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Green Homes Scheme - PV Upgrade

Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

Last Post by bontwoody 7 months ago

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bontwoody

(@bontwoody)

Noble Member Contributor

Joined: 4 years ago

Posts: 846

Topic starter 14/02/2025 3:34 pm

My father in law has just received a letter from a company called Green Homes Scheme. It offers a £4000 grant to upgrade his old solar panels from 250W ones to 435W ones.

What really caught my eye was that it said in bold "This will not affect your FIT payments". I thought the rules on upgrading older FIT system were pretty tight on a like for like basis?

Here is their link:

GREENHOMESSCHEME.COM "https://greenhomesscheme.com/solar-pv-upgrade/"

Solar PV Upgrade – Green Homes Scheme

House-2 bed partial stone bungalow, 5kW Samsung Gen 6 ASHP (Self install)
6.9 kWp of PV
5kWh DC coupled battery
Blog: https://thegreeningofrosecottage.weebly.com/
Heatpump Stats: http://heatpumpmonitor.org/system/view?id=60

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Transparent

(@transparent)

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Posts: 2468

14/02/2025 4:50 pm

That has to be a scam.

On their website, click on Green Homes Grant at the top.
The page shows this:

Click where I've placed the red arrow,
which takes you here

I don't know what the scam is.

Replacing any existing PV panels is expensive due to the costs of labour and scaffolding.

The 425w Longi panels themselves are very cheap, however:

Save energy... recycle electrons!

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bontwoody

(@bontwoody)

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Topic starter 15/02/2025 9:47 am

@transparent That was my initial thought too, but it’s a pretty elaborate one. As it happens the solar panels aren’t owned by him it’s a rent a roof scheme. I find it hard to believe FIT wouldn’t be altered. I might try and find a contact there and send it to them.

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Transparent

(@transparent)

Illustrious Member Moderator

Joined: 4 years ago

Posts: 2468

15/02/2025 12:15 pm

Posted by: @bontwoody

↑

I find it hard to believe FIT wouldn’t be altered.

Whatever is the legal situation with FIT payments, the problem is that it remains unenforced.

There are lots of people who have added panels to the original array, and now generate/export more than they originally did.
But how can the 'authorities' tell the difference between that and a householder who now uses less electricity within the home?

No one seems to care.

The FIT payments are funded by a levy on everyone's electricity bills.
So the costs continue to rise.

Save energy... recycle electrons!

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bontwoody

(@bontwoody)

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Posts: 846

Topic starter 15/02/2025 1:11 pm

@transparent I could be wrong but I think the meter measures generation not export so it should be obvious to anyone looking which installations have a sudden surge. I have two meters one for generation and the other for export.

IMHO the subsidy should be paid for by a levy on the fossil fuels not electricity which is increasingly green. 😁