May 2010 saw the withdrawal of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme of government solar power grants, a programme which had replaced the Clear Skies and Solar PV schemes in 2006. There are therefore no longer any government solar power grants available nationwide, although there may be other types of grants available on a more regional basis. Check out our energy saving grants PDF for details of other organisations you may wish to contact.
Whilst there may be no solar power grants, new feed-in tariffs reward homeowners for generating clean renewable electricity. The feed-in tariff works on the basis that the consumer will be paid for each kilowatt hour of electricity their system generates even when this is used in their own home. There is also an additional payment for electricity which is not used and then fed back into the national grid. The initial rate at which payments have been set is 21 pence per kilowatt hour for all electricity generated by your system. In addition, you will be paid a further 3.1 pence per kilowatt hour for electricity exported to the national grid. Find out more at our solar feed-in tariffs page. Please note that the government is still consulting on these rates.
The Renewable Heat Incentive Premium Payments came into effect in 2011 as part of a scheme designed to encourage the use of renewable energy in heating properties. This will include heat from solar thermal panels. The remainder of the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme will begin in late 2012 - for more information visit our Renewable Heat Incentive page.
Grants are available for many other energy efficiency and renewable energy measures in the home. Insulation is one such area which is key in making your home more energy efficient. Why not complete a free survey below to see if you are eligible for a grant.
Source: www.est.org.uk 2012
For further information on Solar Power click on the links below
