More than a quarter of non-domestic solar PV capacity registered under the feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme is contracted with independent consolidator SmartestEnergy, according to latest figures.
SmartestEnergy’s solar PV scheme, working across England and Wales, now totals over 75.5MW in installed capacity, 26 per cent of the total.
SmartestEnergy’s market share in non-domestic solar - which includes commercial, industrial and community installations - was highlighted as it revealed figures for its involvement in the second year of the FiT scheme.
In total during 2011/12, SmartestEnergy paid out more than £17.8m across the UK under the FiT scheme to solar, wind, hydro and anaerobic digestion projects. The figure is compared to £1.75m paid out by SmartestEnergy during the first year of the scheme.
SmartestEnergy currently has a 29 per cent share of the overall non-domestic FiT scheme market by installed capacity. More than two-thirds of SmartestEnergy’s installed capacity under the FiTs, is solar.
“Our figures confirm the growing importance of commercial and industrial solar to the overall renewable energy sector under the FiT scheme,” Mark Knights, Head of Generation at SmartestEnergy.
“Energy generated from 94 per cent of the commercial and industrial solar PV schemes we work with is being used on-site, helping businesses reduce both their energy costs and their carbon footprint.”
According to Ofgem’s latest figures, solar PV schemes accounted for just over 291MW of the total 378MW capacity of non-domestic schemes registered under the FiT scheme, as of June 26 this year.
There are 7,672 non-domestic solar PV schemes registered under the FiT scheme out of a total 8,470 projects including wind, hydro and anaerobic digestion.
Earlier this year SmartestEnergy urged the Government to close the gap between FiT rates for domestic and commercial-scale solar projects.
In its response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s consultation on solar PV tariffs, the company argued that a single rate for all sizes of project would provide the best environment for long term investment in the sector.
SmartestEnergy said it believed a single rate for all solar installations should be considered with a suggested figure in the region of 15-19p, in line with that implied by the assessment of costs in the Government’s fast-track review of solar tariffs.
For more information visit: www.smartestenergy.com
