For those interested in global warming, now called climate change!

Actually not as difficult as it sounds, providing you have a fairly stable DC voltage source - all you need is a DC to DC converter (essentially a dropper circuit, usually comprised of a suitable dropper resistor, a capacitor to smooth out transients and a zener diode to stabilise voltage.

 

It depends on whether they're actually going to stop it at the end of June. They said they would stop it at the end of January and then again on April the first, but haven't lost it yet. Once you start on the FIT you never lose it. I've just checked and it's guaranteed to remain at your starting rate, with an inflation increase each year, for 20 years.

 

It works out at more than that as you're referring to the 'Generation Tariff'. On top of that you get the 'Export Tariff' which is the equivalent to around another 2.5p. Together they become the 'Feed In Tariff'. So it can still be worthwhile.

If you're someone who has the approx. £5,000 sitting in the bank doing nothing (earning not much more than 1%), and don't expect to need to use it, then it's a fairly good return on your investment.

If all you get in Feed In Tariff is £200 (and you should get more) and only save another £200 on the generated power that you use then you're getting £400 return on £5,000. That's equivalent to a tax free 8%.

Of course, you will have lost your capital because you have spent it, but takes you back to what I have said about needing it. On those figures (and they should be somewhat better because you can use more of the generated electricity with a bit of organisation, and the FIT increases each year) you will have got your money back in just under twelve years and be making a profit from then on - and that's worse case scenario using the figures above.

If you have to borrow the money to do it then it's definitely not worth it. In that case, the other option is 'roof renting', as mentioned above. A company does all the installation free of charge, they get the FIT and you do OK by being able to use as much of the electricity produced as you wish. In my opinion this shouldn't detract from the sale of a house but it's better to ask an estate agent more about that.