Feed-in Tariffs (FIT)

Is my installation an MCS-FIT or a ROO-FIT installation and what’s the difference?

Whether your installation is categorised as MCS-FIT or ROO-FIT depends on the technology type and capacity.

An MCS-FIT installation is:

• A solar PV or wind installation with a declared net capacity (DNC) at or below 50kW, or
• A micro CHP installation with a capacity up to the 2kW scheme maximum
• All other eligible installations are categorised as ROO-FIT:
• Solar PV and wind installations with a DNC above 50kW  
• All AD and hydro installations.

This distinction is important when applying: generators of ROO-FIT installations must apply to Ofgem for accreditation and could also receive preliminary accreditation. MCS-FIT installations are directly registered onto the CFR by the FIT licensees.

Additionally, if you are the generator of a ROO-FIT installation, you must inform Ofgem (in addition to your FIT licensee) of any changes to your installation or its ownership by updating the Renewables & CHP Register. If you are the generator of an MCS-FIT installation, you only need to inform your licensee of any changes.

Otherwise, barring the sustainability requirements applicable for AD installations, MCS-FIT and ROO-FIT installations are treated the same.

Why does my tariff rate change?

Generation and export tariffs are adjusted every financial year by the Retail Price Index (RPI) percentage increase or decrease over the previous calendar year. You can find the most up-to-date tariff rates on our tariff rates page.

What do I need to do before I can start receiving payments?
The first step is to apply for accreditation. For more information on this, see our how to apply page. There are then two steps you need to complete before you can start receiving payments:

1. Approach a FIT licensee and agree a statement of FIT terms with them. For generators with MCS-FIT installations, this will be the FIT Licensee you applied to. Otherwise, you can find a list of FIT licensees on the licensee contact details page.
2. Provide your licensee with initial meter readings: both a generation reading from your generation meter and an export meter reading if you have an export or smart meter installed. The reading(s) must have been taken after your Eligibility Date (usually the date your application for accreditation was submitted). 

If you switch to another FIT Licensee, you will need to agree to a new statement of FIT terms with them and provide up-to-date meter readings before the new licensee will start making payments. For more info on switching, see the ‘Dealing with licensees’ section below. 

When will I get paid from?

Once you’re set up to receive payments, your licensee will make back payments for all electricity generated (and exported, if you are signed up for export payments) from your Eligibility Date, provided that you can provide initial meter readings taken on that day. 

If you can’t submit a reading that was taken on the Eligibility Date then payments will only be backdated from the first reading taken after the Eligibility Date. You should receive your first payment within 90 days of the date you provide the readings to your licensee.
 

How do I switch FIT licensees?

If you wish to switch your FIT licensee, you should contact a different FIT licensee and ask to switch. The new licensee will then contact your current licensee and will begin the transfer process. 

The time taken to complete the switch will vary from licensee to licensee but usually takes around 4-5 weeks. 

I have a dispute with my licensee. Who can I contact?

If you have a complaint about your FIT licensee, you should first follow their complaints procedure, which should be available on their website and in your statement of FIT terms. If the complaint has not been resolved, you can escalate this to the Energy Ombudsman.

You can find further details on our dispute resolution guidance page.

What happens if my FIT licensee has its supply license revoked?

To participate in the UK’s electricity market, energy suppliers must have an electricity supply licence. It is through the conditions in their supply license that licensees participate in the FIT scheme. Therefore, if an energy supplier’s license is revoked, they stop being a FIT Licensee (in addition to no longer being allowed to supply electricity to customers). 

Energy customers are automatically switched to a new supplier when a supplier fails. However, the process is different if you’re a FIT generator and your FIT licensee’s license is revoked, even if it’s also your electricity supplier.

You are responsible for selecting a new FIT Licensee and agreeing FIT terms with them to continue receiving payments. When you approach a new FIT licensee, you will be required to provide certain information you have regarding your installation. This will include:

• Your name
• Address
• FIT ID
• Whether the installation is MCS-FIT or ROO-FIT
• The MCS or ROO-FIT number
• Technology type
• Capacity
• Billing information 
• The date of the meter reading when the last payments were made. 
   

