Understanding Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) and Smart Export Guarantees (SEG): Can You Modify Your Solar System?

The Feed-in Tariff (FIT) was an older government initiative that provided high payments for every unit of energy exported to the grid. While FITs are no longer available to new applicants, many homeowners still benefit from this scheme. In contrast, Smart Export Guarantees (SEGs) are the current standard, allowing homeowners to earn money by exporting excess energy to the grid through agreements with their energy suppliers.

A common question for those with an existing FIT contract is whether they can make changes to their solar system without affecting their tariff.

Can You Modify Your Solar System Under a FIT Agreement?

The ability to make changes to your solar system—such as replacing solar panels or inverters—generally depends on the specifics of your FIT agreement. Most contracts state that as long as the output values are not altered, you can make modifications to both panels and inverters.

Example 1: Replacing Solar Panels

If you currently have 16 solar panels on your roof totaling 3KW under a FIT agreement, changing these panels could potentially increase your system's output beyond the 3KW limit. However, you could opt to replace the 16 panels with 10 more efficient panels that keep your system's output under the 3KW threshold.

Example 2: Replacing the Inverter

If your existing 3KW inverter is a few years old and needs to be replaced, you can typically swap it out for a different make and model, provided the new inverter also stays within the 3KW limit.

Always Check with Your Energy Supplier

Before making any changes, it's essential to check your agreement with your energy supplier to confirm what modifications are allowed. Be sure to document their response so you can refer to it if needed in the future.

UKGEI Are Now Advanced Installers for GivEnergy

UK Green Energy Installations have now been accredited by GivEnergy as Advanced Installers.

What does this mean for you?

Being an Advanced GivEnergy Installer shows that UK Green Energy Installations has not only installed the required quantity of batteries and inverters but received positive feedback from each customer for those installations.

This demonstrates how UKGEI will:

• Install your system with professionalism and reliability

• Install your system to the required standard and quality

• Install and configure your system to provide the optimum results for your premises.

Benefits of Service Maintenance Contracts for EV Charge Points

There is nothing more frsutrating than going to use something and it isn’t working, and it always seems to be when you have the least amount of time to find an alternative solution. In a commercial environment time is money and ensuring your charge point is working properly when you need it is essential.

UKGEI already support a range of businesses in Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire with a maintenance contract ensuring all of their EV charge points are working when they’re required.

Benefits of signing up for a maintenance contract

• Be proactive with proof of safety checks will tick the box for insurance purposes.

• Maintenance contracts will include regular testing (every six months) to ensure all safety critical components such as RCDs and RCBOs for added peace of mind.

• Maintenance contracts will also test functional components are working properly such as covers and barriers that can prevent damage and water ingress stopping your charger from working.

Top Tips to Keep Your EV Charge Points Performing

Once your EV Charge Points are installed it is easy to apply the tick for job done, without another thought on if they will continue to function with minimal intervention.

Although most of the time this is the case, there are things we can do to ensure the charge points continue to function as we’d expect including:

• Keeping an eye out for visual damage of the unit/s that may allow environmental conditions to effect performance such as water ingress

• Keep your back-office subscriptions going and keep a note of the date of first year’s completion, otherwsie you might get a surprise once the first year’s subscription has expired

• Ensure firmware is kept up-to-date because in some instances this could prevent your charger from functioning due to conflicts.

• As most commercial chargers are untethered, it is important to ensure colleagues are using cables which are well maintained so they don’t affect your charge point.

• Consider a maintenance contract which will ensure all of the above is monitored for you.

Install the TESLA Powerwall 3 in your Home With UKGEI

UK Green Energy Installations is now an approved supplier of TESLA and the TESLA Powerwall 3.

Whether you are for a powerful and modular battery for your home or your business, the TESLA Powerwall 3 is an ideal solution, and can now be installed by UK Green Energy Installations.

Take a look at our product page to find out how easy it is to control the system with the TESLA app.

Service and Maintenance Contracts for Supporting EV Charge Points

As EV chargers become commonplace within the workplace it’s important that the chargers have a maintenance contract in place, ensuring the ongoing reliability of all the EV charge points.

UK Green Energy Installations look after many charge points for different businesses, carrying out servicing and contractual work, allowing for rapid repairs, should any charge points fail.

Need a servicing contract for your EV chargers?