The new RHPP will provide:

Household voucher scheme (c. £7m)

This money will also include costs to cover technical monitoring and evaluation. Pre-registration for the household voucher scheme will begin on 2nd April, with applications open on 1st May. Vouchers will be worth the same and cover the same technologies as the existing scheme including

• Ground Source Heat Pump – £1250 grant (for homes without mains gas heating)
• Air source heat pump – £850 grant (for homes without mains gas heating);
• Solar thermal hot water panels – £300 grant (available to all households regardless of the type of heating system used.

You can pre-register through the Energy Saving Trust (EST) website here.

Applicants will be asked to complete a survey after their system is installed and monitoring of the system using heat meters is part of the deal for the household voucher scheme. For this phase of the scheme, DECC has introduced more thorough monitoring for heat pump installations.

For heat pump installations, all householders will receive 80% of their voucher value when a valid claim is submitted, together with a signed checklist from the installer confirming the installation can be fitted with a meter. Householders will receive the final 20% following a visit from the metering team to check that the installation is really “meter ready” and install a set of equipment, or if their installer has been trained to install monitoring equipment and installs it on EST’s behalf.  If a householder has indicated that they are not meter ready, they will receive the final 20% of the grant at the end of the scheme. Installations of solar thermal panels are not affected.

Social housing competition (c. £10m)

Details about how to apply will be revealed when it’s launched at a later date.

Communities competition (c. £8m)

Details about how to apply will be revealed when it’s launched at a later date.

Radiators need to be sized to the flow temperature that the heat pump is set to. The disadvantage of lower flow temperatures is that the lower the water temperature the larger the radiator surface area is needed to emit the same amount of heat.

Where a oil fired boiler was heating radiators the flow temperature would be around 80°C. If a heat pump replaced the boiler the flow would drop to 50°C. This would mean that radiators need to be doubled in size, single panel radiators swapped with double panel radiators or two radiators used instead of one. If the flow temperature is set even lower then the radiator size will increase accordingly.

No matter what type of radiator you currently have, panel, skirting, decorative, a correctly specified radiator will provide the correct amount of heat to heat your home.

If underfloor heating were used instead of radiators the flow temperature would be around 30°C, an ideal temperature ensuring low running costs and high efficiency. However, whilst this may be suitable for new build properties for retrofit installations it may not be practical and correctly sized radiators may be the only feasible option.

On a positive note if you are installing a heat pump you should be increasing the energy efficiency of your home. When installing loft insulation and double glazing for example your existing radiators will not be downsized. Therefore when the heat loss is calculated and radiator sizes determined some, if not all of the radiators may be suitable at the lower flow temperature.

When we carry out a site survey your existing radiators will be checked and we can advise you if any need to be replaced.

Unless you have an export meter or smart meter installed you will be deemed to export 50% of your generated electricity. It makes sense to try and use more than this as you recieve £0.031 for exporting and it will cost you more to import the electricity from your energy supplier.

Most Solar PV owners quickly realise that it is in their best interests to use as many electrical appliances during sunlight hours as possible.

So, in what ways can you use more?

You can use your washing machine and dishwasher (though not at the same time) during daylight hours instead of at night. Even on low light days your appliances will be supplemented with solar generated electricity. During the peak summer months your appliance my be completely powered by your solar system!

You could consider cooking in different ways, make use of a slow cooker for example. You probably have lots of other electrical devices that all add up, such as laptop, mobile and battery chargers for example. If you have a petrol lawnmower you could use an electric one instead. Simply put, try to use as many appliances during daylight hours instead of using them at night.

Please note we are not recommending wasting electricity! Remember to apply common sense and switch off unused appliances!

You can now be assured that when we install a Sanyo Solar PV system for you your installation complies with the best practice installation guidelines and our years of experience of installing Sanyo panels on many roofs.

As of the 1st April 2012 the brand name of Sanyo panels will be changed to Panasonic. You can download a pdf flyer for information below.

Sanyo to Panasonic name change

The message for new customers is simple. Install by 31 March, and the rate you receive is guaranteed to be no lower than 21p per kWh. When you consider that wholesale panel prices are 50% less than where they were at the start of feed-in tariff in April 2010 this gives a substantial return of around 10%. There’s also a small chance that your rate will be raised to 43.3p per kWh depending on the outcome of the appeal by the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC). Either way you are still getting a fantastic return on your investment.

Background to the current situation

On 31 October DECC revealed proposals to halve the 43.3p feed-in tariff for domestic installations to 21p per kWh. There was a general consensus in the industry that such a cut was necessary due to falling prices and to make the most of the allocated funding and help as many people as possible benefit from solar energy.
However the way the cut was introduced angered many in the industry because the proposed cut was scheduled to come into force on 12 December 2011 before the end of the consultation period. The case went to the High Court, and on 21 December Mr Justice Mitting upheld the challenge, ruling that bringing in the cut two weeks before the end of the official consultation period wasn’t just unreasonably, it was illegal.
Whilst this ruling was seen as a victory for the solar industry unfortunately it has led to more uncertainty.

