Generation Meter Readings

[whinmoor]

Received a letter today from my FiT provider – Green Energy UK. They are saying that Ofgem are changing the rules so that customers can no longer provide their own generation meter readings. Photographic evidence is also no longer acceptable.

They propose therefore to employ a third party to read generation meters. This is intended to combat fraud.

The letter doesn't make it clear whether this will need to happen every quarter or if this is a one-off check but it must add to someone's costs somewhere along the line.

 

[Ian-LS]

Received a letter today from my FiT provider – Green Energy UK. They are saying that Ofgem are changing the rules so that customers can no longer provide their own generation meter readings. Photographic evidence is also no longer acceptable.

They propose therefore to employ a third party to read generation meters. This is intended to combat fraud.

The letter doesn't make it clear whether this will need to happen every quarter or if this is a one-off check but it must add to someone's costs somewhere along the line.

Another brilliant idea by OFGEM. How much will this cost to do? more than they will save by the small number of fraud incidents relating to Solar PV?. Anyone think that this is related to the SAP estimate on the MCS certificate and the number PV systems doing more than on the MCS certificate?. If thats the case its not fraud, its because SAP is not fit for purpose, we put our actual estimate down on the MCS certificate not SAP

 

[jason121]

I should receive a letter but still waiting to sign my FIT contract from March :6:

 

[BruceB]

an annual meter reading charge next?

 

[SRE]

We had ours read in August, for once EDF seem to have been ahead of the game.

 

[FB.]

Er.....my generation meter is inside my house.
How are they going to read that without making an appointment or simply estimating the reading?

I thought that FiT providers queried any reading which was notably outside of expected levels anyway - in which case I can understand them asking to see the generation meter and possibly inverter logs as proof.

 

[FB.]

Anyone think that this is related to the SAP estimate on the MCS certificate and the number PV systems doing more than on the MCS certificate?.

Yes, if true, it's probably because the majority of systems are exceeding their annual SAP estimate.
SAP2009 - with its vague roof angle, vague azimuth and rather pessimistic cable/inverter losses - says that I should generate 2991kWh per year.
I'm just coming up to that now, with a few months left before the anniversary of the installation. My generation is 13% above what SAP2009 says it should be at ths point in time despite us having a shockingly bad year (the first year ever that the grapes on my vine are still green and pea-sized instead of purple and normal-size).

Likewise several other local arrays I know of (or know the owners of) are pretty much on the same 10-15% above SAP trend.

 

[Worcester]

They are SUPPOSED to read it once a year, other readings can be submitted by you.

They'll have fun when some are installed in the attic / loft, one of ours is 40 m from the house in a sealed IP65 cabinet.

 

[whinmoor]

Er.....my generation meter is inside my house.
How are they going to read that without making an appointment or simply estimating the reading?

I thought that FiT providers queried any reading which was notably outside of expected levels anyway - in which case I can understand them asking to see the generation meter and possibly inverter logs as proof.

We usually install generation meters inside. Garages usually work best but utility rooms, kitchens, hallways are also popular. I attach a copy of the letter they sent out. I'm not exactly sure why they need to send out an "engineer" to collect this information mg_smile:

 

[FB.]

I'm not exactly sure why they need to send out an "engineer" to collect this information mg_smile:

A small number of the systems on PVOutput look like pure fantasy - perhaps the "engineer" will also inspect such systems and look at various factors influencing their performance (pitch, azimuth, shading etc) to ensure that there's nothing out of the ordinary going on.

 

[flierman1945]

I'm with Green Energy and have up til now provided the picture showing the total gen and the serial number. Like other posters have mentioned, who is going to be the ultimate payer for this service?. One other point mentioned above about the mcs certificate and the predicted KW generation for an installed installation. My 3.2 kw system was a predicted at 2.6 megawatt per year, but over the Three year period I have had the system working, my average has been higher, more in the region of 3.1Megawatt. One question springs to mind. If my Frtonius IG30 ever popped its clogs, and I had an alternative fitted, it would probably be a more over sized unit say equivalent to an old IG40. Then if my generation increased to say 3.4Megawatt, will they come looking for me, because I am generating more than the original certificate indicated.

 

[TedM]

Its has been a legal requirement since day one of FiTs for the total generation meter to be independently read once every two years.