As the forerunner to the Renewable Heat Incentive, the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) scheme was first launched in July 2011 and extended for 12 months from March 2013. It provides money off vouchers for heat pumps, solar thermal panels and biomass boilers.

Householders living off the gas grid have the opportunity to cut their heating bills and carbon emissions if they switch their heating methods from traditional systems to renewable heating. Already more than 10,000 householders have taken advantage of the RHPP and under the new level of support to be made available, solar thermal is eligible for a £600 grant – previously it was just £300.

But it’s not just voucher values that have changed. Homeowners applying for the new vouchers are now required to organise a Green Deal assessment prior to submitting a claim with the Energy Saving Trust.

Commenting on the increase in funding, Energy and Climate Minister Greg Barker said in a press release yesterday that the Government wanted to give hardworking people more of an opportunity to switch to green heating to save money.

Yes, we’ve got to hand it to Devon. Famed for its clotted cream, unspoilt beaches, mild climate and cider, the county certainly seems to love solar energy.

The WSP Group, which specialises in construction and property engineering and management consultancy, has compiled a local authorities league table to highlight which parts of the UK are outshining the rest when it comes to solar energy generation. Mid Devon has taken the coveted top spot with the most number of homes having a solar PV system installed. The renewable energy technology was also revealed to be popular amongst domestic households in Wrexham in Wales.

It’s a different story for London, however. Just one in every 2,500 properties in Westminster has a solar PV installation. The City of London and Tower Hamlets aren’t fairing much better, with data revealing there to be just one solar installation for every 1,250 homes.

Thanks to its milder climate and sunny spells it’s not at all surprising that solar is proving so popular in the country’s South West. There are, however, a few surprises. Take Dumfries & Galloway. A part of Britain not known for high levels of sunshine, it hasn’t stopped solar from proving popular in this part of Scotland, with around one in every 40 households enjoying the benefits of solar panels.

The figures have also revealed another surprise. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not necessarily the most affluent areas rushing to embrace solar power. While some of the wealthiest London boroughs are languishing at the bottom of the league table, Dumfries & Galloway – which has a pretty low income per-capita – still managed to achieve 55th place out of 760 local authorities.

According to Government statistics published last month, since the launch of the popular solar feed-in tariff scheme in April 2010, 362,000 UK properties have had solar PV panels installed. In other words, that’s around one home in every seventy.

The Solar Schools project aims to help schools across the country crowd-fund the cost of installing solar photovoltaic panels. Schools who want to become cleaner, greener and leaner will need to raise at least £8,000 to install a solar PV system. However support is only available for a limited number of schools.

By embracing renewable energy schools benefit by lowering their energy bills, cutting their carbon dioxide emissions and using the feed-in tariff to generate a long-term income. Installing solar panels and seeing the technology at work first hand is also one of the most effective ways of teaching pupils about energy and climate change.

Take Ellistown Community Primary School in Leicestershire. The school is embarking on a range of activities and events to raise the £15,000 it needs to get solar panels installed. With almost half of the funds raised, a local solar panel installer, NSA Solar of Birstall has agreed to install their solar system at cost. With over 30 schools already signed up for the scheme, they include Catfield C of E, a small rural school in Norfolk and Christow Community Primary School in Devon.

How does it work?

Although more and more schools are keen to install solar PV systems, unfortunately cost remains the biggest barrier. The Solar Schools project is doing its bit to help schools overcome those financial barriers. Once a school sets a a fundraising target, the ideas is to rally the local community, encouraging parents, teachers, local businesses – even past pupils – to work together to raise the money needed to fund the installation. Popular methods of fundraising include Christmas discos, pre-loved clothing sales, sponsored walks and parent-teacher curry and quiz nights.

It’s really easy to get involved and invest in a sustainable future. People keen to make a contribution can do so by donating a minimum of £5 to sponsor a tile.

Now into its second year, the project is run by 10:10, a network of over 100,000 people with a mission to tackle climate change. Partners include Lush, Mumsnet and Co-operative Energy.

The Solar Schools project is about doing right by your local community but you’ll also be contributing to the global fight against climate change. For more information about the project and to submit an application please visit www. solarschools.org.uk

As we reported yesterday, the European Commission has put forward plans which will see levels of between 37.2% and 67.9% imposed in an attempt to counter unfair pricing by Chinese solar panel manufacturers who practise “dumping” – selling their solar panels to members of the European Union at below cost prices.

