Do Feed-in Tariffs apply to the whole of the UK?
No, the Energy Act which is responsible for Feed-in Tariffs does not extend to Northern Ireland.
Will I still be able to receive the Feed-in Tariff if I already have a system installed?
Yes - Feed-in Tariffs apply to all renewable generators up to 5MWe. The type of your technology and whether the system has already been registered for government support will affect the tariff rate:
- If your system was installed before 15 July 2009 - you will still be able to receive Feed-in Tariffs, although you will receive the lower Feed-in Tariff rate of 9p/kWh, regardless of the technology.
- If your system was installed between 15 July 2009 and 1 April 2010 - you will be eligible to receive Feed-in Tariffs. If you are installing microgeneration technology during this period you must be registered under Renewable Obligation. Once registered you will be eligible to receive Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) payments for all electricity generated during this period. From the 1st April 2010, if you are registered during the interim period you will be automatically transferred over to the Feed-in Tariff and will receive the Feed-in Tariff applied for generation from this point onwards.
- If your system was installed after April 2010 - you will be registered by a third party agent and will receive Feed-in Tariffs payments.
What Feed-in Tariff could I expect with a Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP appliance?
Baxi Ecogen generates an estimated 1800kWh a year. (This can vary from household to household and should be only used as a guide.)
So 1800 x a 10p generation tariff gives a total generation payment of £180 a year. We are awaiting confirmation on the level of the export tariff.
What is the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and how does it affect feed-in-tariffs?
In order to be eligible for Feed-in Tariffs, both the microgeneration product and the installer who fits it must be MCS accredited. The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has been introduced by the Government to evaluate the quality of microgeneration products and installers to protect consumers and ensure that Government money is spent effectively.
It is important to check that products and installers are MCS accredited when you consider investing in them.
Why is the Low Carbon Building Programme no longer providing grants?
The programme was due to finish at the end of March 2010, or until funds ran out. However, following the Government's announcement of the new Feed-in Tariff scheme which will provide incentives regarding electricity microgeneration technologies, the LCBP decided to preserve its remaining funds for grants towards heat generating technology only.
For more information, visit http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/Grants-for-your-home/Announcement.
Where can I get more information?
For more information on Feed-in-Tariffs, how they work and how you could reduce your energy bill, visit
http://www.decc.gov.uk - The Department of Energy and Climate Change website
http://www.fitariffs.co.uk - A comprehensive resource on the Feed-in Tariffs
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk - Informative energy advisory website