New Member With A Quick Question

[ajbar999]

Hi all,

Have been reading the various posts & enjoying the serious & not-so-serious replies in equal measure!
I'd like to ask:

I had my solar panels fitted on 07th July this year. I subsequently emailed my electricity supplier (EoN) with the relevant details and, following their reply email, waited a few days for the relevant forms to arrive in the post. Once received, I completed & returned them. EoN later confirmed that I was registered on their system as from the 18th July.
My system details:
4kW system – 16 panels in one array
Directly south facing
Decent roof pitch
No shade at all
In the 11 days between installation & registration my system produced 180 kWh of electricity.
My FIT payments only start from the day I became registered so that first 180kWh is not included in any calculations apparently.
At current rates (including export tariff) 180 kWh equates to about £30 which I won’t be receiving. Not the end of the world - but multiply this by say 10,000 new households and suddenly there’s rather a large sum which has ‘disappeared’ into the system.
So, my question is this.
With a new installation the generation meter starts at zero, so why don’t the payments get worked out from zero?
Or do other new solar panel owners have a different experience?

Hope to hear back.
Thank you.

 

[Andy™]

no idea, but i cant blame the suppliers for trying this, after all, they have to pay you for your electric a lot more than they can sell it for

 

[steptoe]

I'd agree with Canoeboy,

I havent installed a massive amount, but they get commissioned [and registered]on the day of install,

and the office usually has most of the form pre-filled in with all the required details and I only have to fill in the commissioning part.

 

[kerching]

I,do,not do,solar , so,this is probably bollox.....but

Isn't the £30 ( in your case) in effect "virtual money"as it only "exists" when it is created by the paperwork. I realise that the energy has been created and used BUT the actual money from the FIT is,only,created when the paperwork,is done,

I have not explained this very well,at all really.......but i hope you sort of get my drift

Just........ drinking Merlot

 

[Steve3948]

We don't do PV, but is the Selling price of the generated electric the same as the Buying price then, I would have thought it was a lot less, and that's why its best to try and use it for yourself, something I've not fully understood.

 

[binky]

If you had a decent installer they would have filled the forms in with you when the system was commissioned and turned on (thats what I and most decent installers do)

That way your registered for FITS from the meter reading at install (usually around 00000.7 or similar as the meter has been tested so not zero from new) 

All my installs got the FIT from the day they were commissioned (turned on)

Im sure Binky (our resident PV installer here) would say the same

Yep :slap

we actually like to use Good Energy on-line, they insist the form is sent the day of commissioning (actually we do the form same day as the MCS cert) so that customer doesn't lose a penny. Any decent installer would have organised forms (or got you to do it) in the legally binding 2 week cooling off period prior to installing the system (doorstep selling legislation). Big companies will honour commissioning date for week by post generally, but as most can be done on-line aswell, I can only say you weren't given good advice. :yellow card

I,do,not do,solar , so,this is probably bollox.....but

Isn't the £30 ( in your case) in effect "virtual money"as it only "exists" when it is created by the paperwork. I realise that the energy has been created and used BUT the actual money from the FIT is,only,created when the paperwork,is done,

I have not explained this very well,at all really.......but i hope you sort of get my drift

Just........ drinking Merlot

£30 iin your bank account isn't virtual. How many bottles of Merlot have you had :Y :Y :Y :Y  :slap

We don't do PV, but is the Selling price of the generated electric the same as the Buying price then, I would have thought it was a lot less, and that's why its best to try and use it for yourself, something I've not fully understood.

Currently domestic 4kW FiT is 14.33p (and dropping slowly) against buying at around 14p so virtually the same, You get paid FiT for every kWh you generate, plus by calculation, an additional 4.77p for 50% of what you generate which is assumed has gone back to the grid. I say by calculation becuase smart meters haven't been fitted to measure exactly what goes back to the grid.

 

[kerching]

Mmmmmm

I had had a lot of Merlot

What I meant was the £30 had not actually "gone anywhere" into some sort of giant slush fund.....more that it "did not exist until such time as the paperwork was done"....in effect he did NOT recive the £30 BUT there agin neither did anyone else, other than the National Grid that got a few free kWh of energy

Mr Merlot knows what I mean as he is sat here on the table next to me

Just not explainig very well

 

[ajbar999]

Thanks for all the replies. I now realise that my installer should have been quicker off the mark, since reading your comments.

Hopefully anyone who is thinking of having panels installed, and who has read this, will bear the above in mind.

I (as well as Mr Merlot) understand your point Kerching - I guess the National Grid benefited in a very small way, but hey, my backwards running meter will catch that up eventually...

Thanks again

 

[steptoe]

Thanks for all the replies. I now realise that my installer should have been quicker off the mark, since reading your comments.

Hopefully anyone who is thinking of having panels installed, and who has read this, will bear the above in mind.

I (as well as Mr Merlot) understand your point Kerching - I guess the National Grid benefited in a very small way, but hey, my backwards running meter will catch that up eventually...

Thanks again

naughty,  :slap

but, thats your installers problem too,

he should notify the FIT company of that too...........  

so I suppose you have got a win win really once the £30 is back,