News

New campaign urges FiT rethink

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A new campaign has been launched by the Solar Trade Association and RenewableUK opposing the government’s plans to cut the Feed-in Tariff for solar to just 1.63p from January 01 2016.

The campaign, called People Power, calls on members of the renewables industry and the public to petition the government via social media and writing to local MPs.

Both the STA and RenewableUK stress the need for action to avert the risk of substantial job losses and a sharp reduction in financial support for communities received for the clean power they generate.

Gemma Grimes, director of policy, consents & intelligence at RenewableUK, said: “This campaign is about sending a simple message to government: don’t wreck an industry, which for the first time has given people the power to control their own energy supply. Small-scale renewables is an extraordinary success in the UK, creating thousands of green jobs and allowing local communities to generate their own clean energy.”

Leonie Greene, head of external affairs at STA, said: “Government proposals for Feed-in Tariffs are extreme and they will stop families and communities from investing locally in clean energy all over the UK. To prevent this happening it is vital that people make their voice heard in parliament right now. Individual voices are small but together we can deliver a message that Westminster cannot ignore.”

The campaign is being run through the Action for Renewables website at: www.actionforrenewables.org/people-power