UK solar FiTs may be cut by up to 50% - report

The new Conservative government in the UK could slash the feed-in tariff (FiT) for solar electricity by as much as 50%, the Sunday Times said Sunday, citing industry sources.

In July Amber Rudd, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, proposed to close the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme for new solar projects from April 2016, and also said there would also be a review of the FiT programme. The results of a consultation on the FiT are expected in early September.

A coalition of 100 organisations recently wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron calling on him to support small-scale renewables.

“As representatives of communities, co-operatives, workers, local government, farmers, manufacturers, social enterprises and companies who support the development of a green economy we have been surprised and concerned at a succession of recent announcements – from sudden changes to the renewable energy market, to scrapping the Zero Carbon Homes initiative and the absence of energy efficiency schemes – which undermine Britain’s position in the run-up to the climate talks in Paris. In light of this the upcoming review of the FiT is causing great concern.”

According to their letter, the FiT has resulted in 625,000 homes, businesses and communities going solar, and nearly 7,000 homes, offices and communities powered by small wind turbines, micro combined heat and power (CHP), anaerobic digestion and hydro power.

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