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REA criticises RO proposals

REA chief executive Gaynor Hartnell
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has waded into the row over new consultations from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) over future support levels for solar and biomass under the Renewables Obligation (RO).

The first consultation proposes cutting support for solar by 25 percent to 1.5 ROCs per MWh by 2013. The REA has lent its weight behind similar calls from the Solar Trade Association that these cuts are too drastic.

“The largest PV projects now match the costs of offshore wind (which also gets 2 ROCs per MWh), but are not necessarily 25 percent cheaper,” said REA chief executive Gaynor Hartnell.

On plans to toughen up the criteria for biomass and CHP to qualify for support under the RO, Hartnell added: “Proposing to cap the amount of new dedicated biomass generation is not helpful at a time when we should be bringing forward as much of the cheaper renewables as we can.

“Instead of ramping up progress, government is actually makng the project development process unworkable for some technologies. The coalition must focus not only on the tremendous benefits renewables have to offer the UK, but also on the overall framework and approach, which has become overly complex and debilitating.”