1. Harnessing the Sun's energy

For businesses and households looking at benefitting from the FIT and reducing energy costs and carbon emissions, solar PV presents a simple solution.

John Meadows, MD at SCHOTT Solar, discusses the growing potential for solar energy in the UK in relation to the Government’s tariff regime and why farmers and landowners should make the most of this incentive.

Sunshine and the UK do not always go hand in hand, so it is easy to mistakenly reject the idea of solar energy. In addition, solar photovoltaics (PV), which convert sunlight into electrical power, have historically been dismissed as too expensive to make a meaningful contribution to the battle against climate change but product development and Government incentives are changing all that.

While the UK is already home to thousands of small-scale ‘off grid’ PV applications such as navigation aids, the fastest-growing PV applications are grid-connected solar PV systems on new and existing domestic and commercial buildings. The integration of PV as part of a building’s fabric is set for substantial expansion and the UK is moving towards having the capabilities to meet this demand both at home and abroad.

The Government has set very ambitious targets to reduce emissions in the UK - an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and an interim 34% reduction by 2020 - and the solar PV industry is extremely important in meeting these targets, which will require lots of low carbon energy.

Feed-In Tariffs, or FITs, introduced on 1st April 2010 has undoubtedly increased the demand for solar PV systems and other microgeneration technologies, as the scheme provides financial support for low carbon electricity technologies and incentivises the deployment of small to medium PV scale installations up to 5 megawatts capacity.

The scheme will support new anaerobic digestion, hydro, wind, microCHP and, of course, solar PV system installations. Electricity generation is something that has largely been dominated through large commercial companies but, hopefully through the certainty that FITs provide and the increased level of support that they bring, there will be more businesses, more communities and more individuals taking steps to produce their own low carbon electricity.

The FITs will consist of two parts, a generation tariff and an export tariff, which are both guaranteed for a 25 year period for solar PV. Generation tariff means the electricity supplier will make a fixed payment to the property owner for every kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity they generate and use - set at 41p/kWh, a higher level than previously expected. The export tariff means the electricity supplier will pay a fixed amount of 3p for every kWh of electricity exported back to the electricity grid, ie for any power that is generated but not used by the property.

For businesses and households looking at benefitting from the FIT and reducing energy costs and carbon emissions, solar PV presents a simple solution. The sun’s energy can be used very easily with a photovoltaic system, with zero emissions. Solar PV has many benefits, as it is easier to retrofit and less intrusive and for those few cases where planning permission is required, solar PV is often easier to gain for its installation. It is also a scaleable technology, meaning it can be specified to meet exacting requirements and can be more easily extended at a later date.

The introduction of the tariff regime provides a positive framework for farmers and landowners who want to contribute to reduce carbon emissions by adopting solar PV technology with the added benefit of a new revenue stream. For example, when farm owners Betty and Mark Whitton decided to take charge of energy management of their farm, they looked to installing solar power modules. After visiting a family property in Bavaria that already benefits from photovoltaic panels, they were convinced of the advantages of domestic solar energy and were keen to capitalise on the roof space afforded by a storage barn on their property in Peterborough.

Forty-two photovoltaic SCHOTT POLY®220 module panels were sourced through distributors Waxman Energy and fitted in three rows of 14, supplying energy to the barn itself and feeding power back into the main farmhouse. Installation took place in just over one week during the summer and the output from the panels exceeded their expectations. The panels produced just over 2000 kWh during the first two months, extremely good considering the weather in August and September was below average.

When looking to specify solar PV panels it is important to not only choose high energy yielding products but also those that have undergone rigorous toxological testing to ensure it can withstand exposure to chemicals such as ammonia, which is often present in farm buildings used to house animals.

The introduction f the tariff regime provides a positive framework for organisations who want to contribute to reduce carbon emissions by adopting solar PV technology with the added benefit of a new revenue stream. And with the industry set to grow massively over the next few years, there’s never been a better time to start doing our bit for the environment.

(Farming Monthly January 2011)

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