar installation, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to The Energy Collective

Solar PV – Buyer beware?!

barry — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:34:21 +0000

The recent Feed In Tariff "debacle" has been well publicised, and whilst
it is highly likely that the Government will lose their next appeal,
consumers need to be aware of the possible outcomes, be clear on the
claims made by some installers, and also the price they pay for an
installation.

There are 2 possible outcomes:

Scenario “A”  - The Government either lose the right to Appeal (or indeed
lose the case if given the right) to the Supreme Court. Then all
installations completed and registered before 3rd March 2012 will attract
the higher tariff rate. After that time, but before 31st March 2012 they
will attract the lower rate (as set out in scenario B).

Scenario “B” - The Government win the appeal, then all installations
completed and registered before 31st March 2012 will attract the lower
rate.

From the 1st April 2012, we do not know the tariff rate yet? Much will
depend on the outcome of the Government's appeal?

The general feeling is that the Government will be unsuccessful in their
appeal? Currently, 4 judges, in 2 separate hearings have deemed the action
unlawful. In fact they refused the Government's request to appeal to the
Supreme Court, however, it is the Government's right to appeal directly.

As it stands, your installer can not make claims that you WILL recieve the
higher rate. Here is a statement from one of the energy suppliers:

"Currently, the generation tariff rate remains at 21.0p per kWh as the
Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) are now escalating their
appeal to the Supreme Court.

Until an official announcement is made by DECC, please treat the tariff as
21.0p per kWh.

Should it go up to 43.3p per kWh, your first payment would be backdated at
that rate to the installation date."

During the last "boom", we witnessed price increases. Some of this was due
to lack of equipment availability (especially on the "preferred" equipment
of installers), but also due to some installers looking to make a "fast
buck"? We witnessed prices being quoted some 30% higher than it should
have been?!

Prices have come down considerably since December, and even at the lower
rate of 21p, your first year ROI should be around 8% - 10%??

In a nutshell, installing solar PV before the 3rd March 2012, could be a
very shrewd move? But, ensure your installer is giving you the right
facts, and the right price?

If you would like advice on your installation, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484

Feed In Tariff ruling – the end of the beginning?

barry — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:29:32 +0000

Today’s appeal court victory is welcome, but too many questions about the UK’s solar future remain unanswered

It would be nice to report today on a stirring victory for the UK’s solar industry. A victory that finally provides clarity to the level of incentives available to solar installations and, more importantly, sets a clear precedent that the government cannot drive a coach and horses through its own consultation rules and change crucial policies retrospectively.

But sadly, while such a report would be largely accurate, it would also only tell half the story. This sorry saga is not over yet.

The solar sector and the wider green economy are right to celebrate today. They have won an important victory and have hopefully set a precedent on government consultation practices that should benefit the entire business community.

They have also amply demonstrated the huge public support for solar power and provided the starkest demonstration yet that the UK’s green economy can only prosper if ministers provide a stable policy environment.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will now be forced to think twice before trying to change policies without sufficient notice. Moreover, if sources are to be believed, it will respond to the shellacking it has experienced over recent months by soon unveiling reforms to the feed-in tariff scheme that will make the incentive mechanism much more sustainable and predictable.

And yet today’s court victory, while welcome, fails to draw the line that both ministers and the solar industry claim to crave.

It took the government less than two hours to torpedo the apparent clarity delivered by the Appeal Court ruling, issuing a statement from Chris Huhne that confirms the department will seek an appeal hearing at the Supreme Court.

Given that four judges have now unequivocally ruled the government’s attempt to retrospectively cut incentives was unlawful, it is hard to imagine DECC lawyers can come up with a more convincing appeal. But, as numerous solar industry commentators have pointed out, the intricacies of the legal argument are beside the point; the government’s primary aim is simply to ensure the precise level of feed-in tariff support remains opaque until as close to the new March 3 cut-off date as possible.

Depending on your point of view, ministers are currently demonstrating their mastery of the pragmatic art of Realpolitik or displaying staggering levels of cynicism by launching an appeal that ensures solar firms still cannot with confidence tell customers they will receive the 43p/kWh feed-in tariff rate.

In addition to this continued short-term uncertainty, today’s court victory does nothing to address the medium- and long-term questions hanging over the sector.

The industry is still awaiting news on whether the government will move forwards with the other controversial element of its consultation on solar feed-in tariffs: the plan to restrict installations to the most efficient buildings, slashing the available market by 80 per cent in one swoop.

