Solar so good: massive PV development is taking place in Cornwall including on school, university and council buildings
in the form of solar park schemes is worth potentially £1B, and the economic develop- ment implications this has in terms of job creation and supply chain development are considerable. So far, somewhere between 40 and 50 companies have registered develop- ment plans – and some of them have 10 to 20 planned sites each. Other parts of the country are also seeing increased interest.
It’s not just businesses, either. From August this year, local authorities were granted the right to generate electricity and sell it. Think of the roof space on town halls and council housing estates across the country. Think of the land these councils own, on which wind- farms or PV-panel farms could be installed. The potential benefits are considerable. What’s
“In other words,” says Tim German, “the maximum benefits are being made available at the highest levels right now, and business grants are available to help you do it.” The numbers are certainly very persuasive – see the separate box. “To my mind,” con- cludes Tim German, “the Government may
CASE STUDY
driving the early interest is not just the general attraction of the scheme, but the fact that’s it’s front-loaded. Spain and Germany have introduced similar initiatives and, there as here, tariffs were set at higher rates in the early years to encourage more applicants. In the UK, the higher rates are available for developments that take place from 1 April this year, when the Feed-In Tariff went live, to 31 March 2012. From that point onwards, there will be a digression of the rate.
Plug Into The Sun has seen substantial increases in interest and business since the Feed-In Tariff kicked in. Installation sizes are growing too, with business- es showing interest in systems which deliver up to 100kWp. “Factory roofs can accommodate hun-
dreds of kilowatts,” says Andy Tanner, the company’s managing director. So, too, can public sector buildings: over this summer, we’ve installed panels on the roofs of five schools and for the Combined University. In May, the com- pany completed a project on the roof of New County Hall that will deliver up to 20,000Kwh per year. This system will off- set 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
have underestimated the potential take-up of FIT, and may reconsider the rates and the criteria. My advice would be to get in quick. No one can renege on the terms once you’re in – and that’s for the next 25 years.” It would be a real shame if the scheme were scaled back. In early September, Lord Adair Turner, Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), said drastic new measures will be needed if the UK is to meet its target of generating 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Currently, the UK generates only 3% of its energy from such sources. Lord Turner wrote to Chris Huhne, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, to urge him to stick to the target. He said a “step change” was needed in the way the UK approached renewable energy.
The Feed-In Tariff could in itself represent part of that step change. Multiple medium- scale developments could make a big contri- bution to renewable energy production in this country – and the great thing about it is that it isn’t just an exercise in philanthropy or corporate social responsibility. In tough times, it’s also a great way to make money.
Lucy Hunt is the manager of InvestinCornwall
Sustainable Business | Microgeneration | October 2010 | 7
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