Schools and FiT's

[Obbit]

Has anyone heard of School's managing to get the higher FiT rate?

Strictly speaking they can't as they wouldn't be registered as a CIC on the Companies House register, or co-operatives or community benefit societies registered on the Financial Services Authority (FSA) Mutuals Public Register. This being the criteria to not needing a Band D EPC.

However, it seems with a little admin wizardry I'm sure this could be organised.

Cheers poeple

 

[TedM]

Schools don't need the EPC 'D' just a valid non-domestic EPC of 'G' or higher to get the highest rate of FiT. But you have to go through the OFGEM pre-registration process for a system with a DNC no larger than 50 kW or through the ROO-FIT process for systems over 50 kW DNC but below 250 kW TIC. They don't need to be a CIC.

See Chapter 3 in here https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/58937/fit-community-and-school-guidance.pdf

 

[BruceB]

Has anyone got an example of a CofE church installing PV and managing to fall in the community energy installation category and therefore only requiring EPC level G? One I think is about to give me the go-ahead seem resigned to getting a lower level of FIT.

 

[jason121]

We have installed on a church and managed the higher rate. Although we went the EPC route an scored a D with no heating.

 

[Obbit]

Thanks for that quick answer and the link. You've set me up with some exciting bedtime reading.

 

[TedM]

Bruce, DECC/OFGEM see nothing special in a church. To be eligible for the EPC exemption a "community organisation" needs to be registered as one of:

a Community Interest Company, or a Co-operative Society, or a Community Benefit Society.

See Chapter 2 in the previous link I provided.

I have to admit to feeling a little guilty about all this as I was one of the respondents to DECC's consultation (a couple of years back) that said that the definition of "community organisation" should be black and white and that is pretty much exactly what they have done.

 

[BruceB]

Yes, I saw those three categories. I wonderered whether any PCCs had jumped through the hoops to set up a CIC to rent out spare rooms/facilities and operate the PV through that. Idle curiosity really. The problem is not sitting on my desk, but if I could offer them a suggestion I would.