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14th February 2012

25th January 2012

FiT news - Latest update:

While the Government appeal at the High Court was rejected, the Government has decided to take up the option to appeal again at the Supreme Court.

This means the FiT for installations fitted between 12th December 2011 and 3rd March 2012 will fall into one of the following categories, but nothing will be finalised until after the results of the next appeal.

• As things stand now before any further appeal – 43p
• If the Government win their next appeal – 21p
• If the Government lose their next appeal – 43p

For installations between 3rd – 31st March 2012, the FiT will be 21p

For installations after 1st April, the FiT is unclear. We will keep our website updated as soon as we have further information.
 

25th January 2012

Feed-in Tarrif update

Breaking news – the Court of Appeal has today announced that the Government has lost its appeal over the decision to reduce the Feed-in Tarrif (FiT) from 43p to 21p.

This means that for those who have installed Solar PV since 12th December 2011, and for those who intend to install systems before the 3rd March 2012, they will receive the higher FiT of 43.3p for the full 25 years.

Customers who register on or after 3rd March 2012 will qualify for the current higher rate until 1st April 1, when the rates will drop to the lower 21p rate.

What this means for you:
With the reduced costs of componants and the 43p FiT, the return on investment is looking to be exceptionally high, index linked and guaranteed for 25 years. As an investment, this presents an unsurpasssed opportunity and in terms of the environment, every kwp installed reduces carbon emissions by 413Kgs
 

16th January 2012

Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme

As you may be aware, besides the Feed-in Tariff for Solar PV, there are other payments available for renewable energy solutions. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are initiating a number of incentives to ensure our energy future, where both carbon reduction and energy security are assured.

The Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) is a government scheme designed to help you afford renewable technologies for your home. Below are the technologies covered and the payments available.

 

Technology	Voucher Value
Solar Thermal Hot Water	£300
Air Source Heat Pump	£850
Ground Source or Water Source Heat Pump	£1250
Biomass boiler	£950

Although this scheme closes on 31^st March 2012, there is still time to have a Solar Thermal system designed and installed before this deadline. If you are considering this, then please contact us now. Don’t miss out on this one-off payment!

The most recent RHPP figures show that since 1^st August 2011, 3,954 vouchers totalling £3.0m have been issued, with numbers of vouchers broken down as follows: solar 32%, GSHP 19%, ASHP 34% and biomass boilers 15%. The current rate of demand for vouchers is insufficient to achieve DECC’s budget, so the funding is still available for those that would like to take this offer up.

We are approved installers for all the above technologies, and in the autumn, a further government scheme will be available - The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The details of this funding are not yet finalised, but it will be made available to anybody who has installed an eligible technology (as per the table above) since 15th July 2009. So if you are considering any of these technologies, please contact us to see which renewable heating solution would be best suited to your property and the needs of your household.

 

9th January 2012

If you have not yet done so, please read the article below which should give you a clear indication of how we see the Solar PV market at present. However, there is an update to this… During the present period of uncertainty regarding the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) rate, the DECC have said that it will not drop below 21p/kwh for any new Solar PV installed before 1^st April 2012. This is very good news for prospective customers.  But, we hear there is the possibility the FiT rate may be further reduced to 9p/kwh as of 1st April 2012.  Nothing definite, but if you are considering Solar PV, our advice would be to ensure you have it installed before 31st March 2012 if you want to take advantage of the current FiT.

 

 

16th December 2012

Reduction in the Feed in Tariff (FiT) rate – what does this mean for the future

During October, Chris Huhne (Energy Secretary) said the Feed in Tariff (FiT) scheme had been built on "shaky economic foundations" and needed to be put on a fair and sustainable footing in order to "grow and prosper". Greg Barker (Climate Change and Energy Minister) said “We have no option but to act so that we stay within budget and do not threaten the whole viability of the FiT scheme”.

 

East Green Energy, are among a small number of installers agreeing that reducing the FiT rate is essential to make small-scale renewable subsidies sustainable and enable us all to have a greener future. Although the FiT has encouraged many to install Solar PV, it is worth remembering the reason behind the introduction of FiTs – to generate low carbon electricity to help protect the environment. This reason is still as strong as ever. Although the FiT presents an investment opportunity, installing Solar PV gives us a means of reducing our carbon emissions.

 

Alongside the FiT and reduction of carbon emissions, another reason to install Solar PV is to off-set the increase in household electricity prices. “By the end of 2011 household electricity prices will have increased by around 16% and household gas prices by 25% since the start of the year. Many experts expect global fossil fuel prices to continue to rise over the medium- and long term, meaning energy bills are likely to increase with or without policies.” (The Department of Energy and Climate Change – 23/11/11)

The advantages of Solar PV in summary:

·         8 % return on investment

·         Pay back in full over 12 years

·         Payments continue to you for 25 years

·         Tax-free

·         Savings by reduction in your purchase of electricity from the national grid

·         Carbon reduction - every kwp installed reduces carbon emissions by 413Kgs

 

Linda Graves, Sales Director at East Green Energy says “A PV Installation at the new rate still makes sense and the level of enquiries we are currently receiving bears this out”

 

If you are considering installing Solar PV, there are advantages gained by installing before 1^st April 2012:

·    According to the Department for Energy and Climate Change, all installations commissioned between now and 31^st March 2012 will receive the higher FIT rate of 43.3p/kwh until then. Thereafter it will revert to the new 21p rate.

