FIT 25/26 Rates

[sharpener]

Yes but it's all relative to installed capacity. The more efficient panels will be smaller for the same capacity but to first order they will then generate the same amount from the same insolation.

As a second order effect they might generate a bit more at low light levels but I am not sure that would be enough to justify replacement of working array, other than it gives you the opportunity for more own consumption or more export from the same roof area. But not significantly more FITs.

[Lincs Robert]

My FIT system cost me north of £11k and i remember it stretched us very tight to afford it, but i said to the mrs that the rpi linked 25 year deal would be a right good money spinner, and boy has it been.
Have not added up the total returns from it since 2011, but imagine, all told, its well on its way to paying for itself around 4 times over by now.
12 years to go too. Nice

+1 to all that

[Lincs Robert]

Dec 2024 RPI rates just out at 3.5%.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflatio ... /czbh/mm23

The official tables from OFGEM usually get updated at the end of this month.

So I make those on the Full Fat version of the PV FIT generation tariff from April 2025 at 74.36p / kWh up from the current 71.85p / kWh.

Are you on it?

[nowty]

Dec 2024 RPI rates just out at 3.5%.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflatio ... /czbh/mm23

The official tables from OFGEM usually get updated at the end of this month.

So I make those on the Full Fat version of the PV FIT generation tariff from April 2025 at 74.36p / kWh up from the current 71.85p / kWh.

Are you on it?

Oh yes..........

The main 4kW roof is, and a second 4.4kW system will be on around 22p / kWh.

[Lincs Robert]

Dec 2024 RPI rates just out at 3.5%.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflatio ... /czbh/mm23

The official tables from OFGEM usually get updated at the end of this month.

So I make those on the Full Fat version of the PV FIT generation tariff from April 2025 at 74.36p / kWh up from the current 71.85p / kWh.

Are you on it?

Oh yes..........

The main 4kW roof is, and a second 4.4kW system will be on around 22p / kWh.

Me too

Have just switched from deemed to actual & am now exporting. 345 kWh so far this month, not a bad start methinks?

[nowty]

Are you on it?

Oh yes..........

The main 4kW roof is, and a second 4.4kW system will be on around 22p / kWh.

Me too

Have just switched from deemed to actual & am now exporting. 345 kWh so far this month, not a bad start methinks?

Not bad, I'm on 368 kWh exported so far this month.

For 2023 I was getting under £100 on deemed export, last year on paid actual export it was,
Note - Some of that would have been imported, but if the taxman asks, its a little difficult to work out.

[resybaby]

Blimey Nowty that graph really brings the numbers to life.

[Thebeeman]

We installed 3.8 kW panels in 2011 for £15,000. We've since replaced a dying inverter, £1,000, and fitted 15.5 kW of batteries with AC inverter, £7855, and as of 12/24 we were £3230 in profit purely from FIT, not counting the 'free' leccy we've had. We were advised by our Accountants to borrow the money to install the panels as the return would cover the interest. Still another 11 years of FIT to come.

[Ken]

[quote=resybaby post_id=54718 time=1736966862 user_id=50

AE, as far as FIT is concerned only the unit £ rates (generation and deemed export) are fixed. The monies you earn from the payments are totally relative to the power generated by the FIT system on your roof. So, if you change (upgrade) the panels or inverter to more % efficent equipment then your payments will rise. All depending on the levels of sunshine being the same of course. More sun = more payments from the higher rates.
[/quote]

I think what is being said here is that the old panels have degraded and therefore to fit new panels of the same rated capacity will provide higher output for that given rating. Indeed the new panels will take up less area because of their increased efficiency.

I feel my panels have degraded by about 10% at peak but also feel it is the peak that has been shaved and the effect at lower % is less/non existant.

I have considered changing the panels, which would also expand the capacity , but i cannot financially justify it and anyways i hate thowing good working stuff away.

[John_S]

In practice, it is very difficult to determine if there is any significant degradation in the performance of solar panels.

Mine were installed in March 2010 and I cannot determine if there has been any degradation. I compare annual output of my panels with sunshine hours at Heathrow airport (10 miles away), as supplied by the Met Office, on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

In April 2025, I shall be able to study 15 years of data to see if there is any measurable degradation. So far production per 12 month period has varied between ~1,700 kWh and ~2,100 kWh and sunshine hours have varied between ~1,200 and ~1,800 hours for a 2.1 kWp system with some early morning and winter shading.

The only thing clearly measurable is that the panels are less efficient when sunshine hours are higher, which is easily explained by the higher sunshine hours being a proxy for higher temperatures which decreases the panels performance. I have yet to correlate efficiency (kWh per kWp per sunshine hour) with annual average temperatures but shall try and do this.

Wait three or four months and I shall report back in further detail.