TOPIC:

There are new tariff rates that need to be applied after April 1st 2012

The feedin tariff data is stored in a file called solarConfig.XML located in the following path:

C:\Program Files\Visual Building Solar Designer\Program\en-GB\solarConfig.xml

This file contains tariffs for all countries but we are only interested in the UK figures here.

You will then need to unzip the file and ensure it is called solarConfig.xml. You may want to rename your existing solarConfig.xml to OLDsolarConfig.xml so you can recover if you make a mistake.

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For your information and if you really want to edit your own:

If you want to edit your own, you need only be concerned with the xml block <Category ItemName="GB">

The xml block <Category ItemName="MapValues"> relate to the power generation derived when clicking on the map, and these have not changed and so should not be changed.

The xml block <Category ItemName="Reimbursement"> is the place where we keep the FIT data.

Within this block there are 3 xml blocks:

<Category ItemName="2009-07-15">
<Category ItemName="2011-04-01">
<Category ItemName="2012-04-01">

This is now historical data and can be ignored. (In fact in the download file we have removed the historical data to avoid chance of selecting old tariff and creating wrong data///0

We will create a new block valid to 2013-04-01

<Category ItemName="2013-04-01">
<Option ItemName="Name" ValueType="21">to 01.04.2013</Option>
<Option ItemName="Comment" ValueType="21">(subject to change July 2012</Option>
<Option ItemName="Level0" ValueType="6">0.239758453</Option>
<Option ItemName="Level1" ValueType="6">0.239758453</Option>
<Option ItemName="Level2" ValueType="6">0.191806763</Option>
<Option ItemName="Level3" ValueType="6">0.173539452</Option>
<Option ItemName="Level4" ValueType="6">0.147280193</Option>
<Option ItemName="ExportTariff" ValueType="6">0.034251276</Option>
<Option ItemName="ImportTariff" ValueType="6">0.137005104</Option>
</Category>

Note the values stored are in Euro at a standard conversion rate of 1.141707. This is an internal exchange rate and has nothing to do with reality and will not affect your results.

Level0 relates to New Build < 4KW tariff = 21p (0.239758453 Euro)
Level1 relates to Existing Build < 4KW tariff = 21p (0.239758453 Euro)
Level2 relates to Existing Build 4KW - 10 KW tariff = 16.8p (0.191806763 Euro)
Level3 relates to Existing Build 10 - 50 KW tariff = 15.2p (0.173539452 Euro)
Level4 relates to Existing Build 50 - 150 KW tariff = 12.9 (0.147280193 Euro)

ExportTariff 3p (0.034251276 Euro)
ImportTariff 12p (0.137005104 Euro)

Note that the bands above 10KW have changed. The original 10-100 KW band is split into two bands 10 - 50 KW and 50 - 150 KW. So the bands above 10 KW are not reporting correctly so please make allowances in your calculations above 50 KW. A software update will be required to change the banding above 50 KW.