If these standards are imposed (and there is a reasonable case for introducing some form of energy efficiency standard for buildings deploying microgeneration), solar firms will quickly have to work out a way to offer their own energy efficiency upgrades through the Green Deal, or partner with companies that already offer such services. Either way, the market will be restricted as one of the main advantages of solar installations – the fact that they are easy and quick to install – is eroded.

As importantly, the spending cap imposed on the feed-in tariff scheme continues to loom over any discussion on the future of microgeneration. The scheme has proven remarkably popular and has delivered a sea change in corporate and public support for renewable energy and, by extension, greener lifestyles. But it is now in danger of becoming a victim of its own success.

Every aspect of the government’s chronic mishandling of the initial attempt to cut incentives was driven by concerns that the scheme’s entire budget could be blown. According to climate minister Greg Barker, the budget for this year has already been exceeded and the budget for next year could quickly be burned through as well if today’s court ruling triggers another rush of deployments.

As a result, the department will now be under intense pressure to either cut incentives further (something ministers came very close to doing last autumn) or find a way to either increase the spending cap or pump more money into the scheme. There is a very real danger that today’s court victory could prove Pyrrhic, with the government moving to cut incentives again post-April.

The tragedy of all of this is that the solar industry really is on the cusp of a hugely significant breakthrough.

According to modelling currently being undertaken by the industry, the rate at which solar panel costs are falling suggests the technology could be competitive with the cheapest renewables within a few short years, and could even be competitive with energy from the grid a few years after that. The government could reach its goal of cutting the level of support for solar to 9p/kWh, equivalent to the level of support offered to wind energy, in a relatively short timeframe. But only if it does not kill the industry off by cutting the level of support too far and too fast.

As we’ve argued before, it is time for the government to provide the sector with the clarity it deserves. That means confirming the long-term level of incentives for solar energy (and other forms of microgeneration) and ideally raising the spending cap to ensure support is set at a level that allows the industry to continue to grow. If that really cannot be done, ministers need to stop messing the sector around and offer an honest assessment of where solar stands in their list of priorities. And if that means providing investors with a clear signal that they do not believe microgeneration – and all the jobs, economic growth and emissions savings it delivers – can achieve mainstream adoption in the UK, then, sadly, that is what they must do.

As the reaction to today’s court ruling demonstrates, there is huge public appetite for solar energy in the UK. Households want it, businesses want it, even the CBI wants it. While there are legitimate concerns about the cost, most people recognise that a couple of pounds a year on energy bills (because that is all we are talking about) is a price worth paying for a fast-expanding green industry that promises to break the stranglehold of incumbent energy suppliers and could deliver low-cost energy within five years.

It is now up to the government to deliver the clarity the industry deserves, and it should start by dropping its latest appeal and releasing details on the next wave of proposed changes to the feed-in tariff scheme.

Sadly, today’s court ruling does not mark the end to this long-running saga. But the industry will remain hopeful that it could represent what one of the UK’s rather more capable politicians once referred to as the “end of the beginning”.

If you would like advice on your solar project, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to Business Green

FiT update – Where do we stand?

barry — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:39:52 +0000

The Government has now moved to reduce some of the uncertainty surrounding
future FIT rates, by tabling regulations in Parliament that will lead to a
reduction to 21p on 3rd March. They have explained that this is a fall-back
measure which will fixes the date of the rate reductions should the Appeal
Court find against them, and confirm tariffs cannot be reduced
retrospectively. If the court find in their favour, the cut to 21p will be
much earlier.

There is also no guarantee that the tariff will not be cut further in April
or shortly afterwards. Proposals for the longer term way in which FITs
operates are expected to be released shortly (probably after the court
judgement) and will give the Government's ideas on what DECC are calling
"cost control mechanisms" aimed at enabling them to react much more quickly
to installations running well ahead of what they expected. This is likely
to include much more regular tariff revisions (which should therefore be
much smaller cuts) and perhaps a "volume trigger" of some sort, as is used
in Germany.

However, the announcement does mean we now know that the rate for
installations registered between 12/12/2011 and 31/3/2012 will be at least
21p. If the court judgement goes against Government it could rise to
43.3p. It also means that we know any rush caused by a resumption of 43.3p
will end on March 3rd (it was previously very unclear how fast Government
would act to cut 43.3p if they lost the court case - the process takes 40
days, but no one knew how long Ministers would take to begin the process, or
if this would start before or after further appeals etc). The announcement
does not rule out a further appeal to the Supreme Court, but such an appeal
would only add to the time before we finally find out whether the 12/12-31/3
was 21p or 43p - the cut to 21p could go ahead on 3rd March regardless.

Getting these regulations down was something we had been calling for - the
last email update said we would be providing you with materials to lobby
your MP, but that will not be necessary any more.

