COMMERCIAL – GRANT FUNDING
There are currently two main grant schemes that are available to domestic and the public sector organizations, The Feed in Tariff, (FIT) for Solar Photovoltaic systems, and the Renewable Heat Incentive, (RHI) for Solar thermal and Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps.
The grant and discount schemes run on both national and local level for all homeowners and commercial enterprises, whether you’re after solar panels in Bristol, solar panels Leicester or solar panels Sunderland. FI Tariffs are accredited with MCS to install and design small scale and large systems to suit any organisation so please don’t hesitate to contact us for advice on how to access these grants.
National Grants
The Low Carbon Buildings Programme Grants have now been replaced by the Feed in Tariff and the Renewable Heat Incentives.
The main benefit of the Feed-In Tariffs is the generation tariff, which is paid for every kilowatt hour of electricity produced. The amount paid per hour is determined by the type of technology and the size of the system.
The Feed-In Tariffs scheme also provides two further benefits: an additional payment for surplus energy exported to the grid (this is called the export tariff) and a saving on energy purchased from your electricity supplier.
How the Tariffs work
Feed-In Tariffs are paid for renewable electricity produced, plus a bonus for power exported
The Feed-In Tariffs are based on the electricity generated by a renewable energy system which is used in the property. There is also an additional bonus for any energy produced which is exported to the electricity grid. This means you get paid more for the energy you don’t use than for that which you do which encourages energy efficiency.
At times when you are producing less electricity than you are using, the shortfall will be imported from the grid and you will pay your electricity company for this in the usual way.
The Feed-In Tariffs therefore give you three separate financial benefits:
- A generation tariff payment, which is based on the total electricity generated and the energy type
- An export tariff payment, which is for any energy exports made when generating more than you use
- Lower bills from your supplier for the electricity you import from them
Solar Install provide a smart meter on every installation, which means your system is monitored daily, ensuring that it is accurate.
COMMUNITY SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROGRAMME
The Community Sustainable Energy Programme (CSEP)
The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) is a key initiative announced as part of the Governments Home Energy Saving Programme. CESP represents £350 million of funding to target households across Great Britain to improve energy efficiency standards and reduce fuel bills. As well as residential buildings, organisations such as churches and hospitals.
CESP has been designed to promote a ‘whole house’ approach and to treat as many properties as possible in defined areas. CESP will be delivered through the development of comunity based partnerships involving local authorities. It is estimated that around 100 schemes will be funded over the course of the programme.
CESP represents a statutory obligation on the largest gas and electricity suppliers, in a similar way to the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), and for the first time electricity generators to deliver energy saving measures to domestic consumers in Great Britain.
One of the key aims of CESP is to target areas of low income. These areas have been identified using the Income Domain of the Indicies of Multiple Deprevation (IMD). Those areas which are ranked in the lowest 10 per cent in England and 15 per cent in Wales and Scotland will qualify for CESP funding.
Eligibility criteria:
In order for a project to be eligible under CESP it must be in an area which has been ranked in the lowest 10 per cent in England or 15 per cent in Wales and Scotland using the Income Domain of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation.
CESP seeks to promote the measures which give households the biggest fuel bill and carbon savings. The homes which do benefit, will gain significant reductions in energy demand, carbon dioxide emissions and running costs.
The measures which the Government proposes should be available under CESP are:
- Insulation (external solid wall, internal solid wall, cavity wall and loft insulation)
- Fuel switch (to gas).
- Connection to a district heating scheme.
- Ground source heat pumps.
- Air source heat pumps.
- Micro-generation (PV, Solar Thermal, microCHP, biomass boiler, micro wind, micro hydro).
- Heating controls.
- Replacing old boilers (G rated) with high efficiency models.
- Installing gas central heating in homes without central heating.
- Home energy audits.