Feed-in Tariff Update

After a long time in the High Court and four different judges, it was announced yesterday that the governments attempt to reduce the FIT rate from 43.1p to 21p per kW/h for PV systems installed before the 3rd of March 2012 was deemed illegal. This, for a short window, gave the clarity that all installations fitted before the 3rd of March 2012 will get the higher FIT rate of 43.3p/unit.

HOWEVER, the Government is now taking this to the Supreme Court, which means that 100% clarity on this is unlikely to be known until much later in the year and certainly after the 3rd of March deadline. Common opinion is that this aimed to add confusion and thus subdue the market and it is very unlikely that a different decision will come from the Supreme Court.

So, what does this mean for people wishing to install solar PV?

In short we don’t know for certain.

It is most likely that the government will appeal the case for the second time. In which case, uncertainty will prevail and there is a small chance that their appeal will be accepted by the Supreme Court. If it is accepted the 21p per kW hour rate will apply to all installations completed between the 12th December and the 3rd March. Given that the case has been agreed unlawful by four judges it is highly unlikely that the Supreme Court will disagree accepting the governments appeal.

If the government drops their appeal or, if for the 3rd time in a row they loose it, the higher feed-in tariff rates will be reinstated for all installations completed before the 3rd of March 2012.
The worst case scenario is that all installations will receive the 21p per kW hour feed-in tariff rate. The tariff will not be lower than this on any installations prior to the 1st April 2012. We will state both feed-in tariff rates in all the quotations we send out to customers until we have confirmation on the final decision at court.

Although it looks likely that the higher feed-in tariff rate will be remain, the great news is that even with a the 21p per kW hour rate solar remains an attractive proposition, especially with the latest solar pv prices.

Book your survey or Installation with Ethical Solar Now to avoid missing out.

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This is a call to anyone who would like to take advantage of the highly lucrative FIT subsidy to get in touch now to book your survey or installation with us.

Ethical Solar, where solar panels don’t cost the earth…

Ethical Solar are dedicated solar panel installers and advisors on solar PV systems – with a difference! Our emphasis is on:

• High-performance equipment at extremely competitive prices
• Putting people before profit – no hard sales or cold-calling
• A personalised service from experts in the field
• An ethical and sustainable approach to each and every aspect of our business

We believe that quality workmanship and outstanding customer service should not be charged at a premium. It doesn’t have to cost more to do things properly!

Ethical Solar will guide you through every stage of your solar panel installation. We provide honest advice and ensure that you know exactly what is going on at all times.

Our small team love to talk about solar. Give us a call today or send over an enquiry and we will be happy to answer all your questions.

Why Solar Panels?

Solar electric panels not only offer a brilliant and green way to power your home – they are a fantastic investment as well. Install a solar system on your property and you could be earning up to £832 a year from the roof of your home. This income will be tax-free, inflation linked, and continuing for 25 years. Even after the feed-in tariff review, solar panel installs can provide you with a 5-10% annual return on your initial investments. Not to mention that it also reduces your energy bills and insures your household from future price rises.

Energy Efficiency and Saving Money

Installing solar panels for your home is just one of the ways we can help you save money and the environment. As well as being quality solar panel installers, we’re also passionate about saving electricity and reducing your CO2 footprint. To help you keep an eye on your electricity usage, savings and costs, we provide OWL electricity monitors and offer free advice on various ways to help you reduce your carbon footprint and save money. We can also supply low energy light bulbs and other simple retrofits for your home or business.

Solar Power Installation Certification and Awards

When it comes to a solar panel installation, it’s important to ensure the installer is MCS certified, which means they’ve been approved by the Government to install a solar system in the right way. Ethical Solar has been awarded MCS certification and are also members of REAL and the Consumer Protection Association (CPA).

Local Solar Installation Experts

Our main team is based in Bristol at the Create Centre and we have offices in Penzance, Grimsby and Leeds.

Out of our Bristol office, we serve Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Monmouthshire. We have many happy customers saving money and energy in Bath, Gloucester, Taunton, Swindon, Radstock and Cheltenham.

From our Grimsby office, we install solar panels on homes and businesses around the county, including Scunthorpe, Lincoln and Newark.

We also install solar panels in the Yorkshire area, with an office in Leeds and customers in and around Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Hull, York, Wakefield, Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham and Huddersfield.