·    From 1^st April 2012, a new energy efficiency requirement will mean that properties must reach a certain level of energy efficiency to receive the FIT. Whilst we firmly believe in this measure, for some older properties, meeting this requirement could be challenging within this timescale.

 

For further information on the FiT rates, please click here 

 

23^rd November 2011

Government debate - FIT deadline to change?

Labour has urged the government to reverse its decision to cut subsidies for solar power, arguing that the move will kill off the industry.

On 31^st October 2011, the government announced plans to halve the FIT (Feed In Tariff) subsidy for people who have their panels installed after 12 December this year.

Today, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said the FiT scheme had been built on "shaky economic foundations" and needed to be put on a fair and sustainable footing in order to "grow and prosper". He maintained that even a "very small delay" in tackling the problem would result in "very substantial costs" for electricity consumers over a 25-year period.

Conservative Mark Spencer, a member of the Environmental Audit Committee, said he was "very pro" solar power but that it had been pitched at an unsustainable level and the only option was to reduce the subsidy. "Time will tell whether we are right or wrong," he said.

Labour's motion calling on the government not to cut the FiT on 12 December was rejected by 297 to 226, majority 71. A government  motion defending the decision to cut subsidies won by 292 votes to 220, a majority of 72.

(NOTE: Although this is a period of ‘Consultation’, there is no clear evidence that the deadline to take advantage of the current FIT rate (12^th December 2011) is about to be changed)

BREAKING NEWS.... 31st October 2011

PROPOSED CHANGES TO FEED IN TARIFF

Today DECC announced a consultation on proposed changes to the FITs for Solar Photovoltaics that will be open to response until December 23rd. Greg Barker has stated ".. that urgent action is needed to put the PV industry on a steadier, clearer and sustainable growth path, avoid bust and boom and protect the wider Feed in Tariff scheme..."

This information is being regularly updated  - for the latest news please follow this link: to Ofgem

Our understanding of the key proposals are as follows:

1. New Proposed Rates from April 1st 2012

Band (kW)	Current generation tariff (p/kWh)	Proposed generation tariff (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	8.5*

2. A Reference Date of December 12th 2011 for New Installations PV installations completed AND the application for the FIT is received by the FIT scheme licensee BEFORE 12th December 2011 will enter the scheme at the current rates. Those received on or after 12/12/11 will fall into a transitional period up to 01/04/12 whereupon they will receive the current level of tariffs up to April 1st but thereafter the rates for those installations will change to the new rates, eg 21p for <4kWp. The date of the received application at the FIT provider is called the "eligibility date"

3. Energy Efficiency Measures from April 1st 2012
A new energy efficiency requirement from April 1st 2012 will mean that properties must reach a certain level of energy efficiency to receive the proposed tariffs. At this stage mention has been made of an Energy Performance Certificate to level "C" or other energy saving measures that have already been mentioned in the forthcoming Green Deal. A 12 month transitional period will enable installers to bring in the measures at the property at a later date but within 1 year from the eligibility date. 

4. Multiple Installations Reduced FIT Rate
Organisations or individuals that own multiple installations at multiple addresses as part of an aggregated scheme will receive a FIT rate of 80% for systems eligible from 1st April 2012. 

Our View of the Future ......
Having been in the business of renewable energy for over 5 years we have seen many changes and developments in renewables and we believe that PV remains a sustainable market in the UK beyond 2012.

This simply takes us back to the very first pv installations at the introduction of the feed in tariff and still represents an excellent investment ! 
             

SUNDAY 31 JULY

Robbie Gawthrop was invited by Sky News to give expert advice on the benefits of having solar panels installed on your property.

The existing financial incentives through the Feed in Tariff are already offering our customers good financial rewards and a great deal of interest is being generated as the government launches its new Renewable Heat Incentive Premium Payment Scheme for solar hot water.

East Green Energy customers Mike Law and Ian Galloway were happy to be interviewed to discuss the systems we recently installed for them and the benefits they are already receiving.

See the full interview by following this link to

Thursday June 9th

FITs Fast-Track Review announcement

On 9 June 2011, DECC announced their final decisions on the Fast-Track Review.  This Review introduces changes to the tariffs for solar photovoltaics (PV) over 50KW and farm-scale Anaerobic Digestion (AD).
From the 1st of August 2011, new entrants into the FIT scheme will receive amended tariffs as set out below:
Solar PV:
>50 kW – ≤ 150 kW Total Installed Capacity (TIC) - 19.0p/ kWh
>150 kW – ≤ 250 kW TIC - 15.0p/ kWh
250 kW – 5 MW TIC and stand-alone installations - 8.5p/ kWh
Anaerobic digestion:
≤ 250 kW - 14.0p/ kWh
>250 kW – ≤ 500 kW - 13.0p/ kWh

For more information visit DECC at

Wednesday June 8th

Beat the predicted rise in domestic energy bills

Now is the time to consider Solar PV panels for your home as millions of households were warned last night that they face “unacceptable” rises in their energy bills after one of the biggest power firms announced average increases of nearly £200 a year.

One way of reducing your energy bills with the added bonus of generating income is to install Solar PV Panels. A typical domestic solar electricity system of 2.7 kWp installed by East Green Energy could earn around: £990 per year from the Generation Tariff; £40 per year from the Export Tariff & a further £140 per year reduction on you current electricity bills. This generates a total saving of around £1,170 per year! 

March 14th