2010 Marks a record year for UK solar installations
Figures from Ofgem, the UK energy regulator, show that the UK has installed more solar power in 2010 than in any other year.
Despite the fact that the UK Met Office said yesterday UK temperatures averaged 8 degrees Celsius in 2010, making it the 12th coldest year in a series dating back a century, Ofgem reveals that 42 MW of solar power were installed in the UK in 2010.
The surge in installations, covering 16,000 homes and commercial properties, has been driven by Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) that became available on 1st April 2010 and has led to a tenfold increase on UK solar power levels.
Under the FITs, anyone who installs an eligible Solar PV system will receive a guaranteed fixed payment for all the electricity they generate, including what they use, for a period of 25 years. They will also receive an additional payment for any electricity that don’t use that they feed back into the National Grid.
Andrew Lee, head of Sharp Corp., the Osaka-based electronics maker’s U.K. solar unit, said in a telephone interview “The Feed-in Tariffs sparked investment in an economic downturn.”
He added, “They’ve been a birth for the solar industry, and we’ve responded by creating jobs.”
EvoEnergy has reported record numbers of solar photovoltaic installations during 2010. To find out how much you could earn from a Solar PV system give us a call on +44 (0) 8448 150 200.
Ref: Bloomberg