I’ve made a change to my installation. Do I need to notify anyone?

You must notify your FIT licensee of any modifications to an accredited installation that increase or decrease its total installed capacity (TIC) from the same type of eligible technology (eg solar PV or wind).

This may happen by: 

• adding or removing generating equipment 
• replacing generating equipment with a larger or smaller TIC

You also need to notify your FIT licensee when:

• a generation or export meter has been replaced, removed or begins measuring electricity that is not generated by the accredited installation.
• battery storage is connected to the accredited installation
• there are any other modifications to the accredited installation.

If you are the FIT generator of a ROO-FIT installation, you must also notify Ofgem of the changes by updating the installation’s registration on the Renewables & CHP Register. Ofgem will then review any changes before they are applied.

For more information, see our Feed-in Tariffs: Guidance for renewable installations.

Will my accreditation be affected by repairing or replacing my generating equipment, and can I use pre-used generating equipment?

You may repair or replace some or all of the equipment without affecting the accreditation of your installation, provided that the installation continues to meet the scheme rules. These include that: 

• the maximum capacity of 5MW (or 2kW for micro-CHP) is not exceeded 
• the accredited installation continues to generate electricity from the same eligible technology
• the accredited installation is not decommissioned or relocated

You may replace generating equipment with equipment that has formed part of an installation previously accredited under the FIT or Renewables Obligation schemes. 

If, at any time, all of the plant forming the site up to the point of grid connection is removed, we will consider the accredited installation to be decommissioned and the accreditation to end.

If your installation was accredited under ROO-FIT, you must notify Ofgem of the modifications to the accredited installation and, if the TIC of the accredited installation also changes, your FIT licensee as well. Generators of MCS-FIT installations only need to notify their FIT licensee.

For more information on modifications to accredited installations, see our Feed-in Tariffs: Guidance for renewable installations.

Can I extend the capacity of my installation?

You can modify your accredited installation to either increase or decrease its capacity as long as the total installed capacity (TIC) of the installation and any extensions does not exceed 5MW (or 2kW for micro-CHP). 

However, you cannot receive FIT payments in respect of electricity generated from any additional capacity unless the extension was commissioned before 15 January 2016.

You must notify your FIT licensee of the modification, as well as Ofgem if the installation was accredited under ROO-FIT. If generation and export meters record electricity generated by both accredited capacity and non-accredited capacity, then payments must be prorated accordingly.

You can read more about extensions and proration in our Feed-in Tariffs: Guidance for renewable installations.

I have recently replaced my generation or export meter. Do I need to tell Ofgem about it?

Yes. If you are the generator of an MCS-FIT installation, you only need to notify your FIT licensee. If you have a ROO-FIT installation, you must also notify Ofgem of the changes by updating the installations registration on the Renewables & CHP Register. Ofgem will then review any changes before they are applied.

I’m planning on getting a smart meter installed. How will this affect my payments?

Your generation payments will not be affected. When you get a smart meter installed you will receive export payments based on the amount you actually export to the grid.

Many generators (those with installations with a capacity under 30kW with no export meter, or where the electricity exported cannot be properly measured) receive ‘deemed’ export payments, where export payments are based on an estimate of the amount of electricity the installation exports to the grid. The amount of electricity that is deemed to be exported is fixed at a percentage of the generation of the installation. That percentage is set each year in the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero's annual determinations. When you get a smart meter installed you stop receiving deemed export payments and instead receive export payments for the amount of electricity recorded by the meter exported to the grid. 

I want to add battery storage or an electric vehicle charging station to my property. Will this affect my payments?

As long as your electricity generation (and export, if on metered export) can still be accurately measured, your payments will not be affected. However, if it can’t be, you can’t receive payments for that electricity. 
You must be able to measure the electricity generated (and exported, if applicable) by the installation separately from all other sources to receive generation payments (and export payments, if metered). 
For more in-depth guidance, together with example installation diagrams, please see our co-location of electricity storage guidance. 
 