DECC appeal

The saga continued when DECC decided to appeal against the High Court decision. Outlining the grounds for the appeal, a DECC statement argued that the High Court ruling had been based on the view that cutting the tariff would defeat the object of the scheme – to encourage the small-scale generation of renewable energy.

DECC disagreed with this premise, stating:

‘The overriding aim of the proposed reduction in tariffs for solar PV (as set out in the recent consultation) is to ensure that over the long term as many people as possible are encouraged to install small-scale low-carbon generation (including other technologies as well as solar PV) and benefit from the funding available for the FIT scheme.’

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker defended the government’s decision to appeal, warning that the feed-in tariff scheme had already exceeded its budget for the current financial year.

The Court of Appeal was set for 13 January as the date for the ‘rolled-up’ appeal hearing, meaning that the application for permission to appeal and the appeal itself (if granted) would take place that day. The results would then be announced the following week.

Friday 13 January

The entire UK solar industry waited to hear the result of the DECC appeal against the High Court ruling on the feed-in tariff.

As the hours passed once again no decision was reached, the case would linger on, and we could have to wait weeks for a final decision.

A statement on the DECC website reads:

‘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.’

What now?

As stated at the start of this article install before 31 March and you’re guaranteed to get at least 21p per kWh, which still makes for a good investment considering rising energy costs. There’s a chance that the rate could increase to 43.3p, but don’t let that be your only reason for going ahead. Think about the other, long-term benefits of Solar PV, and install now if you’re happy with 21p.

If you decide to wait until after 31 March things are more uncertain. We’re optimistic that the 21p rate will continue, although homes may be required to reach a minimum energy efficiency standard in order to qualify. That’s another reason why it’s a good idea to install sooner rather than later. As in order to meet the energy efficiency standard may mean an outline of around £6,000 – £9,000 before investing in Solar PV!

What nobody in the industry wants to happen is a boom-and-bust scenario. While a return to the 43.3p tariff could be viewed as a short-term victory – and would result in a small number of very happy customers – this could cause a further deeper cut to the tariff soon after.

Whatever the outcome of the appeal, Therma Rise will remain strong believers in the future of solar energy in the UK. Our customers are our priority and we’ll do all we can to help homes and businesses benefit from generating their own renewable energy – now and for years to come.

As expected DECC has decided to cut the FiT rate for solar PV installations by more than 50 percent. The proposals, subject to consultation, would introduce new tariff rates for schemes up to 4kW to 21p/kWh – from the current 43.3p/kWh. In order to keep a balanced rate of return systems between 4kW and 250kW will also be reduced.

The consultation period ends on 23rd December but the proposed cut off period is 12th December. This means solar PV systems need to be commissioned and applications for FiTs received by FiT licensees by the 12th. Applications received after the 12th could well qualify for the current tariff rate until 31st April 2012, after that qualify for the proposed 21p/kWh rate.

The proposed tariffs are as follows:

The answer, unless you are in the industry is in all likelihood no.

There are a number of different types of solar photovoltaic systems available. Each do the  same thing; convert solar radiation into electricity, but have different characteristics and prices.

Monocrystalline Silicon PV

To produce monocrystalline silicon a single crystal of silicon is grown and then cut into thin slices. The edges are cut off to give a hexagonal shape so more can be fitted onto the module. These PV cells have efficiencies of 13-17% and are the most efficient type of the three types of silicon PV cell. However, they require more time and energy to produce than polycrystalline silicon PV cells, and are therefore slightly more expensive.

Polycrystalline Silicon PV

Polycrystalline silicon is produced from a number of smaller silicon crystals. They are cooled from a molten and highly pure molten silicon, using a casting process. It sets as an irregular poly- or multi-crystal form. The square silicon block is then cut into slices. The typical blue appearance is due to the application of an anti-reflective layer. Mass-produced polycrystalline PV cell modules have an efficiency of 11-15%.

Amorphous Silicon (thin film) PV

Amorphous silicon is non-crystalline silicon. These PV cells are made by depositing a thin film of silicon in a gas state onto a material such as glass. These are the cheapest (less material is used in their production) and least efficient (between 6-8%) type. This type of cell is suitable for high temperatures and is used in hotter countries where large areas can be covered. Due to low generation density this type is not currently suitable for residential developments.

Hybrid PV

Hybrid photovoltaic cells are classified as PV cells that use two different types of PV technology.  The Hybrid PV cell shown here is made by Sanyo and comprises a monocrystalline PV cell covered by an ultra-thin Amorphous silicon PV layer. The advantage of these types of cells are that they perform well at high temperatures and maintain higher efficiencies (18%+) than conventional silicon PV cells. However, this efficiency comes at a cost premium.

Decision time

So now you know the different types, which is best for you?

In summary there is a direct relation to PV panel efficiency and cost. The higher the efficiency the higher the energy density or kWp/m². This is important if you have a limited space available to fit PV panels into.