Instead the crucial thing looking ahead will be to ensure that the money
allocated to the FITs budget is sufficient to keep the industry going (and
growing!) and that any energy efficiency link is not done in a way that
dramatically reduces the number of households who can fit solar. These
remain important points to raise with your MPs.

If you want to read more Greg Barker's statement is below and includes a
link to the written statement he put before Parliament.

http://greenhousepr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f3f20c08d3987b9081f8e46e9&id=d861aaa5f2&e=cf2c6fcfb0

**Appeal Court hearing**

While the above makes things a little clearer, it is still not clear when
the judgement of the Appeal Court will be handed down. The judges are
deciding on two things at the same time - whether the Government has the
right to bring the appeal, and if they are allowed to do so, whether the
appeal is upheld. It may sound it may sound odd to consider the first
question, given they are effectively considering the whole case at once, but
it is crucial because if the Government is not given leave to appeal, it
cannot go on to the Supreme Court. If they get the right to appeal, but
lose the appeal they can take the matter further.

We will let you know if we hear any further information from those bringing
the court case, or the media, about expected judgement dates and of course
will let you know what the outcome is and what it means.

If you have any question then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to Our Solar Future

The FiT story so far (complete with happy ending?!)

barry — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:05:07 +0000

At last – I finally have something positive to blog about. Yesterday morning we uncovered the news that Government was set to lock in the future of the UK solar industry by publishing what feed-in tariff rates will look like until at least April 1, 2012. Offering some much-needed, long-awaited, certainty to our extremely frustrated industry, the announcement has brought a welcome alternative to the frequent disruption experienced in recent months.

As pretty much all of you reading this will be painfully aware, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced on October 31 its intention to cut solar feed-in tariff rates by up to 50 percent from April 1, with a cut-off date of December 12, 2011. This reference date was quickly criticised (not least because it was two weeks before the end of the consultation) and consequently held up in the High Court.

After a judge ruled the 12/12 reference date was “unlawful” Government refused to back down and launched an appeal. This appeal was not immediately granted, and as a result, a large amount of uncertainty flooded into the market. No one knew what the future held…until yesterday.

Certainty at 21p

For those of you who are unclear on what yesterday’s announcement actually means, let me clarify:

If DECC wins its appeal the feed-in tariffs will remain as they are set out in the consultation document published on October 31. That means systems up to 4kW will receive 21p from December 12.

If DECC loses its appeal, the 43p rates will be reinstated until March 3, when they will be cut to the lower rates.

In both cases the tariffs are guaranteed until March 31.

The new generation tariffs set out in the draft licence modifications being laid today are set out in the table below:

Band (kW Declared Net Capacity (DNC)	Current generation tariff (p/kWh)	New generation tariff from 1 April 2012 (p/kWh)
≤4kW (new build)	37.8	21.0
≤4kW (retrofit)	43.3	21.0
>4-10kW	37.8	16.8
>10-50kW	32.9	15.2
>50-100kW	19	12.9
>100-150kW	19	12.9
>150-250kW	15	12.9
>250kW-5MW	8.5	8.5
stand alone	8.5	8

This, I think you’ll agree, is fantastic news. For the first time in months we actually know what to expect in the months ahead, providing a far more stable environment for solar companies to work within.

Commenting on the news, Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director, Andy Atkins said: “At last the Government is taking steps to sort out some of the uncertainty that’s crippling a thriving UK industry – planned cuts will allow solar firms to start planning for the future.”

Cathy Debenham, Founder of YouGen said: “This brings a bit of welcome certainty to both consumers and installers in the solar PV market, which can only be a good thing. It’s a pity that the Government didn’t act quicker and lay this amendment as swiftly as it appealed to the High Court.

“For consumers that are happy with the rate of return that 21p per kWh gives; now is a good time to install. It’s unlikely to get better, and it’s quite likely that the rate may go down again after March 31 2012. There’s the added bonus that they may win the jackpot and get the 43p rate (if the government loses its appeal), but shouldn’t rely on it when making their decision.”

The Renewable Energy Association’s Chief Executive, Gaynor Hartnell said, “The laying of the order is helpful. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, we now know that installations made after March 3 will definitely qualify for the new tariff rates.This removes some of the short-term uncertainty and it is a welcome move.”

Solar scramble

As soon as yesterday’s good news begun to filter into the market, solar companies set about preparing themselves for what is expected to be one of the biggest gold rushes in the UK solar market’s history. With certainty at 21p, an inundation of installation orders are anticipated until March 31, bringing back memories of the weeks leading up to December 12.

