[Closed] Solar PV FIT rate reduction 2016

I work for a renewables manufacturer and we were half expecting the RHI to be scrapped last budget, can't see it holding out too much longer

You have very little chance of installing 10Kwp of PV anyway.

I work for a renewables manufacturer and we were half expecting the RHI to be scrapped last budget, can't see it holding out too much longer

Probably just before I get my GSHP system in. Looking at £10-11k for the install so it's not really feasible without the RHI at the moment until prices drop on the boilers. No gas supply and I really don't want oil.

You have very little chance of installing 10Kwp of PV anyway.

why? Will be putting up some new barns and workshop which can have the panels and have a 3 phase 11 kV line next to the boundary which I will be using for my 3 phase workshop supply and electric car charge point. Aiming for 4 initially but hoping to at least double that.

Finger on the pulse there rmg - the rhi has been funded, with increases for the next five years.

It's at the expense of carbon capture, but funding a proven set of technologies is better than r&d into a 'maybe'.

Anyone want a couple of MW of biomass?

Andy, 10kw is permitted development(there's a PV specific phrase that escapes me rite now) on a 3ph supply, no Grid app needed. It will be worth it so long as you can use most of what you generate.

Where are you? I have some contacts that might be able to help if you are N of the border.

Don't discount ASHP technology. Far less expensive to install and not far off as efficient. I heat my house and hot water with ASHP. It has a backup elecric jacket heater over the flow if the ASHP needs the occasional assist. However, with smart programming and zoned heating installation, it is rarely used even in the coldest days of winter. Installed before RHI was even a twinkle. It replaced a gas combi in a 2 floor bungalow.
Caveat. I also use a wood stove in the winter!

PM me if you want details. Am at sea for a couple of weeks so may not be able to repo d instantly....

Smudger, Andy - G83 is the normal name for the sub-16A per phase (at nominal voltage - 230V single). So that's 3.68KW per phase or 11kW 3-phase - that's total, you can't have 11kW this year and install another 11 next year, if that wasn't obvious.
You don't have to apply, but you do have to tell us (your local DNO) within a month of connecting. There's another set of rules about getting your FIT that I know less about.

Andy if you've got a 3 phase supply then you stand a better chance of >4Kwp but it really depends upon the local infrastructure and your local DNO could still say no.
One thing you can do is fit more panels but use an inverter that will limit output to a max of 16A. This would give you more useable power the winter and would keep the DNO happy.

I know people who abusing it further by fitting cheat devices

if you've got a 3 phase supply then you stand a better chance of >4Kwp but it really depends upon the local infrastructure and your local DNO could still say no.

As someone who used to run the network design function for a DNO - inlikely as at 11kW on 3ph you're within Engineering Recommendation G83. We wouldn't have any problem with that.

One thing you can do is fit more panels but use an inverter that will limit output to a max of 16A. This would give you more useable power the winter and would keep the DNO happy.

Now given that the panels tend to last longer than the inverter and we don't know what inverters will be available in the future (whatever China want to make perhaps?) I would be less happy with that. It's just storing arguments up for the future - best sorted before people start spending money. Other DNOs may differ on this.

Now there's a thought IGM - you could start with an inverter that would limit output to 16amp but change to an 'unlimited' inverter at a later date.
There are a number of people on Navitron who have [legitimately] put >4Kwp in panels but with an output-limited inverter which shows that the DNO's are not necessarily all signing from the same sheet.

I've got loads of space to increase out 4Kw installation but I'm put off by the potential complexity of the different FIT rates (original installation is on the 45p/Kwh rate 🙂 ).
Installing load of panels with a non-grid-tied inverter and a decent battery storage system will hopefully be attractive one day.

It may well be. And I also suspect that future re-writes of G83 (or another future standard) will take storage into account.

What exactly is a

cheat device

It's not really a cheat device. It's a bit of hardware that continuously monitors the PV production and what the house is actually using - it then diverts any excess production to a dedicated circuit which is normally the hot water immersion heater.
This will heat the hot water using power [that your system has generated] that might otherwise have been exported to the grid. Once the water is hot it then send spare production either to another circuit or out to the grid.
I use one and from April to Sept we usually have a tank of hot water by 9am. Any excess power is then sent to an electric heater .

Might not be so popular after the SMETS2 roll out

You are under no legal obligation to accept a smart meter if your supplier offers you one.

This is true. But once you have one it may be difficult to get rid. Overtime they will everywhere (assuming they ever start the mass SMETS2 rollout).

diverts any excess production to a dedicated circuit which is normally the hot water immersion heater.

Thanks sharkbait, glad to say that I've got one 😀

I had a flyer through the door today from a company offering to buy my installation for "[b]up to[/b] £22,000". Sound like the old "rent a roof" scheme but now they buy the installation off you rather than provide it new. Value must be based on KW's, FIT price and length of term remaining.

They take the FIT and export money, you keep what power you can use while the sun's out.

[url= http://www.lightsource-re.co.uk/ ]lightsource[/url]

tbh I am more interested in the solar for my own consumption to run the electrical systems in the house and workshop. 4kW will be the min target but possibly edging towards the 10kW with additions to the workshop. I will be powering the equipment in there as much as possible (freezer, fume cabinet, heating etc).

Smudger - we are in Somerset. Hoping to find someone friendly in the electric company to assist with the 3 phase install. The 3Ph 11kV line is just over the boundary in the next field to ours and the workshop is less than 100ft from the pole but I am under no illusions about how much it will cost.

49er - not really considering an ASHP as we can't have anything on the outside of the building us going down the permitted development barn conversion route, even have to be careful with a flue. We have very good land for a GSHP and plenty of it (3 acres) and one of my first purchases is going to be a mini digger anyway for doing other ground works.

Can I pick the brains of the mighty stw experts please.
Heading into retirement soon with a "liveable" pension.
We need to replace our gas boiler soon.
3 bedroom, 25yr old, detached bungalow.
Currently using gas for heating with a small wood burner which is proving adequate at heating the whole house this early in winter. Levy for cooking.
The conundrum is what's our options, best thing for us to do given we may live another 15-20yrs?
I must admit to not understanding any of the technical jargon 😐

Trekster. Spend some money on heavily insulating and airtighting your house. Then make other decisions.