Subsidise solar power for homes, States told
Thursday 31st January 2013, 4:00PM GMT.
Simon Dudson, technical director of The Little Green Energy Company
A NEW energy company is calling on the States to introduce a cash incentive to encourage Guernsey’s population to embrace solar technology.
The Little Green Energy Company said subsidies were in place elsewhere across Europe, including in the UK, to reward homeowners and businesses for installing solar panels and producing electricity. This would be in addition to any fee from Guernsey Electricity for excess energy pumped back into the grid.
But while the Policy Council said it welcomed the new company and the extra choice it would bring, it remained unconvinced that subsidies were either ‘desirable or necessary’. It also warned that such incentives would result in either higher electricity or tax bills for customers.
Little Green Energy technical director, Simon Dudson, pictured, said the green solar technology could help to solve energy supply issues facing the island, including the reliance on a single cable link to France.
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The key difference here of course is that the GE and GG are state owned. After the initial capital and maintenance, solar power is of course free.
In subsidising this the States would effectively be paying to take money out of its own pocket so unsurprising they wouldn’t be keen!
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if your reference to GG is Guernsey Gas then you are incorrect stating that it is states owned, GG is in fact owned by a private equity company whose sole focus is to venerate the maximum amount of income from GG with no interest in supporting local businesses like this
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Money needs to be invested into Guernseys future energy plan. Wind and tidal may come but are along way off. Installing Solar now is not a solution on its own but can work very well in the mix and would have an immediate impact on the current demands of GEs daily load, providing a clean source of power and taking the pressure off the grid system. A relatively small investment compared to the offshore systems, encouraging local people and businesses to take more involvement in where their energy comes from.
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I think I’ll set up my own business and tell the States that they should subsidise everyone buying my products. Should be a nice little earner for me.
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Ha ha I thought that at first! What do you fancy doing in order to get subsidy?
How about a gym that generates all its own electricity through the exercises being carried out. All the spare energy goes back to the grid but the States subsidise it and me and you just spend the profit?! I’m in!
If GE was community spirited and cared for the environment and wanted to help each and every one of us I suppose they would. That ain’t gonna happen. The price of lecky would just rocket….Man!
Sorry
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Don’t you need to sun to power it? Not a lot of that in Guernsey.
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Have to agree – only visited Guernsey half a dozen times – love it!!! – but you are not blessed with the best weather.
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The States won’t subsidise this for the normal hardworking homeowner but will install it for nothing on new States houses … go figure?!
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Guernseyman
Either you are being deliberately provocative or showing your ignorance.
There is a difference between solar thermal on the States homes and solar PV. Look it up perhaps?
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No
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this guy obviously doesn’t understand how GE operate.
GE has never and will never encourage their consumers to reduce their consumtion or will they ever encourage micro-generation. They are in the buisness of selling electricity.
The cost of oil/nuclear is irrelivant they will just pass on the cost to the consumer, who has no choice in supplier.
Add to that the fact that GE is run by a bunch of guys who have all been there since they left school. Oil is what they know an as long as the unit price is justifiable to the OUR aint nothin gonna change.
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Maybe not a subsidy per se but a waiver of charges by the Environment Department for any plans submitted to install alternative energy systems, eg solar panels or small wind turbines, would be a step in the right direction. Pity all of the old vinery windmills have gone now, they could have been given a new lease of life.
Have there been any indications from GE that any surplus energy could be purchased from the provider? Are any investigations being carried out in this regard?
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Hi Fran
As I posted on the other thread which has disappeared, many renewable installations are exempt from the requirement for planning permission anyway. For those that do require it, the fee is £50. Given the cost of an installation, I do not think this is acting in any way as a deterrent.
GE will buy electricity generated by individuals at a price equivalent to the averaged marginal cost of generation or importation. Last time I checked this was just under 10p per kWh.
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The ‘buy back’ tariff is the one you want on here
http://www.electricity.gg/publicinfo/tariffs/01-10-12.pdf
….and the hoops you need to jump through to sell your surplus to GE are here:-
http://www.electricity.gg/onlineservices/serviceapplication/PrivateGeneration.pdf
Interestingly the buyback tariff is pegged to the cost of generating electricity at the powerstation or buying it from France. It’s jumped up 2p in about 2 years.
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Home solar panels are being encouraged in many other coutries, with the owner being able to sell back to the grid at a fixed rate.
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Remove the monopoly enjoyed by GE first. This is preventing private investment in electricity generation in the Island.
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