If you install an electricity-generating technology from a renewable or low-carbon source such as solar PV or wind turbine, the UK Government's Feed-In Tariffs scheme (FITs) could mean that you get money from your energy supplier.

You can be paid for the electricity you generate, even if you use it yourself, and for any surplus electricity you export to the grid. And of course you'll also save money on your electricity bill, because you'll be using your own electricity.

A similar scheme is being introduced for heat generation: the Renewable Heat Incentive.

 

About Feed-In Tariffs

Feed-In Tariffs were introduced on 1 April 2010 and replaced UK government grants as the main financial incentive to encourage uptake of renewable electricity-generating technologies. Most domestic technologies qualify for the scheme, including: solar electricity (PV) (roof mounted or stand alone), wind turbines (building mounted or free standing) hydroelectricity, anaerobic digesters, micro combined heat and power (CHP).

 

The UK Government's Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) makes the key decisions on FITs in terms of government policy. The energy regulator Ofgem administers the scheme.

Your energy supplier will make the FITs payments to you. The large energy suppliers are required by law to provide them; smaller suppliers are not, but many have opted to offer them anyway. Go to the Ofgem website for a list of FITs-licensed suppliers.

 

For you to qualify for FITs, the installer and the products you use must both be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), except hydro and anaerobic digestion which have to go through the ROO-FIT process. The tariffs you receive depend on both the eligibility date and, for solar PV, your property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.