Oh Dear - Government Realises Clanger With F.I.T.

[Lancashire Lad]

It comes as no great surprise that the government have been forced into launching challenge appeal against a High Court ruling of 21st December 2011. - (They had until 4pm on 5th Jan.2012 to launch any such appeal).

The ruling was that the government’s intended reduction to feed-in-tariff subsidies for solar power installations was “legally flawed.

The appeal follows the ruling’s response by Climate Change Minister Greg Barker, which was:-

QUOTE
“We disagree with the Court’s decision. We will be seeking an appeal and hope to secure a hearing as soon as possible. Regardless of today’s outcome, the current high tariffs for solar PV are not sustainable and changes need to be made in order to protect the budget which is funded by consumers through their energy bills.”
UNQUOTE

Yet more tax payer’s money being wasted as a result of ill conceived policy.

They introduce FIT subsidy, at a wholly disproportionate rate, and which once commenced (for any given installation) is index linked, and guaranteed for 20 years. – Supposedly on the basis of incentivising domestic consumers to install solar panels.

But the FIT scheme allows for installations of up to 5Megawatts, (a figure which equates to about 500 times the amount of electricity needed by the average domestic property), so the consequences were inevitable. – Get rich quick business entrepreneurs have been flocking to get their share of the cash handouts faster than the “forty-niners” in the California gold rush. (Witness the offers of “free installations” and farmers being cold called and offered large sums to have fields filled with solar panels, etc. etc.).

So now the penny has finally dropped, and they are having to fight within the High Court, (with every chance of failure) for the right to reduce the subsidy to a sustainable level.

The phrase “culpable ineptitude” comes to mind. – Unfortunately for the vast majority of us, “culpable” and “ineptitude” seem to be words which our successive governments are unable to comprehend!

Greg Barker response to High Court ruling on solar Feed in Tariffs - Department of Energy and Climate Change

Government launches appeal over High Court ruling which deemed cut to solar panel feed-in tariff subsidies as 'legally flawed' | This is Money

Regards,
Mike.

[fairplay]

I suspect Lancashire is going to have a new M.P. before long.
Whad'ya say Mike ?

Neil.

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by fairplay

I suspect Lancashire is going to have a new M.P. before long.
Whad'ya say Mike ?

Neil.

A question that I have actually been asked before.

And were it not for the apathy of the majority of British public, who blythly go along with whatever is thrown at them when it comes to national policy, (on many important issues, not just energy), I might well have pursued that goal.

Regards,
Mike.

[Davy Crockett]

Reading that Mike i find it incredible, as you say it rolls on time after time, government to government. Who enrols the nitwits that make the decisions and what recourse is there. Would it/ dose it, happen in private industry.

[PMG]

Originally Posted by Davy Crockett

Reading that Mike i find it incredible, as you say it rolls on time after time, government to government. Who enrols the nitwits that make the decisions and what recourse is there. Would it/ dose it, happen in private industry.

Who enrols the nitwits? We do - well you perhaps do - I don't vote - I never have and I never will - over my dead body will I give a 'leg up' to some lying cheating amoral feral fool who is looking to line pockets and pull the wool over the pure deluded folk who give them the power to rise up, rip the rug from under us and then rain down urine on us for our folly .... Guy Fawkes had the best idea - pity he got caught .......... pass me a brown paper bag I'm hyperventilating again ........ breathe ....... gasp ...... rant over - please don;t let me see the blue touch paper again - please ........

Pauline

[Davy Crockett]

Originally Posted by PMG

Who enrols the nitwits? We do - well you perhaps do - I don't vote - I never have and I never will - over my dead body will I give a 'leg up' to some lying cheating amoral feral fool who is looking to line pockets and pull the wool over the pure deluded folk who give them the power to rise up, rip the rug from under us and then rain down urine on us for our folly .... Guy Fawkes had the best idea - pity he got caught .......... pass me a brown paper bag I'm hyperventilating again ........ breathe ....... gasp ...... rant over - please don;t let me see the blue touch paper again - please ........

Pauline

B----- and i'm meeting up with you tomorrow

I was thinking more in line with the people in Whitehall who actually devise plans and strategies soz, NO NEED TO REPLY

[Lancashire Lad]

Yesterday, the Appeal Court refused the Secretary of State permission to challenge the earlier ruling (21st. December 2011).

