Late year rush for UK solar

Domestic and commercial rooftop solar almost doubled from October to December 2015 compared with the same period the previous year, according to DECC statistics.

The data is not surprising said the Solar Trade Association because the deployment came ahead of lower levels of support for solar that came into force on 15 January.

The tariff rates decreased for domestic systems to 4.39p/kWh from 12.03p/kWh.

STA chief executive officer Paul Barwell said: “The ‘huge rush’ some predicted has not really occurred, perhaps reflecting the 2015 stable market conditions as well as the cut in absolute terms was less than in 2012 – an 8p cut instead of a 20p cut. We won’t know the full impact until January’s stats are published.

Barwell added that, despite the cuts, solar still has potential for “forward-thinking homeowners who want to generate their own electricity and protect themselves from rises in energy prices, and we anticipate install prices will continue to fall”.

Image: sxc