Sustainable Crediton Solar Project

Latest News 30th June 2013

The Solar Project has ended.

Latest News 31st March 2013

Here are some key dates to bear in mind regarding the UK Feed in Tariff (FiT), these are as follows:

From 1 April 2012 all feed-in tariffs become conditional on your home having an energy performance certificate grade D.
From 14th June 2012 : New installations completed under the Sustainable Crediton Solar Project are entitled to a 10% discount upto the 13th June 2013. There will be no retrospective rebate.
From 1 August 2012 : The term of FIT payments is reducing from 25 to 20 years. Thereafter there will be quarterly reductions in the FIT rate of 3.5%.
from 1st November 2012, the FIT rate reduces to 15.44p per KWH. This rate is valid until 30 June 2013.

Some of the key benefits of a Solar PV installation are:

A generation tariff of a minimum 15.44p FiT per kWh
Electricity that you use is free, saving an extra 12p (approx) per unit, on top of the 16p
If you don't use it in your home, any electricity that you export to the National Grid earns you an additional 3.2p per unit.
Income is at present guaranteed for 20 years from the day your system is installed.
Your FIT rates are index linked to inflation. It's when you start that matters.
All FiT income is tax free.
Reduce your carbon footprint.
Increase the value of your property.

We believe it is still worthwhile to commit to PV at this level of tariff even if stringent energy efficiency measures are required from April 2012. The rate of return at a 10% discount on our prices is around 10% tax free and index linked, far better than any bank or building society investment. All member orders installed after 14th June 2012 will receive a 10% discount. Contact Linda if you'd like to sign up for a free survey.

Sandford Energy Group and Sustainable Crediton have created a Buying Group for members to buy Photovoltaic Systems from a reliable and reputable installer at a lower cost than to the general public. We want to help people reduce their carbon footprints and energy bills. We are not a company trying to make money!

Benefits of the Buying Group

10% discount throughout the 2nd year of our Scheme
Very keen prices following competitive tender
Process for regularly checking prices
Local company rep carries out the surveys
Safety in numbers, installer will always be motivated to perform well
Scheme encourages internal recommendation, the more people joining, the greater the rebates.
Applies to all Sustainable Crediton supporters living in and around Crediton EX17 post code area or within 4 miles if not in EX17 post code.

Why Solar PV

Save on CO2 emissions
Save on your electricity bills
Get paid tax free and index linked Feed In Tariff for 25years for all electricity generated
Earn extra for all electricity exported
Possibly increase the value of your home
Protection from increasing energy costs

Feed in Tariff [FIT]

What you get for systems up to 4kWp installed after 1st April 2012: 21 p for every unit of electricity generated - whether you use it in the house or it's surplus you send to the national grid. It's guaranteed over 25 years, tax free and index linked. Seems to good to be true, but it is! After the 1st August 2012, the FiT drops to 16p and is payable for 20 years.

Daytime free electricity - not all you require but should reduce bills considerably.

Another 3.2p per unit on what you put into the national grid.

An example: PV on Sandford Stores has generated over 4,500 units in 18 months, saved a lot on electricity bills and put half the units into the grid

Our Chosen Installer: Solarsense

Questionnaires sent out to 28 installers for reply by end of November 2010
14 detailed responses received covering prices, discounts, experience etc
Short-listed to 5 during December 2010
Tender issued in January 2011 with 3 responses received.
Solarsense evaluated to be the best value tenderer.

About Solarsense

Solarsense is a fully accredited installer of both solar thermal (hot water) and PV (electric) systems and have installed over 3,100 such systems since 1994, making them the leading installer in Bristol, Somerset and the South West, and amongst the most experienced in the UK.

Solarsense win British Renewable Energy Company of the Year Award.

Buying Group Prices, Discounts and Rebates

A price list of a wide range of PV systems updated quarterly
10% community discount applicable to Sustainable Crediton supporters who have joined the scheme

Current price list dated June 2012 applicable to all new applicants from 14th June 2012. See Page 1 and Page 2for the new prices.

