UK feed-in tariff not popular enough among consumers - Solar Choice

(ADPnews) - Oct 22, 2010 - UK solar panel installation company Solar Choice believes that the uptake in solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is a direct result of the recently introduced feed-in tariff (FIT), but the incentives are not popular enough among consumers.

"The feed-in tariff has made solar panel installation a viable investment – rather than simply an expense," said yesterday Ajay Hargreaves, sales director at Solar Choice, which is accredited under the UK Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). However, Hargreaves added that there is some way to go in making everyone aware of the FIT.

“The government has introduced this amazing incentive – but we still don't feel as though it is doing a good enough job of telling people about it and really getting the information out there. A bit more consumer information could really make the feed-in tariff a huge success."

The UK, which had been lagging behind many European countries in terms of solar power capacities, launched a scheme for small-scale renewable power projects on April 1 in a bid to encourage the investment needed to meet its 2020 target of 15% renewables in the energy used. The scheme provides householders and communities generating their own electricity with regular payments through their energy supplier. Payments consist of a tariff for each unit of electricity generated together with a second tariff for each unit of electricity that is exported to grid.

The FITs triggered a boom in renewables, mainly in solar panels installations. Since their introduction, more than 10,000 domestic renewables have been installed and solar companies and utilities have started hiring staff to deal with rising demand. Thousands of jobs have already been created and hundreds of millions of pounds invested.

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