Commenting on the proposals CEO of the Solar Trade Association (STA), Paul Barwell said that while the duties were by no means surprising, the STA was still taken aback by the levels which were being proposed. Barwell said introducing tariffs would have a damaging impact on the UK solar market, with large scale ground-mounted solar panel installations most at risk. Aside from restricting further growth solar panel duties would also have a negative impact on the UK, throwing us off course to meet our 2020 renewable targets.

A price rise in the cost of non-Chinese solar panels was another concern highlighted by the STA. Given that manufacturers would no longer have to make their prices competitive with Chinese modules, the removal of lower priced products would no doubt cause an increase in prices. It was, Barwell said, a “commercial reality”.

The STA will be actively encouraging the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills to vote against any such tariffs. 

A not-for-profit association, since 1978 the Solar Trade Association has represented companies working in the solar electricity and solar heating sectors.

Back in April representatives from the Alliance for Affordable Solar Energy (AFASA) – a coalition of more than 450 European solar PV companies who have been lobbying against any imposed tariffs – made it clear to a European Commission hearing that imposing any sort of punitive tariffs, even duties as low as 15%, had the potential to destroy as much as 85% of demand for solar photovoltaic panels in the European Union because as it stands there isn’t any room for an increase in solar prices in the current market.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the European Commission announced plans to implement duties as high as 67.9% on Chinese solar panels. The tariff levels are being imposed to counter unfair pricing and punish solar manufacturers for selling solar panels below cost to the 27-nation EU.

Averaging out at 47.6%, at least 100 Chinese solar panel manufacturers will be affected by the decision, although those that co-operated with the European Commission into the practise of “dumping” – the term given to selling cheap goods – will be subject to lower tariffs, starting at 37.2%. Manufacturers who didn’t co-operate will receive higher levels.

Speaking to Solar Power Portal, a AFASE spokeswoman, Andrea Maibaum referred to a study earlier this year which analysed the impact duties would have on the PV value chain. According to the Prognos report, imposing levies would cost Europe around €27.8 billion. She added that “punitive tariffs would cost far more jobs than they save and won’t help to solve the structural problems of European manufacturers.”

Hitting back at the study, an EU source has claimed that the job loses tariffs could have on the solar industry throughout Europe had been “overestimated” and neither does the report take into account “the EU industry risks to completely disappear without the introduction of measures.”

A provisional decision, the official tariff levels won’t come into effect until they have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The European Commission is waiting on the results of a consultation with member states.

Chinese companies currently account for around 80% of the European market share. Just less than a decade ago they had almost zero.

Commenting on the news the Solar Trade Association said it was very much against “the imposition of any duties which restrict free trade and the growth of the solar market.” CEO Paul Barwell said if the proposed provisional levies were imposed the UK solar market, particularly large-scale ground-mounted solar PV, would be damaged.

Up on 2011 figures, of the 11.3%, solar photovoltaic panels accounted for generating 3.2% of green energy in 2012.

According to DECC’s report 41.1 Twh of electricity was generated by renewables, which is a 20% increase on 2011.  Cumulative installed renewable capacity hit the 15.5 GW mark.

Speaking to PV Magazine, DECC revealed that solar PV capacity last year increased quite significantly, with 0.7GW of new capacity added to the 1GW installed at the end of 2011. An increase which equated to a massive 70%.

It appears that the majority of PV projects were installed as part of the feed-in tariffs (FiTs); a Government scheme designed to encourage the installation of solar panels by paying out a set amount for each kilowatt hour of electricity renewable energy systems produce.

As revealed by PV Magazine, by the close of 2012 358,000 renewable energy installations were registered under FiTs in England, Scotland and Wales. Of that, 99% could be attributed to solar photovoltaics; most of which fell into the 0-4kW retrofit category – although the report did highlight a rise in the number of PV installations falling into the 10-50kW band.

While 79% of the total energy generated via the FiT scheme was consumed by the end user or exported under other arrangements, according to DECC’s 2012 energy statistics  21% of the total amount of energy generated was exported back to the National Grid.

The UK has established itself as a major player on the global photovoltaics stage and, according to DECC, is one of the top 10 markets for solar PV globally, due to a combination of falling solar PV costs and Government incentives which has led to significant market growth.