You may consider the hybrid Sanyo option if roof space is an issue or whilst the most expensive, want the most efficient panel available.

The polycrystalline option may match your requirements if you have a large roof, your system is over 4kWp or you want to maximise the return on your investment.

The monocrystalline option can be seen as somewhere in-between the previous two, reasonably efficiency with a reasonable price tag.

Scaremongering tactics of the UK press, trade, or otherwise have resulted in wild talk that the feed-in tariff rates for microgeneration-level solar energy being reduced to just 9p.

A reduction in the feed-in tariff rates is all but guaranteed, and here are some of the reasons why:

- The comprehension spending review last year imposed a budget on spending on the feed-in tariff. This came from the Treasury, which says if there is an overspend, then it must come of The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s (DECC’s) budget (and not from energy bills as the rest does). You may not be surprised to know that there is no slack in DECC’s budget to absorb an overspend.

- DECC’s forecast figures for installation of solar PV in the year to 31^st March 2012 was 86MW. By the end of September 316.4MW of solar PV had been installed. That is already beyond the cumulative budget to the end of March 2013, and we just six months into this accounting period. There is a danger that the entire feed-in tariff for the spending review period (to 2014) could be taken up in just one year.

- The feed-in tariff was designed to yield a 6-9% return on investment. There have been significant falls in the price of solar PV this year meaning that people are now getting significantly higher rates.

DECC has set in action a comprehensive review of the feed-in tariff. The official line from the DECC is that all tariffs in the scheme are being considered in the Comprehensive Review and we will be consulting on proposals later this year. They have also made it clear that tariffs will remain unchanged until April 2012 unless the review indicates the need for greater urgency.

The worry must be that this review will indicate a greater need for urgency, which presumably will lead to a reduction in the tariffs and also bringing forward the proposed date from April to at the earliest December. The worst case scenario would be expecting the current rate and then qualifying for the new reduced rate. If we look back to the reduction in large solar projects, there was a reasonable leeway between the announcement and the rate reduction. If December is the timeframe however there is not much time.

So, in what ways can you protect yourself?

1. Act now; if you want solar PV now is the time to invest, install it as quickly as you can.
2. Protect yourself if the cuts come before your installation takes place – we are now offering an opt-cause in our solar PV contracts in case the feed-in tariff drops between signing the contract and the commissioning date.
3. Be ready with your feed-in tariff application form. Talk to your energy supplier before the installation, email or send it via recorded delivery, as soon as the system is commissioned. This allows you to be eligible for the current feed-in tariff rate.

Renewable technologies installed by Therma Rise that are covered by the RHPP are:

- Solar Thermal
- Air Source Heat Pumps
- Ground Source Heat Pumps

It will run for a short period before the full Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is launched  later in 2012.

Who can apply?

For Solar Thermal products any householder in England, Scotland and Wales can apply.

For Ground to Water, Air to Water or Water to Water Heat Pumps householders without gas central heating in England, Scotland and Wales can apply (in other words those who are not connected to the gas grid and currently rely on fuels such as oil, liquid gas, solid fuel or electricity for their heating).

All successful applicants will have to meet certain simple conditions such as basic energy efficiency measures (like installing wall and loft insulation and having energy efficient heating controls).

Once the equipment is up and running, the householder will be asked to fill in two customer surveys.

Some will be asked if they are prepared to have extra meters attached to their installation (free of charge) as government are keen to monitor and learn about how they are used in practice in various different circumstances and types of home.

How can you apply?

Householders can apply from 1st August to the Energy Saving Trust. If they meet the conditions they will receive a voucher. They then have a set number of months to redeem the voucher by returning a signed version with a copy of the invoice and a certificate from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. Householders will then have the money paid into their bank account. All installations must be complete and vouchers claimed by the expiry date on the voucher or 31st March 2012, whichever is sooner. No vouchers will be valid beyond 31st March 2012.

THIS IS A LIMITED OFFER AND ONCE THE £12M BUDGET LIMIT IS MET THE  GOVERNMENT WILL STOP ISSUING VOUCHERS!

We advise householders to:

Get prepared now – check what energy efficiency measure are in place and what needs improving.

From today, customers can register an expression of interest with EST by contacting them at 0800 512 012.

Call us today to arrange a free technical survey and discuss what options are available to you.

Prime Minister David Cameron said:

“This is the Big Society in action.  I have been supporting this project from the beginning and it’s great to see the people of Tackley and British Gas working hard and getting results, which are cutting energy bills and generating clean, green energy.”

Joe Hodgkin, Managing Director of Therma Rise, said:

“It is fantastic to see the local community embrace renewable technologies and change their energy use behaviour. Solar and heat pump systems can drastically reduce fuel bills and pay for themselves in a few short years.”

Look out for our case study of Tackley to be published soon.

For more information about British Gas’ Green Streets programme, visit http://www.greenstreets.co.uk/