Feed in Tariff Update
A Feed in Tariff (FIT) offers a support payment (p/kWh) for electricity generation and is widely in operation in other EU Member States as a way of encouraging investment in renewable electricity generation, especially small scale.
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) issued a consultation on the ‘Financial Incentives for Renewable Electricity’ on the 15th July 2009 which proposed a FIT for small scale generation in Great Britain to be introduced in April 2010. Details of the FIT have now been announced and it was introduced on the 1st April 2010 in Great Britain. More information about the tariff can be found by logging on to www.decc.gov.uk.
Northern Ireland does not currently have the legislative powers to introduce such an incentive and a FIT will certainly not be introduced in Northern Ireland within the timeframe planned for GB. The Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) in Northern Ireland consulted on other changes being proposed for the Renewables Obligation from 2010 including consideration of the support for small scale generation. The Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO) changes which apply from the 1st April 2010 can be found by logging on to www.detini.gov.uk. More information about the enhanced ROC levels for Northern Ireland can be found in Section 5.
