Government stance on solar projects is ‘a joke’

David Hunt, a director with Liverpool-based renewable energy company Eco Environments, has branded the Government's clampdown on solar power projects "a joke".

The coalition government has announced that incentives for solar power projects are to be slashed with subsidies for mid-sized facilities being cut by half and the very largest projects having their grant cut by nearly three-quarters.

The Government wants to cut the subsidy for installations producing 50kW to 150kW from 32.9p/kWh to 19p, while installations producing over 150kW will have their subsidy cut from 30.7p to 15.7p. Solar farms producing over 250kW would receive only 8.5p.

Ministers say the clampdown is intended to help protect the incentives available for smaller household schemes.

Hunt said: "The Government's claim to be the greenest ever is in tatters. While we accept that solar farm scale projects of 1MW plus do warrant review, reducing the tariff significantly for installations of just over 50kWp is farcical.

"There is a huge gulf between 50kWp and 1 MW. This decision seriously impacts on community projects and businesses trying to reduce their energy bills and their carbon footprints. In short the decision shows the Government's understanding of the green economy to be a joke.

"The renewable energy sector is one of the most exciting and fastest growing sectors in the UK economy. Around 50 per cent of our client base is commercial which means that mindless proposals such as this one could seriously impact job creation and future growth. We would encourage David Cameron and his Government to seriously reconsider the proposals they have put forward."

Eco Environments, which also has offices in Manchester, Tamworth, Penrith and Darlington, designs, installs and commissions a comprehensive range of renewable energy and energy conservation solutions, specialising in Solar Photovoltaic, wind turbines and solar thermal water heating systems and heat pumps.