Solar sector welcomes rise in home solar uptake

The figures show a marked increase in domestic PV installations last month

The Solar Trade Association has today (September 1) welcomed figures published by Ofgem which show a surge in the number of solar photovoltaic panels installed by homeowners in August.


However, while the solar energy industry body welcomed the report it stressed that there was a need for further improvement to help the UK to catch up with the rest of Europe.

Ofgem, through its Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Statistical Report, said there were 3,606 solar photovoltaic devices fitted to households in August 2010, dwarfing the previous highest figures for July (1,736) and June (1,397).
Commenting on the increased figures, the Solar Trade Association offered a word of caution about financial drivers for domestic installations.

David Matthews, chief executive of the Solar Trade Association, told NewEnergyFocus.com: "We welcome the rise in PV as there has got to be an increase in renewables, as in this country we are well, well behind what is happening in Europe, especially Germany and Austria."

Mr Matthews called on the government to ensure that the forthcoming Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) would be used to complement the FITs system. "We don't want to see boom and bust, so let's make sure that market intervention is balanced."

The figures, which are updated monthly on a dedicated website by Ofgem, account for the uptake of microgeneration technologies since the launch of the FITs scheme, which rewards householders for renewable energy they produce, on April 1 2010.

Those that install solar PV panels receive 41.3 pence per kWh at the tariff's peak. After the panel or panels are installed the tariff is paid for 25 years and increases in line with inflation.

Since the introduction of the FIT, there have been 8,037 domestic installations of Solar PV panels totalling 19.5 MW of installed capacity. Comparatively, 39 hydro, two micro-combined heat and power (CHP) and 373 wind devices have been installed in UK homes over the same period.

Ofgem declined to comment on the figures
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