What about after March 31?

Yet, although another gold rush is predictable in the coming weeks, the publication of DECC’s Phase 2 consultation document (which is due to be published by Jan 31) is expected to provide a more stable outlook.

With plans to introduce a German-style degression model for FiT cuts over the next four years, it is hoped the Phase 2 proposals will map out exactly what to expect from March 31 until the end of the current spending envelope. Subsequently, solar businesses working in the UK market will be able to form their strategies in advance, as opposed to suffering the six-week notice periods they have been forced to work with in the past.

The future’s bright

Looking back over the last few days in comparison to recent months, it’s hard to believe we actually got to where we are today. At last it seems Government has started to listen to industry, and more importantly work with it. Of course, DECC ministers have been touting their support for solar for months now, but this is really the first concrete evidence we’ve seen to support the future of our solar industry.

Speaking about the decision to map out a ‘Plan B’ in case of defeat at the Court of Appeal, DECC was keen to reiterate that although it was aware of Friends of the Earth’s calls to do this, the real motivation behind the move was to “provide a contingency so that we can manage the budget and provide certainty to installers and consumers all over the country.”

Referring directly to the industry’s frustration surrounding Government’s handling of the feed-in tariff scheme, the Minister commented,

“We’re taking this back up step to provide certainty in the event we lose the appeal – I want to ensure the FiTs scheme can continue.

“There are two possible outcomes, either we win the appeal and all the consultation proposals are back on the table, or we lose and this action means that everyone knows what the tariff will be if that happens – we are providing certainty.”

While I’m sure many of you out there are reading this thinking, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” you can’t deny that this is the best things have looked in a long while. For once we have security not only in the coming weeks, but also (when the Phase 2 document is published) for the next few years.

If you would like further advice on your solar project, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to the Solar Power Portal.

Wholesale Solar PV panels:

barry — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:08:55 +0000

We have secured stock of several manufacturers of solar PV panels at prices from 58p/watt.

If you would like our current price list, then please email info@viridisec.co.uk

Solar PV – An update, and why you should buy now..

barry — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:51:11 +0000

If you have been trying to keep up with the latest in the ‘Feed in Tariff’ saga, you’ll probably have information overload, if you haven’t you’ll not be aware of what is going on, so I thought I’d try to put together a summary of the situation.

Let’s start with some facts:

The feed in tariff (FIT) rate from 1st April 2011 was 43.3p per kWh for domestic installations. This gave an enormously high return on investment, (in some instances over 15%), all tax free, index linked (to RPI) and fixed for 25 years. This rate had come about by the rapid decrease in the cost of solar panels and therefore the cost of installation.

Clearly this rate of return was unsustainable, people falling over themselves to have systems installed. The FIT rate was due to reduce from 31st March 2012, and industry was preparing for this deadline. We had predicted a reduction of between 30% and 50%.

The current problems arose when DECC (Department for Energy and Climate Change) saw the massive increase in installations was ‘eating up’ the FIT Budget or Cap (in itself an issue), and decided to cut the FIT rate by just over 50%, but more importantly to bring forward the date of change from 31st March 2012, to 12th December 2011. By law these changes could only be made after a formal consultation. The government launched this consultation with a closing date of 23rd December 2011, nearly two weeks AFTER they implemented the change (12th December).

There were two impacts of all of this, one a stampede to install before the 12th December in order to ‘get’ the 43.3p FIT rate. The UK’s installed capacity of solar PV doubled in one month! The other was that a court case was launched stating that DECC and Government has acted illegally, instigating the FIT rate change whilst the consultation was still ongoing.

The High Court agreed. In fact everyone agreed. A House of Commons audit committee report lambasted DECC and Minister Greg Barker for incompetence that made the Key Stone Cops, look like precision German engineers. The government clearly disagreed with the High Court decision and bumbled off to the Court of Appeal. The date of that hearing was last Friday (13th January).

The court would do two things, firstly, decide whether to grant the government the right of appeal, and secondly, if it did, to hear the appeal. After a full day at court neither decision was made. The latest from DECC is a statement as follows “The Court of Appeal has not yet decided whether to give permission for an appeal or made a judgement on the FITs case. The Court will wrap up the decision on permission for an appeal and a possible judgement if an appeal is allowed in the next few weeks. Once the outcome is known we will consider our options and make an announcement on the way forward to provide clarity to consumers and industry.” Word from the court is not to expect a decision before February.

So what does all that mean?

If you already have a system installed, this doesn’t affect you.