Despite solar photovoltaic installations in the 0-50kW capacity banding falling short of the capacity triggers which would normally instigate a reduction in tariff rates, a cut of 3.5% will be imposed for a three month period from 1 July until 1 October. Under the new nine-month rule – which sees cuts forced upon the industry if a banding’s rates have remained unchanged for three consecutive quarters - it doesn’t matter if deployment has been slow or not; automatic cuts will still be enforced even if installed solar PV capacity has fallen below the tigger point.

Therefore come 1 July domestic-sized installations up to 4kW will fall from the current figure of 15.44p/kWh to 14.90p/kWh. Systems ranging from 4-10kW will achieve a figure of 13.50p/kWh and systems between 10kW and 50kW will generate a payment of 12.57p/kWh.

Installations over 50kW have already had cuts of 3.5% imposed, which came into effect from 1 May as previously reported.

According to Ofgem 2013 to date has seen a more stable solar PV market in the UK. Over the last two months in the region of 6.6 MW and 9.2 MW of solar capacity has been installed each week, totalling around 35 MW a month.

Energy Minister Greg Barker was on hand yesterday (25 April) to officially open the BRE National Solar Centre which has made its home in St Austell. The centre aims to increase confidence in the solar PV market and, as Barker explained, “play a fundamental role in driving forward the solar industry in the UK.” The centre will play an active role in helping position the UK as a major destination for global investment in solar photovoltaics.

Barker is the first to acknowledge the difficulties endured by the solar industry but he remains optimistic that despite a “testing period” the industry still has a bright future ahead of it.

Providing an independent voice for the solar PV industry, the centre will engage with solar companies, the construction industry, local authorities, government departments and investors to provide better understanding of and confidence in the technology so its potential can be fully realised.

Currently 1.8GW of solar PV is deployed in the UK, which is enough energy to power around 450,000 homes. To help steer the UK solar industry towards its target of 22GW installed capacity by 2020 the centre will provide industry led research, analysis, testing and accredited training courses. It will also be the go to place for advice and will help develop new technologies and products such as PV-thermal hybrids and building integrated PV.

Run by the British Research Establishment (BRE) the National Solar Centre has received £870,000 in funding from the European Regional Development Fund, as well as financial support from Cornwall Council. Its founding members – which includes Lark Energy, Rexel, Romag, Kingspan and British Gas – have added over £100,000 to the funding pot.

Thanks to a reduction in solar PV prices, solar panels have never been more affordable to install. Homeowners keen to reduce their household energy bills are encouraged to consider the advantages and benefits of installing the technology. Solar Guide can provide no obligation free quotes from MCS accredited solar installers.

You can find out more about the National Solar Centre by visiting www.bre.co.uk.

Solar Guide recommends obtaining three quotes from MCS accredited solar panel installers who will visit your property to determine whether solar photovoltaic panels are going to be suitable. The installer will be able to advise you about the size of system most suitable for your home and how much it will cost to install your chosen solar system. By sourcing three quotes it will ensure you get the best possible advice and price for the installation so you can achieve the best possible payback on solar PV.

Choose an installer who is MCS accredited

It is extremely important to employ the services of an MCS accredited solar panel installer. If you don’t, you won’t be able to benefit from the Government’s feed-in tariff scheme, which was introduced as an incentive to encourage homeowners to install solar panels to generate their own renewable electricity. MCS – which stands for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme – is supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and is an independent scheme which certifies microgeneration products, such as solar PV panels, and the companies that install them. All Solar Guide solar installers are MCS accredited and are members of the Renewable Energy Assurance Limited (REAL) Assurance Scheme.

What size system is right for me?

The solar installer who visits your property will be able to advise you with regards to the right sized system to meet your needs. Generally speaking, the size of your system will be determined by your electricity usage and the roof space available for the installation of the panels. Therefore it’s handy to have some energy bills available for the surveyor as a point of reference when they visit your property. Small-scale residential solar systems fall into the 0-4kWp capacity banding and account for the largest number of installations in the UK.

How experienced is the solar installer? 

When it comes to choosing a solar panel installer the more experienced the better. Just as it is extremely important that the installer is accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, experience also accounts for a lot. So it will most certainly pay off to do a litte bit of research into how long the installer has been in business for and how much experience they have installing solar panel systems. Company websites are a good place to start, as is this website. Solar Guide operates a rated service which allows our customers to rate and review our accredited solar installers and leave genuine feedback. Solar Guide features genuine verified customer reviews and ratings.