So the idiots who set the Solar Feed In Tariffs and the 5MW generating limit in the first place, without the vaguest comprehension of the feeding frenzy which would then ensue, are left with the situation where too much in the way of subsidies will now have to be paid. (And guess who it is that pays at the end of the day - yes, you got it in one - Joe Public).

If these bufoons had waited until the consultation period was over, they would have been able to amend the tariff as necessary - but no - they couldn't even get that right.

We are now advised that government intend to go directly to the Supreme Court to request permission to appeal. (Oh goody, let's waste a bit more of the hard pressed tax-payer's money).

If they can't even get the simple matter of forecasting the installation take-ups and subsidies correctly, how can we place any faith in the continued government bleatings that all will be well with our (by then) wind biased energy policy as a whole, come the magic date of 2020?

Regards,
Mike.

[PMG]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Yesterday, the Appeal Court refused the Secretary of State permission to challenge the earlier ruling (21st. December 2011).

So the idiots who set the Solar Feed In Tariffs and the 5MW generating limit in the first place, without the vaguest comprehension of the feeding frenzy which would then ensue, are left with the situation where too much in the way of subsidies will now have to be paid. (And guess who it is that pays at the end of the day - yes, you got it in one - Joe Public).

If these bufoons had waited until the consultation period was over, they would have been able to amend the tariff as necessary - but no - they couldn't even get that right.

We are now advised that government intend to go directly to the Supreme Court to request permission to appeal. (Oh goody, let's waste a bit more of the hard pressed tax-payer's money).

If they can't even get the simple matter of forecasting the installation take-ups and subsidies correctly, how can we place any faith in the continued government bleatings that all will be well with our (by then) wind biased energy policy as a whole, come the magic date of 2020?

Regards,
Mike.

No what they mean is they won;t be in power by 2020 in fact few of those there now will be but all will be well in their little world - they will be retired in offshore - cheaper places - in fact anywhere other than ruined Britain ......... I wish you'd stop showing me the blue touch paper ........

Pauline

[John D]

There is another very interesting fact that provides a further bonus to customers with 'PV panel' installations.
Due the method of connecting the PV panels to the electrical installation, when the power generated by the panels exceeds the power used within the premises the electricity meter goes in reverse.(this could be a regular occurrence during the summer months) This in turn will cause the meter readings to be reduced. So as well as receiving what was near 46p/kWh (currently now nearer 21P/kWh) there is obviously a further bonus of a reduction in the cost of electricity imported.
This could have been avoided by making the electrical connection at a point before the incoming meter or by fitting a more suitable metering arrangement .
The fact that this happens also makes me wonder if there is a device fitted which will stop power being exported in the event of the incoming power supply failing. If this is not the case there is an obvious danger from a back-feed into the distribution network.
This very point has also been raised very recently in a 'technical journal' by a professional engineer.

John D

http://johnswildworld.zenfolio.com/

[Gerel]

Originally Posted by John D

There is another very interesting fact that provides a further bonus to customers with 'PV panel' installations.
Due the method of connecting the PV panels to the electrical installation, when the power generated by the panels exceeds the power used within the premises the electricity meter goes in reverse.(this could be a regular occurrence during the summer months) This in turn will cause the meter readings to be reduced. So as well as receiving what was near 46p/kWh (currently now nearer 21P/kWh) there is obviously a further bonus of a reduction in the cost of electricity imported.
This could have been avoided by making the electrical connection at a point before the incoming meter or by fitting a more suitable metering arrangement .
The fact that this happens also makes me wonder if there is a device fitted which will stop power being exported in the event of the incoming power supply failing. If this is not the case there is an obvious danger from a back-feed into the distribution network.
This very point has also been raised very recently in a 'technical journal' by a professional engineer.

John D

Zenfolio | John's Wild World

I've only just seen this thread so apologies for delayed resurrection.

Your first point regarding meters going backwards is true, but only where the householder has one of the old type analogue meters with the revolving, horizontal disc. More up to date, digital meters simply stop when generated power is being exported.


With regards to your second question, all of the grid connected inverters that I am familiar with will only export power if they can detect a live supply. In the event of a mains power cut, they will shut down and not resume until the mains suppy is re-established.*

This is put in as a safety feature for the very reason you suggest.

Steve