Property and energy agency, Savills Energy, is urging businesses to take part in the government’s consultation over plans to allow rooftop solar to be transferred between buildings and continue to receive the feed-in tariff.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is looking at increasing the flexibility of the subsidy scheme for commercial applicants because of disappointing take up in the space. The government clearly identified commercial rooftops as a priority for solar in its National Solar Strategy and promised to put “rocket-boosters” under the sector as a result.
The government hopes that by allowing business to transfer solar installations over 50kW to a new location, businesses that lease properties will consider installing solar. Giles Hanglin, who looks after the national coordination of solar rooftop delivery for Savills Energy, explained: “If the UK is to meet its renewables targets and we are to secure our energy future, then solar PV has a role to play. For both landlords and tenants, there are presently clear barriers in place to investing in solar PV, because if a FiT installation is moved it becomes ineligible for further support. Despite the benefits solar PV can offer, it’s understandable how it might be left off the investment list.”
Hanglin continued: “We have been working closely with DECC now for some time on the topic of solar PV. In the summer of 2014 we fed into the consultation on revisions to planning permissions for solar PV and then joined discussions on increasing the flexibility of installations. So we very much welcome this opportunity for businesses to have their say. Indeed, the benefits for organisations prepared to engage with the consultation process can be significant, as we have already seen from the actions DECC has taken following our earlier feedback.”
Savills Energy is urging businesses to have their say on the direction of solar PV and the feed-in tariff. In order to help organisations who do not have the time or resources to respond to the consultation, the company is offering to collect their answers to the consultation questions and respond on their behalf.
Hanglin added: “The flexibility the consultation proposes, I believe, is going to be key to the future success of solar PV as a source of renewable energy and an additional income stream for businesses. We understand that some organisations won’t have the time or resources to compile their own response to DECC, so we can do that for them. All they need to do is fill in our simple online survey and we’ll collate all responses.”
The consultation closes on 5 January 2015 and can be viewed here. Companies looking for Savills to respond on their behalf can fill out the company’s online survey.