Return on investment based on Buying Group rates (June 2012) but at the new FIT rate of 16p

3.84KWp Renesolar system costs £8138 less 10% plus scaffold if req'd at £450 = £7796 incl VAT
Forecast PV output= 3264KWh
FIT income 3264 X 15.44p = £504
Export payment = 1632 X 3.2p =£52
Electricity used saving = 1632 x 15p =£245
Total saving pa=£801
Payback = 7796/801 = 9.7 years or ~ 10% pa ROI tax free
Further 10.3 years of FIT payments and savings

Typically, given normal weather, the system would earn over £800 per annum , a much better return than bank or building society on an investment of just under £8000. Repayment time would be about 10 years and the income would continue for the guaranteed 20 years. With a low cost loan such as an extension to a mortgage, the FIT money should contribute to repayments and you would still get [increasingly valuable] free electricity which would continue after the loan is repaid.

Warranties/Guarantees from Solarsense

5 years parts and labour guarantee
10 year warranty on the inverter
PV panels power output warranty 20 years at 80% of new performance.

Requirements for PV
You need a reasonable sized roof facing south, south-west or south-east. Not shaded by trees or buildings. Roof must be structurally sound.

Free installation offers
We have investigated these and found catches in most of them. If you have some savings or can secure a loan, it's better to pay for installation yourself and gain the FIT money.

Cost
Each installation will be priced individually since there are lots of variables - size of available roof space, condition of roof, loft space, need for scaffolding, etc. However prices will be those in the Agreement unless the customer asks for an alternative system or has some complications such as an unsound roof.

Scaffolding extra £450

Asbestos roof tiles extra £500

Slate roof extra £650

Structural survey if required by client extra £500

Contracts
These would be between the individual householder and Solarsense

How to take part:

Joining fee of £5 payable to Sustainable Crediton (cheque made out to Sustainable Crediton ). This applies to individuals or community groups.
We will pass on your details to Solarsense and let you know we have done so.
Solarsense will perform a survey and provide a quote based on agreed prices and discounts and including a £15 donation to Sustainable Crediton
If customer accepts the quotation, then customer pays Solarsense a 20% deposit on order.
Solarsense completes the installation, full payment becomes due to Solarsense
A £15 donation is paid to Sustainable Crediton by Solarsense.

To join email solar@sustainablecrediton.org.uk or ring Linda Lever 01363 777624 or download this application form, complete it and post/deliver to one of the addresses on the form

Communications with Solarsense after joining the Buying Group

As soon as Sustainable Crediton receives your application form and £5 joining fee we will pass on your details to Solarsense's local rep.

The Solarsense rep will endeavour to contact you within 2 working days of his receiving your details from us.

If you have not been contacted within a reasonable timeframe please call the Solarsense Marketing and Relations Coordinator responsible for our Buying Group in Bristol on 01275 461800 or Linda Lever on 01363 777624

The Agreement with Solarsense in full

Read the full Agreement to discover what Solarsense's obligations are to you.

The Agreement

The Agreement Amendment 1

The Agreement Amendment 2

Why £20 for Sustainable Crediton

We are a not for profit community group run by volunteers
We are dependent on donations and small grants to pay our running costs such as stationery, website, hall hire, etc etc
Many man-hours expended on this project and some on-going expenses for advertising to promote the scheme.

Legal Disclaimer

Please note that Sustainable Crediton or any individual or individuals working to promote the Sustainable Crediton Solar Project cannot accept any liability whatsoever in respect of any loss or damage suffered by a purchaser or any other person in respect of any goods supplied or installed under this Project, including any loss or damage suffered as a result of the quality or lack of fitness for purpose of any goods supplied or installed, or any failure by the supplier to deliver or install the goods or to install them to the purchaser's satisfaction. Sustainable Crediton and members of this group have provided all information in good faith and you are solely responsible for your own project, any survey or preparatory works and no reliance can be placed on this document, the public meeting(s) or any other communication from Sustainable Crediton or the Sustainable Crediton Solar Project. Please make sure you have checked the credentials of anyone visiting your home and take appropriate security precautions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Simple Guide to Feed-in Tariffs

Updated 1st January 2013