Solar panels costs

We appreciate that cost is a huge deciding factor when it comes to installing solar panels. To get the best possible price we advise sourcing three quotes from our directory of accredited solar PV panel installers. Solar panel prices have fallen significantly over the last couple of years and prices fell by near on 50% in 2011. To install a 2-4kWp system you’re currently looking at between £4,000 and £6,000. Just two years ago you would easily have paid twice.

Will I need planning permission?

Most domestic residential solar panels do not require planning permission. But it is always a good idea to consult with your local council’s planning department. If the solar panels are to be fitted to a listed building or a property in a conservation area or a world heritage site then it is imperative to check with your local authority first.

Check what product and workmanship warranties are offered

The company installing your solar panels will usually offer two seperate warranties: one which covers the product itself and one which covers the workmanship. Before going ahead with any installation, always check out the warranties and guarantees; they can vary from installer to installer. Generally speaking, the work will be covered for anything between 5 to 10 years, whilst the panels will be guaranteed for 20-25 years. Solar panels are hardwearing and are manufactured to last, keeping in line with the 20 year feed-in tariff period. You will also need to replace the inverter at some stage; most inverters come with a warranty of at least 5 years.

How much will I get paid from the Feed-in Tariff? 

Not only can solar panels provide you with free electricity to help you make savings on your energy bills, there’s also the added incentive of being able to generate a tax free income from the feed-in tariff scheme, which is guaranteed for 20 years and pays a fixed income for every kilowatt hour of electricity you generate. Check out our solar PV calculator, which will help you calculate how much you could earn from the feed-in tariff over 20 years, both by system price and size, as well as the length of time it will take for your investment to pay for itself. It’s also worth remembering that you don’t have to register for the feed-in tariff with your current energy supplier. Some energy providers are more efficient at paying out than others.

Will I be able to choose a local solar installer? 

Our directory comprises of both local and nationwide solar companies. When you submit your quote request we will endeavour to find at least one local solar installer to provide you with a quote.

What else should I know before installing solar panels?

Solar panels are an ideal solution for environmentally conscious homeowners because they don’t generate green house gases. So by installing solar PV you’ll be doing your bit for the environment, helping to bring down carbon emissions. An average-sized solar system will enable you to cut your home’s carbon footprint by around 20%, saving around 1,000kg CO2 every year. But there’s even more savings to be had in the shape of lower utlility bills. So it’s a win-win situation all round.

Solar Guide can source up to three no obligation free quotes from our directory of accredited solar panel installers. And don’t forget to check out our top 10 tips for installing solar panels; a handy guide which provides a check list we recommend you follow should you choose to invest in what has fast become the UK’s favourite type of renewable energy technology.

Brussels aims to impose tariffs on solar panels that have been imported from China because it suspects Beijing of employing underhanded tactics to boost the position of its manufacturers on the global stage.

Following complaints made by solar manufacturers in Europe towards the end of last year, the Commission launched an investigation into the extent to which Chinese solar manufacturers were being subsidised by Beijing. The Commission also investigated claims that cheap solar PV from China had been dumped on the European market to drive down costs and eliminate competition.

The survival of solar manufacturers in Europe may be threatened by China’s allegedly unfair support for its own solar manufacturers, but according to hundreds of installers and buyers in Europe, imposing fines on importers of cheap Chinese panels could have a devastating effect on the industry. The group believes that anti-subsidy and anti-dumping tariffs would only succeed in deepening the price war between the Chinese and European solar industries and rather than lower costs across the board, as the price war has achieved thus far, that would likely drive up prices of solar photovoltaic panels for everyone.

In the UK, a rise in the cost of solar panels would all but destroy the industry. Since coming into power, the Coalition has reduced the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) subsidy for households from 43.3p/kWh to just 16p/kWh. That means less money is paid to people whose homes generate renewable electricity, a proportion of which is exported to the National Grid. The British Government justified the reduction in FITs by highlighting how the cost of manufacturing solar panels has fallen over the past few years, however, if the European Commission does impose tariffs on imported panels from China, the situation may reverse, making new domestic solar installations in the UK unaffordable.

A letter written by the Alliance for Affordable Solar Energy and sent to the European Commission reads: “The imposition of anti-dumping and/or countervailing duties will severely hamper the growth of solar energy in the EU to the detriment of the entire EU solar PV value chain and without significant positive effect for the EU solar producers”.