I’ve moved into a new house with solar panels on the roof. Can you tell me if they’re registered on the FIT scheme?

Yes, and we can also tell you which FIT licensee the solar panels are registered with.

You can submit an Ownership Register Query (ORQ) to the Ofgem Central FIT Register (CFR) team at CFR.SAR@ofgem.gov.uk. You will be required to provide documentary proof of identity or other appropriate documentation, as requested by Ofgem before information can be released.

If you are the new owner of an MCS-FIT installation, you should contact the FIT licensee who the installation is registered with, who will then update the details of the generator on the Central FIT Register.

If you are the new owner of a ROO-FIT installation, you should instead first update the installations entry on the Renewables & CHP Register by emailing renewable@ofgem.gov.uk. The team will then send you a transfer request form. Email the completed form, along with the relevant supporting documentation, to the Renewables & CHP Register Team inbox (renewable@ofgem.gov.uk). You must then also notify your FIT licensee when the ownership change has been made, and they will  update the ownership details on the CFR.

How do I change the registered superuser for my installation’s account on the Renewables & CHP Register?

To amend the Superuser on the account, you must first email renewable@ofgem.gov.uk requesting this change. The team will then send you a form. Email the completed form, along with the relevant supporting documentation, to the Renewables Team inbox (renewable@ofgem.gov.uk), who will then update the details on the register.

I’m having trouble getting my change of ownership registered. Who can I complain to?

If you are having difficulty getting your change of ownership request processed, you should first follow your FIT Licensee’s complaint process, which should be available on their website and in your statement of FIT terms. If the dispute has not been resolved after eight weeks, you can refer the complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.

You can find more information on our dispute resolution guidance

How can I withdraw from the FIT scheme?

If you wish to withdraw from the scheme, you should notify your FIT licensee, following the instructions that should be included in your statement of FIT terms.

Once we have received notice from your FIT licensee that you intend to terminate your participation in the FIT scheme, Ofgem will send you a letter notifying you of this, giving you twenty working days to change your mind. If we do not hear from you within that time period, we will then proceed to remove your installation(s) from the Central FIT Register (CFR). We will send you a second letter confirming this.

If you do not receive a letter from us after a reasonable waiting period, you should first chase up your FIT licensee. If you still do not hear from us , you can then contact the CFR team at FITRegister@ofgem.gov.uk.

Please note that once we have removed the installation(s) from the CFR, you will be unable to re-join the FIT scheme at a later date.

In some cases the owner of an installation may be different to the owner of the property or site at which the installation is located. This type of ownership is usually referred to as a third party ownership and most of them work on the ‘Rent-a-roof’ model. The most common arrangement is where the installation owner (The FIT generator) receives FIT payments for solar PV panels installed on the roof of a home, with the homeowner typically receiving the electricity generated (lowering their electricity bills). 
Where an installation is owned by a third party, there is likely to be a signed ‘agreement’ between the homeowner and the installation owner (such as a lease agreement) with the homeowner agreeing to rent their roof for the purposes of installing solar PV panels. The installation owner is likely to be a company rather than an individual.

These installations may be sold between companies, especially when companies go out of business. This change in ownership may not be communicated to the homeowner. We can help you identify the owner of any solar panels that may be on your property: see “How do I find out who owns the solar panels on my roof?” below. 

How do I find out who owns the solar panels on my roof?

You can make a request for details as to who owns the solar PV panels installed at your property or the FIT licensee that the solar PV installation is registered to by submitting an Ownership Register Query (ORQ) at CFR.SAR@ofgem.gov.uk. 

Please note that we may not be able to release all of the information requested and will only be able to provide details of installations that are accredited under the scheme. We can only release information to the person who owns the property to which the renewable technology is connected to. 

What information should I provide Ofgem to process my Ownership Register Query (ORQ)?

