PV

All investors are looking for high returns and minimal risk. Solar PV in the UK can be considered as such a good investment in the UK; indeed, its characteristics are compelling for investors and consumers alike. With guaranteed index-linked, tax free feed-in tariff payments for at least 20 years, onsite renewable energy generation, lower energy bills and reduced carbon emissions one would expect thousands of people to be waiting in the queue for a system and all installers to be booked out. But the opposite is the case. There is little demand in the whole market. All installers are lowering their prices hoping to attract customers, but the demand is almost not picking up. This blog post examines why this is the case.

South Downs Solar has completed a discreet 43.94kWp solar installation at the University of Brighton in Sussex.

Bignell Park Farm, a 300-acre estate in Chesterton, Oxfordshire is now benefitting from several solar PV systems, installed on buildings and land throughout the estate.

Mace Midlands has partnered with IBC Solar to design and install a unique East West-facing solar array on the company’s headquarters in Burton-on-Trent.

MoneySupermarket has had a 48.88kWp solar array fitted to its headquarters in Flintshire. The £90,000 installation was installed free-of-charge by iGen Energy Ltd, as part of a power purchase agreement.

Since yesterday’s feed-in tariff bomb was dropped in the House of Commons by the now-infamous Minister of State Greg Barker, there has been a lot of squabbling in the UK solar industry. A large majority were pleased with the results of the consultation, while others continued to berate Government with their now worn torrent of abuse.

Greenbuy Energy has taken advantage of a change in law last April that rules that commercial property owners, including farmers, can now have solar panels installed on their land without the need for planning permission.

It’s easy to get swept up in the hysteria surrounding the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s handling of solar PV feed-in tariff rates. What seemed like a drastic cut was rushed through undoubtedly too quick and, as a result, industry was left reeling. However, we must remember that industry also managed to mobilise in spectacular fashion to install an incredible 380MW in the six-weeks running up to December 12.

God bless Conservative MP Tim Yeo for speaking truth to power, in a month when leaders of the UK renewables industry showed signs of weakening in that resolve.

A Glasgow-based coffee company is running on more than caffeine after Absolute Solar and Wind installed a 10kW solar system.