Hiya. You can change the equipment of your FiT system, afterall, if an old panel dies today, you'd struggle to find one of a similar power, and inverters will of course fail eventually over time.FlyingScot wrote: ↑Mon Jul 15, 2024 9:17 pmKUNFOOSED is moi. I thought i was unable to make any changes to my FIT system like putting bigger panels on. TEN 8.33 430W panels would be lovely this was my initial plan BUT I was told I cannot make any changes to my FIT systemLincs Robert wrote: ↑Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:09 pm SNIP
The rules on FiT “generation” equipment swap-out mellowed about 18 months ago. If you leave as is you cant be criticised in any way even though they are really only interested in a FiT capacity increase. A year ago I replaced 16 x 250W panels with 10 x 400W panels on my FiT system. You may ask why I did that? Easy, the new config uses a lot less roof space which I then put extra panels (non FiT) onto. The price of panels has plummeted in the last year as many on here know. Ironically the price of SE optimisers is now approaching the price of panels!
SNIP
Hope these comments help.
Rob
When the SOLIS inverter went POP!! the inverter was not replaced like for like, however obviously then the system was changed to the Solar Edge system BUT without any increase in panels or fitting bigger ones like I was initially sold.
thanks
David
I've been chatting with my FiT provider about changes to my system and they have no problem. My correspondence dates back about 6yrs, but I was waiting for battery costs to fall, to combine the expansion with the VAT battery savings. Then leccy prices went up, driving up PV and battery costs, and then this year the VAT on batts was dropped if colocated with PV, but not installed at the same time.
Also the OFGEM guidance was terrible before, implying that you couldn't change anything, but due to poor wording. A year or so ago, they acknowledged this, and changed the wording to make it clear you can change/upgrade a FiT system.
So ..... for example, say you have a 3kWp system and generate about 3,000kWh pa, but you add 3kWp more panels to the system, or even replace the existing 3kWp panels with 6kWp panels, then your FiT provider will now apportion your FiT payments in the ratio of 3:6 (FiT contract v's new total). So if you now generate 6,000kWh they'd be paying out on a 3:6 ratio (or 1:2 or 1/2).*
If your new panels go through a separate inverter/generation meter, then of course it doesn't matter as it doesn't affect the FiT readings.
For export, not the FiT generation subsidy, then you are of course allowed to move this anytime from the FiT 50% deemed, to an export rate with your leccy supplier. This becomes more important if you upgrade the FiT system, since in the example above you'd be getting the export rate on the 3,000kWh at a deemed 50% so paid out on 1,500kWh. After the upgrade, you'd still be getting paid on 1,500kWh, despite the increase in export, which might have (theoretically) increased from 1,500kWh to 4,500kWh.
*Worth mentioning that whilst the change is apportioned directly on size, the orientation of the panels, and therefore their output may vary. So, if as in my plans, the additional panels face south, but the existing FiT panels face east, then the increased generation may be proportionally more, than the size increase. Of course for many, the opposite may be true, where the new panels are added to less favourable locations, as PV costs fall. Also need to consider the inverter size and capping, since if it can't be increased, then some of the increased PV size, may end up capped, reducing the annual increase in generation (proportionately).