[northfifeduckling]

for all in the process of getting their PV systems done - hurry,hurry,hurry!
FIT form has to be completed by the 8th of December to be eligible for the higher rate! B@~+%&"£ for changing it at such short notice, aren't they? 

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/28/10/2011/129781/Consumer-FIT-could-be-slashed-by-December.htm

[ellisr]

we knew changes were coming as they are running short on cash to fund it

[northfifeduckling]

suppose it will be cheaper paying benefits to all those unemployed installers   

[northfifeduckling]

https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20912

[Dan]

It's still a fantastic deal, even with the reduced tariffs. We installed our 4kW array just over a year ago and the cost of installation has dropped by 30% since then - someone around here had a £10k quote last month for a similar system.

Over the 25 year contract, on the reduced tariff, you'd expect to get between £750 and £1k per year back from a 4kW system, and you get to use the electricity you generate for free.

Yes, early adopters got an almighty good tariff, but it's still one of the best investments you can make even at 21p per unit.

[kingnigel]

our scaffolding goes up tomorrow, our installer doesnt know whats hit them with the changes the government has brought in, everyone wants theirs installed asap.
kn

[honeyend]

Have just been to a exhibition and apparently next year all the panels will be coming down in price as of course the manufacturers need to keep selling them, and you still get about 21p after this tariff runs out.

[Dizzycow]

I've just been on a training course so that I can carry out surveys for the installers, and yes the prices are coming down, however it's more complicated than that. As with all technologies, as the products improved and new ones are brought out the price of the current one falls. Added to this is that the majority of panels are manufactured in Europe so the price of the Euro has to be brought into the equation. The company I work for gives an accurate quote on the day that the quote is sent out, however this can change in either direction within a matter of hours. It's fairly minimal, though, and it's still the right thing to do even with the feed in tariff lowering. Ours are due to go up on the garage roof next week, and as our heating and water is all geothermal we'll be in a very happy position indeed. I can't wait!

[Greenerlife]

Wrote to my MP about this (in disgust, of course  ) and he wrote back immediately asking us to put our comments to the energy minister in consultation which we have also done.  Already paid loads of money up front for planning officer etc and fuming that our application is still with our localplanning department (although someone is coming over tomorrow).  Our installer was busy beforehand, now he's stupidly busy as he's the man of the moment!  Still going ahead come what may, but it seems there has been so much complaint about the timing, that it may be re thought.  Fingers crossed.

[dyedinthewool]

I went on a 'Green deal' seminar yesterday and looks like the current deal is still to finish on the 6 Dec.  Which means we can't get ours done in time as we want to renew our roof and can't do that until next year.  It will still be a good deal even at 9p better than you can get in a bank or building Soc.

[waterhouse]

There is a humungous glut of PV panels worldwide with yet more manufacturing capacity still coming on stream.  So despite this outrageous betrayal installation will continue to get cheaper and the lower tarifff is likely still to be a good deal, just not quite as sweet as it was.

[SallyintNorth]

and not only that (feed in tariff halved) but also there are plans to only approve installations on rooves on 'energy efficient' buildings. 

Scuppers our plan of solar panels on the roof of the old byre to supply heat and light to the farm sheds... 

[dyedinthewool]

and not only that (feed in tariff halved) but also there are plans to only approve installations on rooves on 'energy efficient' buildings. 

Scuppers our plan of solar panels on the roof of the old byre to supply heat and light to the farm sheds... 

Yes there is talk that the property must be at least in band C efficiency to qualify.

[kingnigel]

just to add, our installation was completed on thursday 1 dec, in time for the old tariff rate, the company had problems getting solar panels and the inverter because of the (were going to be the greenest) government, changing the goal posts.
we ended up with 15 panels 3.75kw, the installers said thats all they could get on the roof, doesnt seem right, but we were rushed so we went with that option.
kn

[suziequeue]

We're still going ahead with our 8kW plan as we were never doing it for the money anyway.

The nice thing is that the PVs and installation will be much cheaper now so what we loose on the lower FIT we gain on the cheaper costs of hardware and installation.

This is the perfect time to install as there is a glut of PVs and installers at present which won't last as the installers find other jobs (or not) to go to and the world supply of indium that is needed to make PVs and solar panels will run out in 10 years time