South Wales hit hard by cuts to solar installation Feed-in Tariffs
New government caps on Feed-in Tariffs for larger solar installations is a blow to green energy and “Big Society” community projects in South Wales, says UES managing director Andrew Padmore.
Mr Padmore said: “Although there is still a great opportunity for businesses interested in small scale developments, we are very disappointed for those planning larger projects in this sector.
“What is most frustrating is that the new tariff structure effectively wipes out the potential for any solar projects that generate significant amounts of green energy in the UK and that is completely contrary to government’s aims to encourage renewable energy and also ‘Big Society’ community projects.
“Businesses in South Wales will be particularly hard hit as the area has a high density of suitable roof space and is attractive in terms of the sunlight needed to generate electricity from solar projects. Sadly, it’s got to be viewed as a missed opportunity as far as Wales is concerned.
“At UES we had funding partners willing to commit more than £100m of investment into this specific area and our work with Business In The Community would have allowed us to structure the work to maximise the job creation and regeneration aspects which are fundamentally important to the Welsh economy.
“But this opportunity has now gone and the biggest losers are the many industrial and commercial businesses in South Wales who could have benefited from larger projects.
“We will, of course, continue working with smaller commercial and domestic solar photo-voltaic (solar PV) installations which have escaped unscathed. And we will still be working with local authorities and registered social landlords to implement those innovative schemes that not only reduce energy costs and carbon emissions but also create sustainable jobs and address other growing issues such as fuel poverty.”
Gaynor Hartnell, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association (REA), said: “Larger PV projects are cheaper, and have a major role in driving down costs. We don’t want boom and bust in this sector but pulling the rug out from under the feet of those that have ventured into this market was precisely the wrong response.
“The UK will now return to the solar slow lane. It’s as good as a retrospective change and that does untold damage to investor confidence. It’s not acceptable and we will fight it.”
