Solar PV sees the sun setting in the House of Lords

Solar PV debated in the House of Lords.......and the sun may not even get his hat on!!

At the beginning of yet another uncertain month in the UK solar industry Lord Marland, who supports Chris Huhne, the Secretary of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, has led the Governments charge against the cost of feed-in tariffs. The comments, made public in the House of Lords, Lord Marland said in the House of Lords,  that the feed in  tariff is, “one of the most ridiculous schemes that has ever been dreamed up.”

These comments have undoubtedly further riled the UK solar industry, which has recently fought back against the self-dubbed ‘greenest Government ever.’

At the end of last year, Friends of the Earth, Solarcentury and HomeSun launched a campaign against Government’s decision, announced on October 31, to cut feed-in tariff rates from April 1, with a reference date of December 12. Many in the UK solar industry argued that by cutting the tariffs with only six weeks notice, Government would cause irreparable damage to the industry, and would be responsible for hundreds, if not thousands, of redundancies.

And in spite of these concerns, the Government still pushed ahead with its decision, ending up in  the High Court – the court ruled that its actions were “unlawful” – and in a further development, when the case went to the court of appeal, the court again highlighted the illegal nature of Government’s actions.

Not deterred by two defeats, the DECC has decided to launch another appeal, this time in the Supreme Court, further extending the confusion around tariff rates between December 12, 2011 and March 3, 2012.

In the House of Lords, Labour Energy spokeswoman Baroness Smith of Basildon asked if it was a “good use of Government money to keep chasing this merry-go-round of court decisions the Government keeps losing.” Adding, “Wouldn't it be better to sit down with the industry and negotiate a way forward?”

The Baroness continued to point out that most people working in the UK solar industry have now accepted that feed-in tariff cuts need to happen, however these cuts need to take place legally, and in a way that protects the 30,000 jobs created by the industry.

In reply, Lord Marland, said, “Let’s look at what we are taking to court here. This is one of the most ridiculous schemes that has ever been dreamed up. He went on to say, “It is already going to cost the consumer £7 billion for £400 million of net present value. This is on a product where you need the electricity when the sun doesn't shine. He continued. “It is going to produce 1.1 percent of our electricity supply and it doesn’t target the needy and the consumers.”

Some commentators have already said that these words, from a representative of the ‘greenest Government ever’, are likely to prompt a considerable amount of consternation from an already embattled solar PV industry.