Boffin’s guide to the tariffs

Links to the full details and documents for all the background to the Feed-In Tariffs

Firstly, have you read the rest of this website? If not go away and do that first – this is the most comprehensive analysis anywhere of the UK’s Feed-In Tariffs scheme.

Reviews to the legislation

First Review of the Tariffs 2011/12

Administration of the Feed-In Tariffs

Much of the regulation is undertaken by the electricity suppliers and effected by:

  • The modifications to the electricity supply licences
  • The further modifications to implement the ‘Fast-Track Review’
  • The further modifications to implement Phase 1 of the Comprehensive Review
  • The further modifications to implement Phase 2A of the Comprehensive Review (too large to upload, but available here)
  • The tariff levels table on the Ofgem website (but you may find ours more user-friendly)

Here are some of the detailed guidelines for administering the Tariffs.

and here is a link to Ofgem’s quarterly newsletter on the FITs.

Tax and Treasury issues

  • Our associate company’s letter to the Treasury on tax exemption
  • The Treasury’s response
  • The Pre-Budget Report (PBR) 2009 – overview
  • Chapter 7 of the PBR (where the tax exemption is covered in 7.37 on page 127)
  • The Budget 2011 (where FITs-related EIS and VCT changes are covered in paragraph 2.38)
  • The consultation on the changes to the EIS rules
  • The consultation on removing FITs-eligible technologies from Enhanced Capital Allowances

Background to the legislation

Here are the originals of the primary documents which have led to the introduction of the Feed-In Tariffs

The Energy Act 2008

The industry blueprint for the Feed-In Tariffs and Renewable Heat Incentive

The initial consultation and related documents:

The adopted design of the FITs following the consultation:

The Statutory Instruments putting these arrangements into action

  • SI 678 of 2010 was approved on 30th March 2010 and is available here
  • An amendment was made in SI 1181 of 2011 on 30th May 2011 to clarify the regulations for hydro and some accreditation details

But much of the implementing regulation is in the modifications to the licences for electricity suppliers under ‘Administration’ below.

The Coalition Government’s programme

The government appointed in May 2010 was expected to continue to show strong support.

Their Coalition Programme makes specific references to the tariffs and related issues on pages 16 and 17.

Public Spending Review 2010

This made reference to the tariffs, though much has since changed.

Our input to the regulatory process

FITs and the RO

  • The House of Commons published this handy overview of the status in June 2011