What is the Feed-in Tariff scheme?
The Feed-in Tariff scheme (FITs) is an environmental programme introduced by the government to promote the use of small-scale renewable and low-carbon electricity generation technologies. The FIT offered by Southend Energy is being operated by ‘our partner’ Robin Hood Energy. Robin Hood Energy is a voluntary FITs licensee and we offer our domestic, community or business customers the opportunity to claim a FITs tariff for the electricity they generate and export back to the grid. If you install electricity-generating technology from a renewable or low-carbon source – solar panels or a wind turbine for example – the FITs scheme allows you to claim money back on your supply. Talk to our customer services team for more information.
The following technologies are eligible for the FITS scheme:
- Solar photovoltaic (usually called PV) panels with a total installed capacity (TIC) of 5MW or less.
- Wind with a TIC of 5MW or less.
- Hydro with a TIC of 5MW or less.
- Anaerobic digestion with a TIC of 5MW or less.
- Micro combined heat and power (CHP) installations with a TIC of 2kW or less.
Southend Energy will make the FITs payments to you. Larger energy suppliers are required by law to provide these payments but smaller suppliers are not. Here at Southend Energy, we’ve opted to offer them anyway so we can give our customers the benefits of FITs.
For you to qualify for FITs, the installer and the products you use must both be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), except hydro and anaerobic digestion which have to go through the ROO-FIT process. The tariffs you receive depend on both the eligibility date and, for solar panels, your property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.
The UK Government’s Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) makes the key policy decisions on FITs. The energy regulator Ofgem administers the scheme.
Eligibility Dates
The eligibility date is the date from which an installation becomes eligible for FITs payments. For most renewable electricity systems (with a declared net capacity of 50kW or less), this will be the date we receive a valid application for FITs. This will be after the date on which your renewable electricity system is installed, so it’s essential to send your application to us as soon as possible.
Further Information
For more information on Feed-in Tariffs check out the Ofgem website.
Download our FITs application form.
Contact the FITs team
Call us. 0115 852 6508
Email us.
Our opening hours. Monday to Friday 9am-5pm