Additional PV not on a FIT - how to deal with conflict

webby252 · 2025-01-21T11:23:38+0000

I have a customer with a 4KW installation that they get FIT for. It all goes thorugh a smart meter and they get paid on what they generate and export as you would expect.
I'm about to install 8KW more of solar which obviously has no FIT.
All this will now go through the smart meter. They will be signing up for a tariff that then enables them to export excess to the grid and get paid for it.
Does anyone have any experience with this? How can you have these 2 installations on 1 meter? Site is single phase.
I asked Octupus who will buy electric back but they said they've never come across a situation like this which is odd.
It doesn't seem too unusual that someone would install extra PV once the first lot (on a FIT) has been installed.
Any ideas?
Thanks

binky · 2025-01-21T11:50:21+0000

The fit system should have it's own meter separate from the main household meter.

Have you applied to the DNO for any additional export? It's a legal requirement to do so if exceeding 16A of export prior to installation.

Geoff1946 · 2025-01-21T12:18:57+0000

Hypothetical, because I haven't done it, but my FIT contract is with a different supplier to my energy supplier and relies solely on my generation meter readings. (BG and TEF respectively)
They wouldn't know what changes I made to my energy supplier contract, unless of course I'm legally obliged to tell them(?). I don't have a smart meter.

webby252 · 2025-01-21T12:55:26+0000

binky said:
The fit system should have it's own meter separate from the main household meter.

Have you applied to the DNO for any additional export? It's a legal requirement to do so if exceeding 16A of export prior to installation.

Thanks for the quick reply.
Yep, DNO in place.
The FIT does have its own meter but the're about to have a smart meter installed (prior to the additional PV). Will the FIT PV and the new PV not then go through the smart meter and then they'll get 'double paid' for the FIT element?
Or when they register with a company for export will they then fit their own smart meter meaning 3 meters
1. Main smart meter
2. FIT PV meter
3. New PV meter for new panels
Thanks

ProDave · 2025-01-21T13:06:53+0000

Under the old FIT you got paid for "deemed export" which was assumed to be half what you generated unless you had an export meter.

How does that sit with having a smart meter AND being paid for export under what I think is called SEG? Is there not a confilct?

That is even before you install more PV where you will have so much it can ONLY be viable if you get paid for export?

Oldman22 · 2025-01-21T13:37:08+0000

You can under a FIT agreement get paid still for all generated on the FIT meter BUT elect with agreement from the company that usually pays your FIT to not get paid for your deemed export any more.
After that date any and all exported PV from either FIT or any other panels you have installed are paid to you via an export register on your new smart meter by the energy company you chose.

binky · 2025-01-21T18:32:13+0000

webby252 said:
1. Main smart meter
2. FIT PV meter

so you won't be feeding new array through the existing FiT meter

webby252 said:
3. New PV meter for new panels
Thanks

Not needed, but no harm in fitting one.

basically there's absolutely no need to change FiT provider, it's perfectly acceptable to have your FiT with one company, and your leccy bill with another. It's exactly what I've got. So, if a.n.other company is happy to pay an export rate via the smart meter, that's all they need to know, and exactly how I would keep it.

Additional PV not on a FIT - how to deal with conflict

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