Proposals can be read in full here
Mike Landy, head of policy at The Solar Trade Association, said: “We don’t agree with these self-defeating proposals and will be urging DECC to take up our alternative. A sudden cut combined with the threat of scheme closure is a particularly bad idea. We are calling on the government to work with the solar industry to deliver our plan for a stable glide path to subsidy-free solar.”
ECA director of business services, Paul Reeve, said: “The possible end to the Feed-in Tariff at the end of 2015 is a big concern. Small scale solar needs to play a bigger part in the future, and a sensible level of FiT gives domestic and commercial PV customers a say in how microgeneration pans out in this country.”
Merlin Hyman, chief executive of Regen SW, said: “Today’s announcement puts at risk thousands of jobs and will undermine opportunity for local people, businesses and communities to take control of the way we generate, use and supply energy.”
Solarlec director, Ged Rowbottom, said: “We knew the Feed-in Tariff was under review but no-one in the industry expected a cut of almost 90 percent, or that it could be scrapped altogether as early as next year.
“It is particularly disappointing since the energy secretary Amber Rudd vowed to unleash a ‘solar revolution’ when she was appointed just after the election. Now her department is proposing to remove a key incentive to achieving that goal.”
Dr Doug Parr, Greenpeace policy director, said: “The government cannot pretend cuts to subsidies for the nascent solar industry are necessary to save families money whilst throwing much more money at propping up polluting coal power stations. It is highly likely to irrevocably damage the domestic solar industry.”
Reza Shaybani, BPVA chairman, said: “Today’s announcement is totally unacceptable and unnecessary. This is bad news for the UK solar industry but also very bad news for the country as a whole. Cutting the FiT for rooftop solar which reduces energy bills for millions of homes and businesses is not defendable.”