Before we can provide you with any information regarding an installation, please provide the following information in an email to fitownership@ofgem.gov.uk.

• your full name;
• your address;
• proof of your ownership of the property to which the renewable technology is connected (the documentation we will accept includes but is not limited to:
  • property purchase contract;
  • deed to the house;
  • solicitor’s house purchase completion letter; or
  • Land Registry documents);
• the length of time you have owned the property (if applicable);
• if you are making the request on behalf of someone else, please provide their written consent.
• the Grant of Probate or will and death certificate of the deceased ( if applicable )

Please attach the above listed documentation to your email. If submitting the request via post, please only provide copies because we can’t return originals.

We can’t accept council tax correspondence, utility bills, bank/mortgage statements or completion statements with a balance owed as evidence of ownership of the property.

We can only release the following information in response to any request:

• Confirmation of FIT registration
• If applicable, confirmation of the registered FIT Licensee (i.e. the energy supplier appointed to make FIT payments)
• If applicable, confirmation of the registered FIT Generator (i.e. the owner of the renewable installation if the generator is an organisation)

To ensure that your request can be dealt with as quickly as possible, please note that we cannot accept council tax correspondence, utility bills or bank/ mortgage statements, or completion statements with a balance owed as evidence of ownership of the property in question.  Submitting these will result in a delay in providing your requested information.

What else do I need to know?

• We do not keep records of whether a renewable installation was connected to the national grid, only if the installation is registered for receipt of Feed-in Tariff (FIT) payments for the generation and/or export of electricity.
• The Feed-In Tariff scheme closed to new applicants on 31/03/2019. The scheme operated under a model where participants needed to make an application to a FIT Licensee (i.e. a registered electricity supplier) in order to receive these benefits. Please note we are aware some applications are still sitting with FIT Licensees awaiting registration on the Central FIT Register. Unfortunately, we do not keep records of which installations are still pending registration on the Central FIT Register as it is the FIT Licensee’s responsibility to ensure these are registered in a timely manner.
• It is the responsibility of the current FIT Licensee for the installation to review and action any change of ownership requests.
• We can only release information to the person who owns the property to which the renewable technology is connected. Therefore, if you lease a property, we cannot release any information about the renewable technology to you.
• If your renewable technology is not registered to the FIT scheme, you may be eligible for Smart Export Guarantee payments (SEG). For further information please visit our Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) page. 

I have a complaint. Who can I contact?

You can find out who to contact depending on your specific dispute on our dispute resolution guidance page.

If you have a complaint about your FIT licensee, you should first follow their complaints procedure, which should be available on their website and in your statement of FIT terms. If an agreement has not been reached with the FIT licensee, then you should contact the Energy Ombudsman.

I want to request information from Ofgem. How can I do this?

You can make a Subject Access Request (SAR), Freedom of Information (FOI) request or Environmental Information Request (EIR), to the Ofgem information request team at information.rights@ofgem.gov.uk. You can also contact us to make an EIR request on 020 7901 7295. If you are making a SAR, you will be required to provide documentary proof of identity or other appropriate documentation, as requested by Ofgem, before information can be released.

If you want to find out who owns an accredited installation on your property, you can submit an Ownership Register Query (ORQ) – see ‘I’ve moved into a new house with solar panels on the roof. Can you tell me if they’re registered on the FIT scheme?’ above.

You can find more information on our dispute resolution guidance page.

What is the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) and can I apply for it even if I’m a FIT generator?

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) requires electricity suppliers to pay small-scale generators for low-carbon electricity which they export to the grid. SEG Licensees determine the rate which they will pay SEG Generators, the contract length and other terms, but the tariff rate must always be above zero.

Most accredited FIT installations will be eligible for the SEG, provided they have a smart or export meter installed. However, you cannot receive both SEG payments and FIT export payments for the same electricity. In order to register for the SEG, you must first opt out of FIT export payments for their installation by contacting their FIT Licensee.

You can learn more about the SEG on the Smart Export Guarantee page.