Homeowners ''rewarded'' for embracing solar PV systems

Posted by Andrew Marshall

Since the introduction of the Feed in Tariff scheme brought in by the former government, eco-friendly Britons have been enjoying the benefits of having their own photovoltaic (PV) solar panels fitted.

The legislation, which took effect last month, offers to pay for all energy produced by the homeowner''s microgeneration, regardless of whether it is used to power their home or sold back to the National Grid.

Lee Jones, from Oxton, told Wirral News that before the scheme was introduced, he never would have considered solar PV because the initial costs ''just didn''t make sense''.

He said: ''The new Feed in Tariff scheme just makes it a no-brainer if you have the up-front installation costs to hand. Hopefully, green loans will open up this opportunity to everyone and we can see microgeneration.''

Mr Jones added that although installation costs range from £10,000 to £15,000, investors could expect to see an annual return of around five per cent over a 25 year period under the scheme.

In the south of the country, Cornwall Council''s Green Cornwall initiative has recently installed 130 PV solar panels on the roof of County Hall in Truro, the Cornish Guardian reported this week.