Solar Share Schemes And How They Work

You have always been able to buy solar photovoltaic panels but prior to the launch of the government's feed-in tariff the use of solar on domestic properties were not cost effective. With the advent of the solar panel grants come the introduction of free solar panels where homeowners could have the panels fitted at no cost. There is also now try before you buy solar panels, sun share, U-Rent and solar share schemes that allow you to have solar installed at a lower cost or at no initial cost and benefit from a share in the feed-in tariff payments.

The solar share scheme was introduced by a few of the free solar installation companies as a way to offer homeowners the chance to earn the tax free revenue from the feed-in tariff scheme where they couldn't have ordinarily been able to afford solar. It also means that you can get solar panels installed under the free schemes even though your home does not meet the installers criteria perfectly. The different schemes available from different solar installers aim to make solar more accessible to those households that may have fallen through the cracks and are unable to benefit from free solar energy or reap the tax free tariff payments on offer.

HomeSun SolarShare scheme

The solar share scheme offered by HomeSun is designed to allow homeowners who wanted free solar but their home did not quite meet the installers criteria. When free solar companies offer free solar they need to ensure that they place their solar panels on rooftops that will get them the maximum return on their investment. This means that the ideal homes tend to get cherry picked and many homeowners are refused a free installation.

Essentially HomeSun offers to install their system on your roof if you have previously been refused. There is however a fee of £500 to pay. If you are looking for free solar and have previously turned down by an installer then you should first try applying with another company before parting with your cash. You should also consider a paid solar system so that you can benefit from the tax free tariff grants available. You may soon be able to get a Green Deal loan to pay for solar PV so it is worth researching all your options first.

Ref: http://www.homesun.com/our-products-and-services/solarshare/

Avonline Sunshare scheme

Avoline previously run a Sunshare scheme whereby you could invest in part of the cost of a solar photovoltaic system. You would own a percentage of the installation and Avonline would own the remaining parentage. The idea behind the scheme was to allow people to invest in solar who do not have the funds to cover the entire cost of the system. The homeowner would then benefit from a share of the tax free solar payments based on the share of the system that they owned. The scheme is no longer running and the original site located at http://www.sunsharesolar.co.uk/ is no longer active.

Nationwide Solar try before you buy solar investment scheme

Nationwide solar offer a way to buy up to a 50% share in a solar system installed on your home. The idea behind the scheme is that instead of having to invest the entire cost of a solar system to be able to benefit from the feed-in tariff payments you buy a percentage of the system. At a later date if you decide you can buy out the remaining share held by Nationwide solar. With this deal you still get all of the electricity the panels produce and your agreed share of the feed-in tariff revenue.

Ref: http://www.nationwidesolar.co.uk/

Spencer Solar U-Rent Scheme

This offer is only for the commercial and industrial sector and not for residential use. Spencer solar have a U-rent scheme that allows you to rent a solar system from them rather than buying. The idea is that some of the tax free revenues earned through your solar installation will be used to cover the rental costs. Once the rental period is over you get to keep the installed system through gifting. It means that you can benefit from free electricity for your business plus an ongoing revenue through the feed-in tariff without any up front costs to your business.

Ref: http://www.spencersolar.co.uk/finance/free/

Solar share schemes for business and residential

The various types of solarshare scheme available to homeowners and businesses allow you to enjoy the benefits of solar PV when you do not have the finances to invest in solar yourself. Before entering into any agreement you should make sure that you are fully aware of all terms and conditions of the scheme that you are entering into.