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Feed in Tariff (FIT) meaning

Published by a LexisNexis Energy expert
What does Feed in Tariff (FIT) mean?
A feed‑in tariff (FIT) is a support mechanism under which licensed electricity suppliers must buy electricity from eligible renewable or low‑carbon generators at a set price per kWh for a fixed term, helping small‑scale projects to be financially viable and bankable. In Great Britain (England & Wales and Scotland) the term commonly refers to the statutory Feed‑in Tariffs scheme established under the Energy Act 2008 and implemented via electricity supply licence conditions, administered by Ofgem. It provided index‑linked generation and export payments to accredited microgeneration and small‑scale installations (for example, solar PV, wind, hydro and micro‑CHP), with costs recovered from suppliers and ultimately consumers. The GB FIT closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019; accredited installations retain their statutory entitlements for the remainder of their tariff period. From 1 January 2020, the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) replaced new FIT export support and is market‑based, not a feed‑in tariff. Northern Ireland did not adopt the GB FIT; renewables were principally supported through the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO). In Ireland, REFIT schemes (effectively feed‑in tariffs) supported larger projects and are now closed; current micro‑generation support includes supplier Clean Export Guarantees. FIT issues arise in project finance, PPAs, accreditation, assignment and change‑in‑law risk.
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View the related Checklists about Feed in Tariff (FIT)

CHECKLISTS
Rooftop solar PV on let buildings: legal checklist covering leases, PPAs, REGOs, SDLT, planning, grid, regulation, funding and redevelopment/early removal

For more practical, step-by-step guidance on solar projects, including viewpoints from several jurisdictions, consult the textbook also: Solar Power: A Practical Handbook. Negotiating a rooftop lease for solar PV panels When arranging a rooftop lease for solar PV panels, the matters at stake will differ according to the interests of the party you represent. Those issues shift depending upon whether one acts for the landlord, the occupier, or the solar tenant. Here, 'landlord' describes the owner of the freehold or a long lease of the relevant building; 'occupier' means the party in occupation; and 'solar tenant' is the entity proposing to install and own the panels. The solar tenant may equally be the building’s occupier, or could be a dedicated solar developer. A growing number of landlords are fitting solar panels to their properties—either via the same corporate vehicle that holds the building, or through a related solar company. This note addresses rooftop leases and, accordingly, assumes a structure in which the solar tenant is a distinct legal...

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View the related Practice Notes about Feed in Tariff (FIT)

PRACTICE NOTES
Ofgem ROO‑FiT accreditation: applications, preliminary accreditation, eligibility, deployment caps and 2019 scheme closure (archived)

ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is no longer maintained. Introduction Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) provide financial support for electricity produced from low-carbon sources. They deliver guaranteed payments per kilowatt hour (p/kWh) over a set term to small-scale low-carbon generators. These payments are made by electricity suppliers, who recover the extra expense from their customers, so the additional cost of renewable power is shared across the whole electricity market. For wider details on the FiT scheme and current activity, including consultations, regulatory guidance and key amendments, refer to the resources below. Practice Note: Feed-in tariff (FiT)—key features and the Feed-in tariff scheme tracker showing status and recent developments Ofgem: Essential Guide to applying for ROO-FiT accreditation Closure of the FiT On 19 July 2018, BEIS confirmed (as expected) that the FiT would close to new accreditation applications from 1 April 2019, although in certain cases the deadline may fall earlier or later. For a detailed explanation of the closure of...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK Construction Law Glossary: F—Facilities Management, FIDIC, Final Account, Fitness for Purpose, Force Majeure, Frameworks and Funding

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Facilities management Facilities management contracting is, at its core, a commercial services contract arrangement, covering ‘Hard FM’ (relating to the upkeep and fabric of a building, for example mechanical and electrical systems), ‘Soft FM’ (relating to in-building support functions such as cleaning, security and helpdesk services) or ‘Total FM’ (which can combine a number of hard and soft facilities management services), as required within buildings. See subtopic: Facilities management for construction lawyers. Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs-Conseils (FIDIC) The International Federation of Consulting Engineers. FIDIC issues a suite of standard-form contracts for deployment on international construction projects. In common usage, ‘FIDIC’ typically refers to that family of contracts rather than the institution itself. See subtopics: FIDIC contracts 2017 onwards and FIDIC contracts pre-2017 editions in practice by practitioners. Feed-in tariff The Feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme—also sometimes known as the...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Smart Export Guarantee in Great Britain: legal basis, supplier duties, eligibility, metering and SEG Export Agreement terms for small-scale low-carbon generators

For comprehensive commentary on the regulation, consenting and incentivisation of the net zero energy transition under the laws of England and Wales, see also: Collinson and Hockman on Energy Law: Regulating, Consenting and Incentivising the Energy Transition. That textbook offers an in-depth treatment of matters addressed in this Practice Note. Introduction to the Smart Export Guarantee This Practice Note sets out a detailed account of the ‘Smart Export Guarantee’, a regulated scheme giving owners of small-scale, low-carbon installations in Great Britain a guaranteed contract to sell surplus electricity they produce. It considers, among other points, power purchase terms under the Smart Export Guarantee, the part played by electricity suppliers within the mechanism, and the categories of technology that can participate. The Smart Export Guarantee took effect on 1 January 2020. The proposal first emerged during consultations that announced the confirmed closure (for new installations) of the small-scale Feed-in Tariff (FiT) from 1 April 2019. This is because a key outcome of ending the FiT is the cessation of...

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