If the government win their appeal we will proceed at the 21p for the domestic FIT rate. (There may be an additional requirement after 31st March to have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) of Grade C or above on your property in order to get this rate, it could be 9p if you don’t make the grade! The government lose the appeal, we return to 43p FIT rate for duration of about 40 days (the time they are legally required to put revisions before the House of Parliament, before change can be implemented).

Clear? No? What does it mean if you are tempted to install a solar pv system now?

Well, DECC have given consumers and installer’s one piece of clarity:

“the tariff rate for PV installations less than or equal to 4kW will not fall below 21p for installations with an eligibility date between 12th December 2011 and 31st March 2012″.

SO- Before 31st April 2012 You could install a solar PV system now, in the knowledge that the worst that you would get (index linked, tax free, 25 years etc) is a 21p per kWh FIT rate. You will NOT have to have an EPC done.

IF the rate does return to 43p for a short time, you WILL get this rate for the next 25 years.

After 31st April 2012 The FIT rate is unconfirmed, it could be 21p, it could be lower (if we get a short burst of installations before April at 43p, more budget will be eaten, and subsequent rates may be lower). You MAY have to have an EPC done on your property, and if you do not meet Grade C or higher be eligible for a FIT rate of 9p per kWh (or lower).

Whilst we lobby for longevity for our industry, the cold hard facts for consumers are:

If you don’t install now, before 31st March, you may just miss the boat??!!

One last thing, here is how the investment stacks up since last year :

Jan 2011- 4kWp system cost around £14,500, FIT rate was 41p per kWh- Return on investment around 11%.

Jan 2012- 4kWp system cost around £9,500, FIT Rate 21p per kWh- Return on investment around 11%.

Post April 2012- We just don’t know?!

If you have any questions or would like advice on solar PV, then please contact Viridis on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk

With thanks to David Hunt at Eco-Environments

Green Deal set for launch in October 2012 – Guest Blog.

barry — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:21:19 +0000

Green Deal set for launch in October 2012

2012 will see the UK Government launch the Green Deal Scheme, which is said to be their largest and most ambitious home improvement programme since the Second World War. Millions of homeowners and business owners will be eligible for funding to improve their properties energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint. But how will this be achieved and where will the money go?

The Government have set high targets and want the Green Deal to benefit 14 million homes by 2020 and another 12 million homes by 2030. Green Deal funding will be used to invest in green technology such as insulation and home energy generation, with no upfront costs. Consumers will then pay the money back via the savings generated on their energy bills.

Consumers are protected by the Green Deal’s “Golden Rule” which states that the resulting charges cannot exceed the anticipated energy cost savings. However, for those who have much larger property improvement plans, Green Deal money will be available up to a certain amount, to subsidise the work.

To ensure that the “Golden Rule” works, the Government have created a rigorous framework which means each property will be accessed by a qualified Green Deal assessor before any work can be carried out.

What is special about the Green Deal is that, unlike a traditional loan, the repayments are attached to the property, not the individual that takes out the Green Deal funding in the first place. This means that should you sell your house and move on, the repayments would be passed on to the new homeowner, who will benefit from the energy savings being made.

However, many industry officials have voiced concerns that the government are not providing enough of an incentive to get people involved. With such ambitious targets, it is vital that the early adopters have a good experience with the Green Deal and encourage others to take part. For this reason, Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has recently announced that £200m has been approved, to be used as an incentive for those who take up the scheme early on. It has yet to be decided exactly how the money will be allocated but it is thought that it will be used to create reductions in Council Tax bills.

All of this sounds great in theory and it is certainly an ambitious plan, but what does this mean for you and how can you benefit from the Green Deal? Get up to the minute Green Deal News from our site.

www.greendealinitiative.co.uk

Solar farms – Interest re-ignites?

barry — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:31:38 +0000

Back in 2010, the UK solar PV industry witnessed a surge in interest from investors looking for land to build large scale solar developments (typically, 1mw – 5mw)..

At the beginning of 2011, the Government carried out the first of their “fast track reviews”, reduced the FiT payments for these sized installations, and effectively killed this side of the industry dead!?

However, the price of solar panels has come down significantly since 2010, and whilst all the attention has been on the “small” scale installations (sub 50kwp), it would appear that the finances around large scale developments are now (once again) attractive for investors??

Our research suggests that there are several investors (quietly!) looking for suitable sites once again? They realise they need to move fast before the Government “cotton on to it”, so ideally are looking for sites with planning approved, and connection permits on place?

So, if you fit the bill, you could be in luck??

Viridis have access to such investors. If you have any land that meets the criteria, then please contact us on 0845 437 4484, or email info@viridisec.co.uk