Applying for the Feed-in Tariff
The initial point of contact for anyone wanting to find out more about electricity generation and how to join the FIT scheme is the Energy Saving Advice Service in England and Wales-link opens in a new browser window or 0300 123 1234 and the Energy Saving Trust in Scotland-link opens in a new browser window or 0800 512 012.
To be eligible to apply for the FIT scheme, the total installed capacity of an installation must not exceed 5 MW. This limit is 2kW in the case of CHP. The following renewable and low carbon technologies are eligible:
- Photovoltaic
- Wind
- Hydro
- Anaerobic digestion
- Micro CHP
To apply for the FIT scheme, installations must be located in Great Britain and have an approved meter in place.
Generators are able to apply for accreditation for their installations by going through one of two routes (NOTE: micro-hydro installations should read the 'Information for Micro-hydro installations' section at this foot of the page for information specific to this technology):
- Installations which have a declared net capacity of 50kW or less (excluding anaerobic digestion) are required to obtain the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certification or equivalent. This means that the installations must be commissioned by a MCS-certified Installer using a MCS-Certified Product or be certified under an equivalent scheme. Such installations need to apply for accreditation by contacting a FIT Licensee with their MCS details.
More information on MCS products and installers can be found on the MCS website - link opens in new browser window.
- Installations which have a declared net capacity greater than 50kW and up to and including 5MW (or all anaerobic digestion up to 5MW) need to apply for ROO-FIT accreditation (see below for more information on ROO-FIT accreditation and the importance of the eligibility date)
Upon successful registration with the FIT Licensee, generators will be required to agree the Statement of FIT Terms with their FIT Licensee. Once the Statement of FIT Terms is signed, the tariff payments can commence.
Applying for ROO-FIT accreditation
1. Set up an account on the Renewables and CHP Register.
- Click on the word "Register". This will prompt you to answer several questions about your organisation. Please keep a note of the user name and the account name as you will need this information at a later date
- If you are registering as a company, we will require a letter of authorisation in order to approve your account. Please complete this on company-headed paper, scan and email back to Ofgem in the required template format
- A password will be issued as soon as the account has been approved
- We have produced an Application for Accreditation FAQ document to help guide you through the application process
2. Initiate an application for accreditation using the “Apply for new accreditation” function under the “Accreditation” tab.
- Provide full and accurate answers to the questions you are asked
- Upload, post or fax documentation as requested
- “Send” the application to the account SuperUser so they can make the relevant declarations
- Make the relevant declarations
3. Once you have sent your application and submitted the declarations, Ofgem will receive the application (see below for implications on the "eligibility date").
4. The application is reviewed using a three stage checking process.
5. Ofgem will confirm ROO-FIT accreditation by email.
Further guidance on the ROO-FIT process is available in the Feed-in Tariff: Guidance for renewable installations.
Eligibility Date and Eligibility Period
The date from which a generator is eligible to receive payments for electricity generated and exported is known as the Eligibility Date. The Eligibility Date is defined as the later of the following dates:
a) A FIT supplier received a written request for FIT registration (including MCS certificate),
b) Ofgem received a request for ROO-FIT accreditation, or
c) The commissioning date of the installation
For example, if the installation had commissioned on 1 September 2010 and the application for FIT was received on 15 September 2010 by the FIT Licensee, the correct Eligibility Date for that installation is 15 September 2010. Electricity produced and exported prior to this date is not eligible for FIT payments.
We recommend that all applicants posting their application to their FIT Licensee use Royal Mail’s Recorded Delivery service. Using Special Delivery is recommended where an applicant wants to be certain their application is received by a FIT Licensee by a set date.
Ofgem understands there are practical obstacles when a generator makes a written application for FIT; by the time a FIT Licensee receives the application form via post, natural postal delays will mean that the Eligibility Date will be after a generator has taken the start meter reading and completed, signed and dated an application form. Ofgem has advised Licensees that a reasonable postal delay (5 working days) should be allowed. If the application is received up to 5 working days from the date on which the meter readings was taken, Ofgem considers that the meter reading recorded on the application form is acceptable as the start meter reading for FIT payments. For applications received more that 5 working days after the start meter reading was taken, the FIT Licensee should take another start reading from the generator.
The payments will continue for the duration of the Eligibility Period. The Eligibility period starts on the Eligibility Date and lasts, in most circumstances, for 20 years. The Eligibility period of photovoltaic is 25 years and micro CHP 10 years.
Information for Micro-hydro installations
The FIT scheme provides for transitional arrangements allowing micro-hydro stations (with a declared net capacity of 50kW or less) that are first commissioned between 1 April 2010 and 30 September 2012 to be accredited for FITs under the ROO-FIT process. These changes will not affect existing micro-hydro installations that have already received FIT accreditation.
Any installation commissioned between 1 April 2010 and 30 September 2012 must apply for accreditation through the ROO-FIT process via Ofgem’s Renewable & CHP Register. Further guidance on the ROO-FIT process is available in the Feed-in Tariff: Guidance for renewable installations. Upon gaining ROO-FIT accreditation, generators are required to contact a FIT Licensee with their ROO-FIT details.
Where a micro-hydro installation commissioned between 1 April 2010 and 30 September 2012 applies for FITs accreditation on or after 30 May 2011, their eligibility date will be the date the installation commissioned.
FIT payments will continue for the duration of the Eligibility Period. The Eligibility Period starts on the Eligibility Date and lasts for 20 years.
Any micro-hydro installation that commissions after 30 September 2012 is required to obtain the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certification or equivalent. This means that the installations must be commissioned by a MCS-Certified Installer using a MCS-Certified Product or be certified under an equivalent scheme. Such installations need to apply for accreditation by contacting a FIT Licensee with their MCS details.