The recent government announcement of a review of the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) payments has seen a flurry of worried solar companies clambering to condemn energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne, and predicting a gloomy future for the solar energy market.
However, Ploughcroft MD, Chris Hopkins, believes most companies are missing the point. As a key leader of solar discussion for the roofing industry and now a voice for solar roofing for the solar industry, Chris spoke at the Yorkshire and Humber Microgeneration Partnership Conference in Harrogate held on 31 March.
Hopkins used this platform to highlight his views on the announcement stating: “The whole purpose of the Feed-In-Tariff for solar technology was to encourage homeowners, fuel poor community projects and small commercial property owners to generate their own electricity during the day and export any excess to the grid. Conversely, large investors from overseas were seeing this as a route into the UK market and siphoning funds that were meant for the UK homeowner. I am pleased a step has been taken to stop this.”
The review’s aim was to reduce the number of solar farms and large scale solar installations claiming the F-I-T funds that are intended for homes, communities and small businesses. The review has resulted in the government’s decision to reduce the subsidy on any installations over 50 kWh by 70%.
Hopkins added; “At Ploughcroft we wholeheartedly agree with this announcement. On the contrary to this I would have liked to see a clause in the review that stated should the investor of a large system, such as a factory, be able to produce evidence that they needed the majority of the electricity being used, then a larger F-I-T be authorized. Perhaps this is something the government could look to add in the future as it would encourage Britain to become a greener nation.”